GR's Dematic, Crown Launch Laser Guided Lift Trucks
Grand Rapids-based Dematic, a supplier of logistics systems for the factory, warehouse, and distribution center, and Crown Equipment Corp., one of the world's leading forklift manufacturers, Tuesday announced an alliance to collaborate on the research and development of new products that improve warehouse and distribution center productivity.
The two companies introduced the first product resulting from the alliance, LaserTrucks+, an integrated system that combines the Dematic market-leading picking and voice software suite and Automated Guided Vehicle guidance technology, applied to a Crown PC 4500 Series rider pallet truck that will increase case picking productivity in the warehouse.
"Our recent acquisition of HK Systems and its advanced AGV technology, made this fully integrated, single provider solution possible." said David Berghorn, Dematic Chief Technology Officer. "LaserTrucks+, the first of our combined efforts, is an innovative and cost-effective solution specifically addressing efficient mixed case order fulfillment."
Added Crown Equipment senior vice president Tim Quellhorst: "One of the most common themes we hear from our customers is a desire to utilize technology to make their warehouses more productive. We believe emerging technologies will provide opportunities for our customers who want to implement scalable elements of material handling automation. Our alliance with Dematic is another step in this direction for Crown that helps us fill an existing gap in the global marketplace with a fully integrated pallet truck system for order picking. As some facilities move toward automation, the LaserTrucks+ offering from Dematic is a viable solution that leverages one of our most technologically advanced lift trucks."
The LaserTruck+ solution, featuring the Crown PC 4500 Series, will be on display at ProMat 2011, the materials handling international exhibition this week at McCormick Place South in Chicago.
More at www.dematic.com or www.crown.com.
