Migros implemented sustainable drive technology, predictive maintenance, and a lifecycle-oriented replacement of its fleet of 165 forklifts to achieve significant improvements in operational readiness and cost-effectiveness.
Management of the entire forklift fleet
Full service contract for maintenance, installation, repair and optimization for all 165 forklifts
Retrofit and maintenance concept optimizes planning reliability and availability with more economical, sustainable operation of forklifts from Stoecklin and all third-party suppliers
Switch to safe and durable lithium-iron cobalt cells with higher capacity and fast-charging function; new, lower-maintenance ESP30 generation gradually replaces ESP 2000 and 3000
The Migros cooperative network is one of the largest retail companies in Switzerland. In 2018, Migros Neuchâtel-Fribourg wanted to strengthen its commitment to the environment in the region by giving it a further boost: The stores are managed by more than 1,800 employees and generated net sales of CHF 726.1 million. In 2022, Migros wanted to optimize efficiency and sustainability in this part of intralogistics with a retrofit of the battery-powered forklift fleet.
Migros Neuenburg-Freiburg selected Stoecklin Logistics for its comprehensive full service contract for the initial fleet of 165 forklift trucks (125 vehicles from Stoecklin, 40 vehicles from third-party suppliers). The goal was to significantly and sustainably improve the annual maintenance costs, consumption and availability of the existing fleet without excessive new purchases for better planning and investment security.
Following a thorough analysis by experienced specialists from Stoecklin, the sodium-sulphur batteries in large parts of the stand-on and stand-on low lift trucks were successively replaced with state-of-the-art lithium-ion energy storage systems. Not only did this make larger charging capacities and running times possible, the patented LiFePO4 lithium-ion energy system from Stoecklin also enables quick charging instead of battery replacement. This enables savings in many manual operations, and is free from the gassing of the predecessor batteries - which creates additional safety, especially in the food environment.
A small part of the fleet, devices from the ESP2000 and ESP3000 series, were gradually replaced by the lower-maintenance and more ergonomic Stoecklin successor model EFP30, to the extent that the stand-on or sit-on pallet trucks were phased out of the life cycle.
This resulted in a concept for continuous safety checks and maintenance, which are carried out using an inspection checklist based on operating hours and intensity. And a planning cycle in which a joint decision is made on a recurring basis as to which changes are recommended in the fleet if requirements change or expand.
The full service contract with Stoecklin Logistik AG enables Migros Neuchâtel-Fribourg to achieve maximum efficiency in the use of its forklift fleet. At the same time, the cooperative relies on Stöcklin's consulting expertise to continuously optimize maintenance costs, for example - always with a focus on sustainability.
"It was important for us to have a partner at our side who has the necessary know-how to carry out the required retrofit measures directly, in addition to all equipment", reports Didier Schemyte, Technical Manager of the operations center at Migros Neuchâtel-Fribourg.
