There is a lot of talk about “going green” and being more “environmentally friendly”. But what does considering “environmental aspects” actually mean?

It means tackling the full magnitude of this complex issue. It requires imaginative, tenacious engineers who can think on a complex level. It means having a command of all technical subjects – from a power train to a brake, from the basic design through to the materials.

It means doing what Linde has being doing for decades: focusing on having a more positive impact on the environment with everything we do.

We have been looking to solve issues such as emission control, eco-friendliness, and compliance with environmental and health policy regulations, in all design details.

The result is Linde PureMotion – a multi-faceted solution to increasing energy efficiency, cutting emissions and limiting or eliminating any kind of undesirable effects.

Linde forklift trucks are role models for the economical handling of resources, whatever the drive type.

The most important feature distinguishing a Linde internal combustion Forklift is our hydrostatic transmission. We launched the first hydrostatic drive in 1958, marking a milestone
in the history of forklift technology and energy efficiency.

Smooth operation, to-the-millimetre positioning, minimised wear. The difference between this and conventional drive concepts is astounding. The Linde forklift truck responds to every command with optimised precision. They require less energy and thus emit less CO2.

In fact, Linde diesel engines are so efficient that they achieve all-time low particle emission values. With the VDI work cycle on best time, the Linde H25D achieves a consumption advantage of 1.4 l/h. Projected over two years, this equates to a total of 26.8 t in CO2 emissions. For one of our competitors, under otherwise identical conditions, the data indicates 38.2 t. A difference of almost 12 t – equivalent to the weight of a heavy truck.

A similar situation is true with the particulate matter generated by the brake pads. Linde forklift trucks brake without conventional brakes. Instead, the hydrostatic drive decelerates in a controlled manner as soon as the driver takes his foot off the accelerator pedal. This mechanism enables precise vehicle control and eliminates brake pad wear, thus eliminating the very fine particles generated through brake pad use.

Over a two year period, forklift trucks featuring conventional brakes generate some 700 g of particulate matter from brake pad wear alone. Compressed, this is equivalent to approx. 0.6 litres of dust.

What happens if this quantity of particulate matter gets into the atmosphere?
Assuming an approved daily particulate matter average of 50 micrograms (50 millionths of a gram) per cubic meter, 700 g is enough to pollute 14 million cubic meters of air to its limit. Distributed over two years, this is about 19,000 cubic meters per day. The Linde hydrostatic drive concept has completely eliminated this environmental impact.

Linde’s PureMotion for the electric drive mirrors the achievement of the combustion engines. The Linde electric forklift trucks set the benchmarks for energy efficiency. A whole range of technical developments ensure optimised use of the battery power to provide an outstanding environmental track record while also achieving more pallets per charge.

At the core of this energy efficiency is the fully encapsulated compact axle – available in Linde’s latest electric counter balanced fork lift range, E12 - E20. The newly developed axle delivers high output for extremely low input, combining compact dimensions with efficient performance and minimised maintenance work. A technical masterpiece – powerful and resilient for precise, sensitive driving manoeuvres in hard applications.

Then there‘s the Linde energy management system for optimised use of the available charge. This includes enhanced energy recovery on braking and the new battery status indicator that displays the exact charge remaining and requests the next charging operation at exactly the right time – not too early and not too late.
The complete host of features in our entire electric range achieve greater energy savings and higher productivity.

Linde’s focus on achieving energy efficiency isn’t limited to our forklift trucks, it also extends to our production facilities. We now recycle heat generated from our plants in Germany. At just one of these plants, it’s estimated to have saved around 16 million kilowatt-hours each and every year.

To find out more about how Linde can help your business increase energy efficiency while also increasing productivity, contact Linde Sales and Marketing on
1300 135 463.