Greenville, N.C. (April 14, 2020) – Yale Materials Handling Corporation announces the company’s first Edison Award, taking home gold in the autonomous work solutions category with its robotic reach truck. A panel of over 3,000 executives from around the world recognized the Yale® robotic reach truck for its use of innovative technology to expand the capability of lift truck-based robotics and address key business challenges facing warehousing and logistics operations.
The ability to lift as high as 30 feet and reach into double-deep storage locations separates the robotic reach truck from other entries in the category and enables operations to automate new processes beyond floor-level, point-to-point transportation. In addition to the LiDAR-based navigation technology used in other Yale robotic solutions, the robotic reach truck uses a combination of 3D cameras and sensors to perceive its surroundings and perform at height.
“These awards honor Thomas Edison’s emphasis on innovations with practical value, from the incandescent light bulb to improvements to the telephone,” says Mick McCormick, Director, Robotics and Automation, Yale Materials Handling Corporation. “The robotic reach truck shares this philosophy, specifically designed to address major challenges facing supply chains like sourcing and retaining labor, finding space for growing inventories and rising commercial real estate costs.”
With consumers demanding a wide range of items for fast delivery, businesses must manage large inventories in close proximity to population centers for fast delivery. The unique high-lifting ability of the robotic reach truck helps operations maximize existing space and avoid costly new construction or expansion.
The robotic reach truck also helps ease the strain on logistics operations to keep hiring and re-training workers for repetitive, turnover-prone positions. Since they are standard Yale® lift trucks outfitted with robotic technology, the same personnel can service both standard and robotic fleets, avoiding the need to train new personnel or call in specialists.
Click here to access an image of the robotic reach truck.
About the Edison Awards
The Edison Awards is the world's most revered Innovation Award dedicated to recognizing and honoring the best in innovation and innovators since 1987. For more information about the Edison Awards complete program and a list of past winners, visit www.edisonawards.com.
About Yale Lift Truck Technologies
Yale Lift Truck Technologies leverages over a century of material handling experience and substantial investment in innovation to bring the most advanced technology-driven lift truck solutions to market. The company offers a full line of award-winning lift trucks, including reach trucks, order pickers, turret trucks, pallet jacks and trucks, pallet stackers, tow tractors and counterbalanced forklifts, as well as powerful operator assist solutions, proven robotics and a wide range of power sources to help customers adapt to today’s demanding supply chain. Yale and its independent dealer network support these solutions with comprehensive after-sales service, parts, financing and training.
Hyster-Yale Group, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (NYSE:HY). Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio and operates globally.
Company Contact:
Jennifer Timblin
Yale Lift Truck Technologies
252-412-4322
jennifer.timblin@hyster-yale.com
Media Contact:
Dan Gauss
Koroberi
336-409-5391
dan@koroberi.com
