Blog

We want to reinvent the way logistics is done. Here you can read insights from various customers in different industries explaining how they have improved their operations. You can also discover our latest innovations and the future industry trends we have identified.

Security compactainer - roll container double image

Eliminate Theft with the K.Hartwall Security Compactainer®

The Challenge: Internal & External Theft A leading US national distributor serving convenience stores, mass merchants, and chain restaurants identified recurring theft of high-value items, such as cigarettes. Losses were occurring both internally and externally, and the issue became apparent when inventory levels failed to match expected delivery quantities. The vulnerability came from the way ...

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Pallet jack

The Hidden Cost of Poor Intralogistics in Industrial Manufacturing — And What to Do About It

In manufacturing, we put a lot of energy into improving production—faster machines, fewer defects, better planning. But there’s one area that often gets overlooked: how materials move inside the factory. This everyday movement, known as intralogistics, might not seem like a big deal—but when it’s inefficient, it quietly creates delays, extra costs, and missed opportunities. ...

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More Than Just Movement: How Our People and Values Shape Our Future

Even though many of our team members work remotely, spread across different countries and time zones, there’s a strong sense of connection and community that ties us all together. Whether it’s through a Teams video call, a chat message, or a virtual coffee break, we make sure everyone feels seen, heard, and valued—no matter where ...

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Getting started with automation: A roadmap for integrating AGVs and AMRs in Supply Chain operations

In today’s fast-paced industrial landscape, automation is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. Companies striving to stay competitive must embrace automation to streamline operations, reduce costs, and boost efficiency. One of the most impactful advancements in this arena is the adoption of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs). These technologies help automate ...

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Danfoss in Denmark uses four A-MATE FreeLift AGVs for the internal material transport

Simplify your AMR Projects with multi-connective A-GATE®

The A-GATE® system is designed with user-friendliness at its core, offering a multi-connective experience that ensures you can get started in no time. Say goodbye to complicated setups and hello to intuitive functionality that makes your tasks easier and more efficient. The successful integration and operation of AMR fleets requires a comprehensive IT infrastructure. Automated ...

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K.Hartwall Roll Containers - The Intelligent Solution for Efficient Material Handling

The use of pallets in the United States dates back to the early 20th century, gaining momentum during World War II when standardized wooden pallets and forklifts revolutionized material handling and wartime logistics. Pallets became the backbone of warehouse operations, enabling faster movement and more efficient storage of goods. However, as supply chains have become ...

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SPAR Albania transforms warehouse and distribution efficiency with K.Hartwall Foldia® Roll Container

As one of the country’s leading retail chains, SPAR Albania operates a fast-growing network of ca 80 stores, requiring a highly efficient and reliable logistics system to ensure smooth supply chain operations. With the increasing demand, the company faced challenges in optimizing warehouse space utilization, reducing return transport costs, and improving the efficiency of goods ...

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A-MATE Counter is equipped with counterweight and cantilevered forks

5 Benefits of Adding Automation into Your Warehouse

In today’s industrial landscape, automation is transforming businesses by improving efficiency, reducing costs, and enhancing productivity. Once a futuristic concept, automation is now essential for staying competitive in manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management. By leveraging technology, businesses can streamline operations, minimize errors, and ensure a safer, more sustainable future. Improved Efficiency Automation significantly enhances ...

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Why Roll Containers are the smarter alternative to Pallets

In today’s fast-paced supply chain environment, businesses are constantly looking for ways to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize warehouse space. For decades, traditional pallets have been the backbone of material handling, but as supply chains evolve, so do the challenges associated with pallet-based logistics. Enter the roll containers — a versatile, cost-effective, and efficiency-driven ...

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K.Hartwall revolutionises intralogistics with 3D load carrier detection

Intralogistics is undergoing rapid change. The focus is on automation and digitalisation to make processes more efficient and flexible. The A-MATE® product family from K.Hartwall supports numerous customers in making the transition to automated intralogistics processes. Another important step is the integration of innovative and dynamic load carrier detection with the help of 3D cameras. ...

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K.Hartwall welcomes MIMM as new AGV Distribution Partner

MIMM engineers GmbH is based in Innsbruck, Austria. The software-focused company specializes in mobile robotics solutions. Strategically located in the DACH region and Italy, MIMM serves as a trusted partner for businesses across Europe. Their expertise lies in developing and integrating cutting-edge autonomous systems to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability in industrial and logistics operations. ...

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The SmartCube® cage supports PostNord’s sustainability goals

PostNord is the leading logistics provider in the Nordics with almost 4 billion euros turnover and over 24,000 employees. In Finland, PostNord operates since 2013 and is one of the biggest parcel carriers with over 2,400 pickup points and 12 million parcels delivered annually. PostNord’s overall climate target is fossil-free transportation and operations by 2030. ...

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EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR): What will change?

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) represents a significant step forward in the European Union’s efforts to tackle packaging waste and its environmental impact. Adopted by the European Parliament last April, this proposed legislation is set to replace the longstanding Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD), which has been in place since 1994.   The ...

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Reducing forklift traffic and improving sustainability with the LiftLiner®

BorgWarner has been a transformative global product leader for over 130 years, supplying technologies to nearly every major automotive OEM in the world. They bring successful electric innovations to market while continuing to advance their emissions-reducing and fuel-efficient combustion technology, empowering everyone to drive sustainably. They proudly provide the components, systems, and partnerships their customers ...

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Innovating logistics: K.Hartwall and HB RTS further develop the Euro Dolly

The logistics industry is constantly evolving, driven by the need for more efficient, flexible, and sustainable solutions. A prime example of this evolution is the collaboration between HB RTS, a leader in logistics products pooling such as crates and dollies, and K.Hartwall. Together, we have developed the new generation of the well-known Euro Dolly, a ...

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Top 5 current trends shaping the future of Automation

Here, we delve into the 5 current trends shaping the future of automation, focusing on labour shortage, interoperability, safety, IT and OT security, and the innovative concept of Plug, Connect & Produce. Labour Shortage: A Catalyst for Automation One of the most pressing issues facing industries worldwide is the labour shortage. As the workforce ages ...

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The 4 big trends in retail logistics you don’t want to miss

The global food and grocery retail market, valued at USD 11,932.5 billion in 2023, is projected to grow at an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2% from 2024 to 2030. This dynamic landscape is continuously evolving, driven by technological advancements, shifting consumer behaviours, and a growing emphasis on sustainability. Here are some of the next ...

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LiftLiner tugger train Deutche Bahn Cottbus

Deutsche Bahn implements the LiftLiner® for their most modern maintenance plant

Deutsche Bahn AG (DB) is the national railway company of Germany. It is organized as a stock corporation and is 100 percent owned by the Federal Republic of Germany. The company was founded in 1994 from the merger of these two state railways: Deutsche Bundesbahn and Deutsche Reichsbahn of the GDR. The group counts 600 ...

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ZF implements the LiftLiner® to improve efficiency and reduce TCO

ZF – SEE, THINK, ACT drives their business successfully ZF is a global technology company supplying systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, enabling the next generation of mobility. ZF allows vehicles to see, think and act. In the four technology domains of Vehicle Motion Control, Integrated Safety, Automated Driving, and Electric Mobility, ...

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Automate your logistics processes with A-MATE AGVs

Increasingly, companies want to train and deploy personnel for tasks that require special skills and automate everything else to the greatest possible degree. Autonomous mobile robots are an ideal place to start or expand automation in the supply chain. They can handle repetitive manual tasks and increase productivity and efficiency of manual labor by giving ...

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CASTORAMA Poland further enhance their logistics with the SmartCube® Light

CASTORAMA Poland, a prominent player in the DIY retail sector within Poland and part of the global Kingfisher group headquartered in the UK, continues its commitment to enhancing logistics efficiency. Following the successful implementation of the SmartCube® Jumbo, a transformative solution aimed at optimizing their operations, Castorama Poland now introduces the SmartCube® Light to further ...

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Saudi Post reduces manual handling and improves ergonomics

Saudi Post (SPL) is a provider of logistics and postal services in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The vision of the company is to be the National Logistics Champion in postal and logistics solutions providing added value to customers and linking KSA to the world. SPL is going through a major transformation journey which includes ...

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A powerful duo

🌐 Versatility at its best The K.Hartwall LiftLiner® tugger train, designed for agile and efficient movement, complements the Movexx RR3500S tugger perfectly. Together, they offer unparalleled versatility to transport loads weighing up to 1 tonne, making them ideal for a wide range of applications and industries. ⏱ Effortless handling The Movexx RR3500S tugger takes the ...

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K.Hartwall receives the certificate for 100% carbon-free energy

100% carbon-free electricity in 2023

In a time when environmental responsibility is a top priority, businesses are actively seeking innovative ways to reduce their carbon footprint. K.Hartwall is no exception and has decided to implement zero emission energy solutions in its main premises in Finland and Germany. This means that the electricity we use is produced without releasing any greenhouse ...

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Lean Dollies and Adaport Pallets in use at THK Czech Republic

THK uses K.Hartwall Lean Dollies & Adaptor Pallets to further improve their intralogistics

The system also allows the production lines to be fed directly by a milkrun train according to the Lean Manufacturing principles. About THK Rhythm Automotive THK was founded in 1961 and is one of the world’s pioneers in the development of linear motion mechanisms. Devices with linear motion are nowadays an indispensable part of the ...

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SmartCube foldable cage for standing items in use at BAHAG Bauhaus

BAHAG implements the SmartCube® Standing Items to replace pallets

BAHAG BAUS Handelsgesellschaft AG is the company behind the 270 BAUHAUS stores located throughout Europe. Founded in 1960 by Heinz-Georg Baus, the company is a retail chain offering products for home improvement (DIY), gardening and workshop. Currently, more than half of the BAUHAUS stores are in Germany. More than 10,000 articles are sent out of ...

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Outside view of a Metro Romania store

Metro Romania eliminates massive amount of stretch foil using the Compactainer

In October 1996, METRO Romania became a pioneer on the Romanian market by introducing the first cash&carry store. The company has always been committed to offering a diverse range of products that cater to the needs of professional customers, such as hotels, restaurants, catering (HoReCa) businesses, and independent retailers, with a focus on providing excellent ...

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LiftLiner in successful use at Sulzer HUB logistics

The LiftLiner® - A perfect match for the new Sulzer pump factory

HUB logistics is a privately-owned Finnish logistics company founded in 1992 which currently employs around 300 people. HUB Logistics’ service offering covers internal logistics solutions, storage and wooden packaging services. Customers are, among others, operators in the technology and engineering industries, trade and public administrations. HUB’s vision is to be the fastest growing and developing ...

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LiftLiner RC tugger train

Introducing: The LiftLiner® RC

With the LiftLiner® RC, K. Hartwall is expanding its successful product line. This new tugger train is the first solution on the market which can transport a wide range of roll cages and dollies. This will generate a significant increase of time saving, especially in Retail, E-Commerce as well as Parcel & Postal operations by ...

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Introducing the new counterbalanced AMR A-MATE Counter

Introducing: The A-MATE® Counter

The A-MATE® Counter is the newest addition to the growing A‑MATE® product line of K. Hartwall. As intelligent mobile robot it is designed to transport logistic units in production and logistics environments without the need for an on-board operator or driver. This counterbalanced AMR has cantilevered forks and counterweight to handle closed pallets and lattice boxes. ...

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K.Hartwall group picture Söderkulla

90 years and thriving

As I write this, it is easy to reflect upon the fact that the lifespan of companies these days seems to be getting shorter and shorter. According to author Steven Denning, the life expectancy rate of Fortune 500 companies reduced from around 75 years in the 1950s to less than 15 years in recent times. ...

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K.Hartwall blog about dark stores

Navigating the dark store dilemma

USD 5.8 billion! That’s the amount of money that was invested in dark stores globally in the first 9 months of last year. And that number is only set to grow. Primarily operating in urbanised areas, these dark stores act as fulfilment centres allowing e-commerce players to rapidly fill and deliver online orders to customers. ...

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Three A-MATE FreeLift AGV

Why SMEs should bank on mobile robots

SMEs have been left behind in the smart manufacturing race. But better late than never. Autonomous mobile robots are an ideal place to start or expand automation in the supply-chain. They can handle repetitive manual tasks and increase productivity and efficiency of manual labour by giving them time for more skilled activities. They can help ...

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LiftLiner tugger train for parcel operations

The secret to building resilient supply chains

Global automakers saw a USD 210 billion loss in revenue because of supply chain disruptions last year. The automotive sector was not alone. Most product businesses are stuck with lengthening supplier lead times, material shortages, energy price spikes, rising input costs, high freight rates and a severe shortage in staff. The traditional way to tackle supply-chain ...

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Castorama using SmartCube Jumbo to move products in a more efficient way

CASTORAMA adopts the SmartCube® Jumbo

Castorama Poland is the  leading home improvement (DIY) retailer  in Poland. Part of Kingfisher plc, it has grown rapidly from humble beginnings with one store in 1997, to a thriving chain of 91 stores today. . In 2017  a new distribution centre was built in Poland. . Two central distribution centres are located in Strykow ...

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LiftLiner tugger train improving parcel operations

The LiftLiner® is the complete package

Throughout its 400-year history, Finland’s national postal operator, Posti Group, has delivered goods to people. The goods transported have changed a lot over the years, but not the responsibility that goes with it. With three million households and companies receiving deliveries every weekday, Posti is one of the leading delivery and fulfillment companies in Finland, ...

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AMR A-MATE can pick pallets from the floor

Automation, sustainability and tracking key in logistics

In our recent customer survey, 54% of the respondents cited warehouse automation as the biggest trend to have an impact on their business in the near future, which was 10% more than last year. Asset Tracking came second, which is not a big surprise given the increase in volumes shipped lately.  Knowing how efficient your ...

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A-MATE carries multiple load carriers such as pallets, adaptor pallets and dollies, rollcages and foldable cages

Automate to accumulate: Mobile robots for improved productivity

Increasingly, companies want to train and deploy personnel for tasks that require special skills, and automate everything else to the greatest possible degree. Repetitive tasks including moving heavy load carriers can already be automated to facilitate efficient, safe, and ergonomic working environments. Mobile robots are not yet commonly used by postal and parcel operators, but ...

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Fozzy Group gained in efficiency and found a sustainable solution with the 4-sided Compactainer from K.Hartwall

Fozzy Group gained in efficiency and found a sustainable solution: the 4-sided Compactainer®

Fozzy Group is one of the largest industrial trade groups and leading retailers in Ukraine, with over 700 stores around the country. Besides retail, the Group’s business interests include food production, banking, IT, logistics, tourism and restaurants. The group sells groceries via its Silpo supermarkets chain, Le Silpo gourmet stores, wholesale and retail Fozzy hypermarkets,  ...

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Foldia Plus roll containers allow a space-efficient truck fill for Selgros

Foldia® Plus - the perfect “adjustable” solution for Selgros

Selgros Cash&Carry is one of the biggest retailers in Romania.  The company has managed to maintain its leading position by fulfilling its mission to offer on a daily basis a wide variety of products at the right price, guaranteeing their freshness and always acting with professionalism. In 2011, Selgros became a member of Transgourmet Holding ...

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Foldia rollcage fleet at Maison Thiriet

Maison Thiriet chose K.Hartwall to renew its fleet with Foldia®

Maison Thiriet is one of France’s leading producers and distributors of frozen products. It distributes own products as well as a range of other frozen and dry products, mainly to private customers. Its distribution network is made up of multiple channels: specialized stores, home delivery, website (www.thiriet.com), and several distributors under the THIRIET banner. They ...

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Foodex using Foldia for the in store retail logistics

Why choosing a roll cage could be the biggest logistics decision you ever make?

The roll cage has a long history that is worthy of an essay in its own right. The UK was one of the first markets in the world to adopt the roll cage, now used widely across Europe and growing in use across the rest of the World. The roll cage, as with many new products, ...

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4-sided Foldia rollcage at use at WineTime

4-sided Foldia® - A great solution for delivering exclusive gastro food and wine

WINETIME is a nationwide chain of gastro and wine markets, founded in 2010 as part of ASNOVA HOLDING. Today we operate in 14 regions of Ukraine with operational space in excess of 5000 sqm. The basis of the WINETIME offering consists of products imported from dozens of countries from the Old and New World, as ...

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Schiever warehouse equipped with Foldia rollcages

Schiever Group chooses Foldia® to replace its demountable fleet

SCHIEVER Group was founded in 1871 in central France. It operates and supplies a network of 113 supermarkets, 21 hypermarkets, 37 DYI, 200 convenience stores, 4 textile stores, 5 restaurants and 4 distribution centers. It operates the following brands: Auchan, Atac, Maxi Marché, Proxi Marché, and bi1 banners. Today it employs 7,000 people mainly in ...

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Be smart, be sustainable

When making investment decisions, we should not only look at the purchase price, but consider the lifetime cost of using the asset. The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten, as the old saying goes. However, it is not just the cost that we should approach with this ...

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Improved TCO thanks to adapted tools and training in South America

Improved TCO thanks to adapted tools and training

Is there an easy way to improve the lifetime of your roll containers? K.Hartwall is known as the leading supplier of load carriers, tugger trains and AGVs for the Retail, Postal&Parcel and Automotive industries – basically for all operations where goods need to be efficiently moved and delivered in prime condition. Most of these goods ...

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Clever load carriers will optimise your logistics

Asset management The single greatest benefit from intelligent load carriers is improved fleet management – making sure the units are in the right place at the right time. By using the right technology, manual counting is no longer necessary, and an up-to-date picture of load carrier locations and quantities can be generated. Ad hoc transportation of ...

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Foldia roll cage in use at ecolotrans

ECOLOTRANS: the Foldia® is a sustainable and ergonomic solution

Specialist in eco-mobility and last mile delivery service since 2005, ECOLOTRANS is the leading ecological transporter who offers clean, efficient and sustainable logistics. Its fleet delivers night and day, without restriction in compliance with the environmental regulations. As part of its expansion, particularly in its dedicated order preparation activity, Ecolotrans had to expand its roll ...

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product portfolio intralogistics K.Hartwall includes tugger trains roll container and foldable cages

Are you prepared for the new future?

Since the outbreak of Covid-19, the world is facing unprecedented challenges. The postal and parcel industries have seen massive changes as panic buying – especially online – has suddenly created the equivalent to a peak season and parcel volumes have globally gone through the roof. There is a lot of uncertainty in the air, which ...

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U Proximité France improve their operations with Foldia®

U Proximité France is dedicated to supplying goods to a 350 convenience stores in rural and urban areas in the south east of France. While in a tender U Proximité France realized that they could easily improve their operations and the work conditions of their operators within the warehouse and in the stores as well ...

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retail industry like Rossmann in Czech Republic use roll containers

Total Cost of Ownership is Rossmann Czech Republic’s way of thinking

Dirk Rossmann GmbH is Germany’s second largest drug store chain with over 4,000 stores across Europe. Rossmann was founded in 1972 and now also operates in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Albania and Turkey. Rossmann Czech Republic entered the market in 1994 and now has over 900 employees, more than 140 stores and a total ...

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k.hartwall logistics solutions for retail industry

Our customer’s success is our success

Innovation is a key part of our strategy at K.Hartwall and developing new and exciting products to meet the future need of this fast-moving market is essential for us to maintain our position as the leading supplier of goods carrier equipment.  Innovation however does not always need to be about new products and materials but ...

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The LiftLiner in parcel logistics

Forklift operations create major health and safety risks so there’s a developing trend towards reducing their use wherever possible. Accidents involving forklifts are a growing problem, for example in the United States each year more than 1 in 10 forklifts are involved in an accident. Similarly, in the UK around 1,300 employees are hospitalised each ...

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Foldia roll cage grocery industry colruyt group

RETAIL PARTNERS COLRUYT GROUP rethink their internal logistics with the Foldia® roll cage

Retail Partners Colruyt Group NV is wholesaler in food & non-food and one of the license holders from Spar in Belgium. It includes all activities of the Colruyt Group with independent shop holders. The group counts 410 shops which are divided between Spar and Alvo, independent Mini Markets and small stores. Retail Partners Colruyt Group ...

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logistics improvement varus

Omega Ltd (Varus) strive to improve their logistics

“The Foldia is so good looking that we can also use it to display products in our stores. The finish with the galvanized shine surface is great”, mentioned Karina Aboian, Head of Import Department at Omega Ltd. Omega is the retailer in Ukraine owning VARUS stores. Today there are 70 VARUS stores in Ukraine and ...

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intralogistics in grocery industry

10 year anniversary between Mega Image & K.Hartwall

Mega Image, Romania, member of Ahold Delhaize Group, is one of the TOP retailers in Romania with 2 big DCs servicing more than 600 stores mostly located in Bucharest. 10 years ago Mega Image selected K.Hartwall’s roll cage, the Compactainer®, to replace their wooden pallets to increase the efficiency of their operations throughout their Supply ...

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This is how K.Hartwall product development came up with the Foldia Plus roll cage solution

This is how we came up with Foldia® Plus

In their logistics they use demountable roll containers with low sides and height extensions for deliveries to stores. The concept is good: during order picking at the DC, heavy items such as milk, soft drinks or beer are loaded on the base. On top are loaded light goods such as toilet- and household paper or ...

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Foldia roll cage in use at SPAR

Foldia® was the right solution for SPAR

With a focus on wholesome food, local connectivity, respect for the environment, a nice place to work and dedication to the community, SPAR is always looking for the right balance within their business, regional partners and suppliers. Since April 2016 SPAR Handels AG belongs 60% to SPAR South Africa. The headquarters and central warehouse are ...

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