All set to support wind power with emission-free lifting: Heavy Electric Forklifts

It’s logical, says Jakub Wojciechowski, Kalmar’s Country Director in Poland: “A company that is building zero-emission power sources should go for as close to zero emissions as possible in all their operations.”

Due to the size and weight of wind tower and turbine components, wind industry companies typically require lifting capacity between 15 and 33 tonnes. Kalmar is committed to meet this demand with a recent addition to its product portfolio, the lithium-ion battery powered Heavy Electric Forklift.

“Especially between 18 and 33 tons, this is a very unique offering, I would say even worldwide, for electric forklifts. Not many companies can build a fully performing machine like this, and we did,” says Wojciechowski.

In addition to producing zero emissions, Kalmar’s electric forklifts offer the benefit of very low running costs compared to diesel, as well as reduced noise levels in operation. 

Great growth expected across Europe

The wind industry is gaining momentum internationally. According to Wind Europe estimates, Europe is expected to install 260 GW of new wind power capacity over 2024–2030. To meet its 2030 climate and energy targets the European Union is required to build 33 GW a year on average.

Where there is wind power being built, there is a need for high-performance material handling equipment.

Poland is currently seeing a notable surge in wind industry development, with international players Vestas and Windar opening new sites in Szczecin, in northwestern Poland, and major Polish company GP Baltic operating in Gdańsk.

And where there is wind power being built, there is a need for high-performance material handling equipment. Wojciechowski is excited about the new opportunities for partnership.

“We are very much recognised and well known for heavy equipment. Our business is very heavy, high-capacity forklifts and reachstackers. That is our specialty in Poland, where Kalmar is a very common brand among customers of this kind, and we are ready to meet the needs of the wind sector.”

Brilliant local service with heavy equipment know-how

Wojciechowski emphasises the fact that Kalmar takes a personalised approach to each customer’s logistics. As there is no one-size-fits-all solution, the specific challenges and demands need to be understood.

“Based on our analysis, we pick the most suitable equipment for the customer. We also have a variety of attachments and other options for our machines, including a lot of safety options, which are becoming an extremely important part of the offer.”

We also have a variety of options available for our machines, including a lot of safety options.

Kalmar has a strong presence in Poland, with a heavy equipment factory located in Stargard, only 40 minutes away from the new wind power sites in Szczecin. A significant benefit for wind industry customers is the level of service that Kalmar is able to provide locally.

“We have a network of mobile technicians that arrive at customer sites, always close to the customer. We also have the benefit of knowledge of being an OEM service, or as we call it, factory service, with access to the product support directly from Kalmar. That’s a way to shorten the reaction times and repair times,” Wojciechowski explains.

With the right heavy-duty electrically powered equipment and a world-class level of service, Kalmar is all set to serve the needs of the wind industry.