Last Thursday (02/26/2015), the official test week of this year’s IFOY Award (Internationl Forklift Truck of the Year) culminated at the premises of the Osnabrueck-based logistics provider Hellmann Worldwide Logistics. For one week, a jury of international experts and journalists tested 14 forklifts, warehouse trucks, and intralogistics solutions from five different manufacturers, who had been nominated beforehand. The IFOY Award is renowned for recognizing the latest innovations in forklift and intralogistics products. The award thereby aims at improving the competitive ability and overall image of the entire intralogistics industry.
There was much organizational work to be done, prior to the successful IFOY test week, at which Hellmann was able to prove its know-how and ability as an expert for FCL & LCL shipments (full container load & less than container load). As the official logistics partner of the IFOY Award, Hellmann was responsible for the timely delivery of all nomitated equipment and vehicles. The logistics services for the award ceremony were allocated centrally for the first time this year, with Hellmann successfully prevailing against several competitors. The reason for the invitation to tender was the award’s increasing importance within the intralogistics industry. All transports had to be planned and carried out just-in-time in order to avoid any delays for the tests later on.
The transport requirements were extensive: the range of candidates and nominees included lift trucks and reach trucks, from 2-ton to 8-ton trucks and above. This presented an unusual, but solvable assignment for the team of Hellmann Direct Load Product Managers Hans-Rolf Walter and Stefan Haase. "Most of the 14 nominated equipment and vehicles could not be transported with our own standard fleet due to their size. Thus, we worked together with specialist exceptional transport partner companies such as Pfaff, Marcus and TMM," said Hans-Rolf Walter.
With such professional preparation, the transport eventually worked out just as planned: in time for the start of the test week on February 19, the first trucks carriying the nomitated equipment and vehicles arrived at 8.00 a.m. at the Hellmann premises in Osnabrueck and then on an hourly basis. So the tests could finally start. "Thanks to the transparent communication with all manufacturers and the test organizer there were no problems during transport, and we were able to plan, pick up and deliver dead on time. This is one of our core competencies at Hellmann Direct Load", said project manager Stefan Haase.
Anita Würmser, Executive Jury Chairperson of the IFOY organization, was impressed by the Osnabrueck-based logistics company’s achievements: "What Hellmann has provided here with respect to the test environment and transport handling, is exemplary. Thanks to this support, the big test week went very smoothly."
These are words product manager Hans-Rolf Walter likes to hear. "We are pleased that we were able to convince with our services and may transport the test vehicles again in May." For this, Hellmann Direct Load will transport the nominated equipment and vehicles to Munich, to the official IFOY Award ceremony at the CEMAT@transportlogistic fair.