The iF Product design award was introduced first in 1954 and has been a growing institution for good design ever since. Several market leading manufacturers like Jungheinrich, Toyota and many others have participated in this prestigious competition.

EP sends its newest product into the race

In 2019 EP Equipment entered the competition with a groundbreaking new product, the WPL201 Li-Ion pallet truck. The WPL 201 does not only appear in a unique, appealing design, it also combines design with innovative features that solve several problems of traditional electric pallet trucks.

Great new features

Based on 48V brushless DC technology, this truck comes with increased gradeability and power, plug&play Li-Ion battery and a world unique plug&play controller. To ensure low TCO and simple service, the controller of the WPL201 can be exchanged single-handed to reduce service time for the customer. With its 48V/ 36Ah plug&play Li-Ion Battery, the truck can run through a full shift without charging and work around the clock with opportunity charging. The WPL 201 also comes with a completely new plug&play tiller head, designed by EP Equipment for the highest requirements in ergonomics and serviceability.

Shortest 2to pallet truck in the world

In addition to these great features, the WPL 201 Lithium Ion pallet truck is also the shortest in the world. At a size of only 423mm, it is much shorter than any of its competitors and better for use in narrow aisles as well as for loading and unloading of HGVs.

Winning the iF Design Award 2019

To win the iF Design Award is a big honour for EP Equipment and we are proud about our development and design team who constantly strive to create innovative products while keeping our an eye for nice design. With the WPL201 EP proves once again, that Chinese manufacturing can play a leading role in innovation and design for a whole industry.

The iF Design Award Night 2019

Together with our German distribution partner, EP representatives travelled to Munich to celebrate the iF Design Award Night 2019. A truly impressive event with companies from around the world participating to celebrate great achievements in product design. With several companies attending for several years we were impressed by the long history of the iF Design award. We found ourself among companies like Bosch, BMW, Porsche, Wechat, MAN, Jungheinrich and many others. For us, it was a great experience and we are looking forward to coming back with new, innovative products that continue to earn the iF Design award for the upcoming years.

 

Just a little more than a week until LogiMAT 2019 opens doors from February 19th to 21th and we are excited to have our new products ready for you. EP Equipment will be present at LogiMAT in Hall 10 Booth B81 where we will present our newest innovation and service concept in cooperation with our German partner Isfort.

What’s the LogiMAT 2019 concept?

LogiMAT 2019 is about three key topics for EP Equipment:

• New Li-Ion Counterbalance truck
• Innovative Li-Ion pallet trucks
• Order picking solutions

In all these segments, EP offers a wide range of alternative products, made for the customer demands and with a clear focus on the application in mind.

What’s new in Lithium Ion?

In the past years, EP grew to become the largest manufacturer of Li-Ion trucks in the market with a production of over 30.000 Li-Ion trucks in 2018, there is no other manufacturer with such experience in the field of Li-Ion technology.

In 2019 EP presents the future of Li-Ion trucks: As one of the leading suppliers in the transport industry, EP focusses on the development of two new pallet trucks, build around the requirements of the transport industry and both will be presented at LogiMAT 2019.

As an addition to our large range of Li-Ion pallet trucks, EP is the world first manufacturer to present a purpose-built, Li-Ion counterbalance truck to the market. At LogiMAT 2019 we start sales of this very unique machine.

And last but not least, we will present the facelift of our JX0 work assist vehicle. Find out more

EPL 151: the all-new, entry-level pallet truck

With the introduction of the EPT 20-15ET electric pallet truck, EP changed the market of electric pallet trucks forever. Leaving the era of heavy, underperforming pallet trucks, the 20-15ET started a megatrend towards small and light pallet trucks with reduced TCO to ensure access for everyone. Since the birth of this new segment, EP is constantly pushing forward to create new, groundbreaking pallet trucks like the semi-electric EPT 20-15EHJ, the smallest Li-Ion pallet truck in the market, the EPT 12EZ and now it is time to bring out the next generation of entry level pallet trucks.

With the EPL 151 EP is not only changing the name of the EPT 20-15ET, we also introduce the next generation pallet truck: More robust because it is entirely made of a steel chassis.  Based around the advantages of Li-Ion technology, this truck is optimised to fulfill the needs of the transport industry, as well as retail application. Meet us at LogiMAT to find out more about the future of pallet trucks.

WPL 201: The next generation performance pallet truck

Around the world, customers are satisfied with the performance and power of our entry level pallet trucks. Based on that succes and with the new possibilities of the lithium ion technology, we can now bring a revolution to the high-performance pallet trucks as well. With the WPL 201 EP is introducing the worlds first purpose-built Li-Ion pallet truck with 2.0to capacity.

Together with 48V BLDC technology, this truck comes with increased gradeability and power, plug&play Li-Ion battery and a world unique plug&play controller. To ensure low TCO and simple service, the controller of the WPL 201 can be exchanged single-handed to reduce service time for the customer. With its 48V/ 36Ah plug&play Li-Ion Battery, the truck can run through a full shift without charging and work around the clock with opportunity charging. The WPL 201 also comes with a completely new plug&play tiller head, designed by EP Equipment for the highest requirements in ergonomics and serviceability.

L1: The first, purpose-built Li-Ion forklift in the world

With the introduction of the Li-Ion pallet trucks, EP shows the possibilities of redesigning a product category when taking all advantages of Li-Ion technology. With the L1 Li-Ion truck EP has done the same for the counterbalance trucks. The L1 has a clear focus on customers that want to change from IC trucks (Diesel & LPG) to electric, and did not like the complexity of the machines and batteries, long charging hours and high price. With the L1 we solve all of these problems. Ranging from 1.5to-3.5to capacity, the L1 comes with a simple single motor and transmission system, that is very similar to traditional IC trucks. Simple to service and highly reliable. It can be used in the tough outdoor applications.

Find out more about the L1 at LogiMAT 2019!

 

JX0 and JX1 order picker

With the introduction of the JX1 order picker, EP is the only supplier of a heavy duty order picker for single item picking application. Thousands of customers around the world appreciate the simple and robust machine as a tool to support their daily application. One of the biggest advantages of the JX1 is the unique steering system that allows the truck to turn on the spot without using unnecessary space in the aisle. With the introduction of the JX0 work assist vehicle, EP has adapted this system into the entry-level segment and proved a major advantage over the competition. The JX0 is the only work assist vehicle that can actually steer rather than just turn. As soon as you stand on the truck, you will feel the difference. Check it out at LogiMAT 2019!

 

 

Although many people see pallet trucks as fairly utilitarian items of equipment that « just are », in actual fact they are beautifully designed items that play a crucial role in the transport and distribution of a wide range of goods.

It is highly unlikely current levels of warehouse efficiency could be maintained were it not for pallet truck products, forklift trucks and pallet stacking trucks. Whether it’s moving cargo from freight vessels around the docks, transporting pallets into trucks or moving them around a storage facility, pallet trucks are the nippy little vehicles that get the job done.

How does EP see the future of pallet trucks?

Our Vision

The electric pallet truck is at the heart of EP Equipment. No other company in the world produces more electric pallet trucks than EP Equipment.

For many years, the electric pallet truck was designed around the heavy & big lead acid, traction battery. With the introduction of Li-Ion, technology EP went back to the drawing board and created the next generation of pallet trucks from scratch. Focused on the needs of our customers, we designed trucks for different applications with a focus on the transport and retail industry. By reducing the size of the battery and unnecessary weight from the truck, we were able to lower the energy consumption, increase the ergonomics, decrease the need of maintenance and reduce the total cost of ownership significantly.

Our concept

The main idea behind the new generation of EP pallet trucks: Simple and service friendly!

The main components of an electric pallet truck are Battery, Controller, Motor. With our new generation, we introduce the concept of Plug&Play to reduce the necessary service times and make it easy for our customers to check the source of problems before having to call a service technician.

In our EPT 12EZ, HPL 151 and EPL 151 the battery can be exchanged single handed and swapped between different trucks, exchanged for second shift application or replaced in terms of damage after a long life.

With our WPL 201 and based on the heavy duty application of such a machine, the truck is not only equipped with a Plug&Play Battery, but also with a controller that can be exchanged with our Plug&Play service system.

At EP Equipment, we are proud to present to you the next generation of electric pallet trucks. Worldwide unique and based around the needs of our customers.

But with this vision in mind, how did the success story of pallet trucks start? Read on to discover the history of these essential items and what the future holds in terms of future developments…

Why pallet trucks?

Obviously, for a pallet truck to be developed, pallets had to become widely used as a convenient method of storage. Prior to the 1920s, goods were normally stored in anything from barrels to packing crates and shifted on an individual basis.

This made loading, unloading and moving supplies extremely time-consuming and also dangerous: unevenly shaped containers didn’t balance well when being shifted by cranes or similar, leading to tipping and falling being a continual hazard.

Storage was inefficient, with differently sized items being stacked together with gaps between them. This meant storage wasn’t used as efficiently as it might be, adding to the freighting and distribution overheads.

Changes in methods of production in the latter half of the 19th Century meant that, increasingly, large volumes of goods needed to be moved from the place of production to the place of consumption, which in turn meant there was a need for a stable, space-efficient method of moving goods.

It was from this need that the modern skid was born. Initially, a single deck, wooden platform, the skid could be used as a flat base on which to store goods prior to moving them. The limitations of a single deck platform were soon realised, which was when the pallet, a double deck platform was developed.

It is unclear who exactly developed the pallet, although Raymond & House were credited with patenting an early version in 1939. The pallet had the advantage of the double-deck, which enabled it to be easily picked up using a hoist or similar.

Alongside the development of the pallet, there were also gradual advances in the technology used to move goods from one point to another.

Early hoists and the progression to the hand pallet truck

Manual hoisting gear was used throughout the 19th Century. Frequently employed to move goods on or off ships, into warehouses or onto the form of transport that would take it on its onward journey, they were operated by hand or occasionally horses.

The main issue with hoists was that considerable labour was needed to move goods onto the hoist platform, then off at the other end: what was lacking was a form of machinery that could take the goods from one point to another, without the need for hauling.

This was where the hand pallet truck came in. A number of different variations were pioneered almost simultaneously across Europe and the US. Initially a simple lifting mechanism on a trolley, the hand pallet truck allowed operators to move an entire pallet of goods quickly, cleanly and safely.

Early 20th Century advances

By the early 1900s, continuing increases in mechanisation meant more goods were produced than ever, necessitating more efficient methods of transporting them.

The need for more efficient transport was further exacerbated by the outbreak of WW1: with so many men fighting in the trenches, there was a desperate need for machinery to replace the labour which they had previously supplied.

This led to the development of powered lift trucks: in 1906, a railroad worker wired a battery onto a baggage cart – this early powered cart was one of the precursors of the forklift. A lifting platform, developed in 1909, allowed an entire pallet to be picked up and moved, albeit on a flat sheet rather than the forks which are more familiar today.

In 1915, Ransomes, Sims & Jeffries, a UK firm based in Ipswich, developed a lift truck that could move goods up and down as well as forwards and backwards.

This was a powered model, which was important because it allowed goods to be elevated as well as transported from a to b. Developments were also taking place on the other side of the Atlantic, in the US: the Clark company created the Tructractor in 1917 – a platform on wheels powered by a combustion engine, it was used to carry goods around the Clark premises.

Companies noticed the Tructractor and requested their own, leading Clark to develop more sophisticated forms of the equipment as time went on.

The interwar years

In the US, the launch of the 1922 truclift, by Clark, which combined a combustion engine with a hydraulic lift, marked the introduction of the first ever cargo carrying platform which was operated using hydraulics rather than mechanical gearing.

A further advance in the form of the 1924 Duat (also by Clark), saw the unveiling of a platform with a tiering mechanism. This piece of equipment, powered by an internal combustion engine, was one of the first forklift trucks.

Yale also produced a similar vehicle, in 1923, a year earlier. This had an electric motor and an elevated mast and forks. Two inventions which were patented in 1939 made a significant impact on the pallet truck and forklift industry.

The first was the patenting of the double-sided pallet; the second was the patent of a hydraulic hand pallet truck. Both patents were held by Raymond & House, a US company. The pallets could be used not only with a hand pallet truck, but also with a powered pallet truck.

WWII – popularising the forklift and pallet truck

In a similar scenario to WW1, WWII saw a need for significant numbers of machines which were capable of moving goods from a to b, as well as upwards and downwards.

Not only did the industry need machinery to take the place of men who had been enlisted, the war industries also required additional equipment to function efficiently.

This led to the popularisation of the forklift, the pallet truck and the hand pallet truck. Although there are some overlaps, usually a forklift is the vehicle with the greatest capacity, capable of moving larger loads forwards and backwards as well as up and down.

A pallet truck is primarily designed for ground movement. A hand pallet truck is again primarily designed for ground level movement, but can often be more flexibly deployed in constricted spaces, in comparison with a pallet truck.

Post- WWII

The 1950s was a time when the need for pallet trucks and forklifts continued to grow. A notable landmark at this time was the invention of the first narrow aisle electric reach truck. Pioneered by Lansing Bagnell, the machine allowed warehouse alleys to be narrower and also facilitated upward storage.

As warehouses began to stack goods at a higher level and house more goods in a smaller area, health & safety became a key consideration.

Pallet trucks developed cabs and cages to protect the operator; limits were placed on the height of the mast and testing was introduced to ensure adequate stability.

Emphasis on the well-being of the operative continued into the 1980s, with designs being increasingly developed which were comfortable to operate and promoted driver well-being.

1990s to the Present

Contemporary forklift trucks and pallet trucks aren’t just safe and easy to operate, they are also green: the use of hydrogen fuel cell power units and rechargeable electric trucks result in vehicles that are environmentally friendly and suitable for both indoor and outdoor locations.

What does the future hold for pallet trucks and forklifts – Enhanced mechanisation

With driverless cars already on the streets and artificial intelligence (AI) resulting in robots which can perform a range of sophisticated activities, it’s only a matter of time before these technologies are incorporated into the movement of goods. Not only would increased mechanisation make the operation more efficient, it also increases safety, as robotic transport could be used to move dangerous substances or goods.

Bluetooth technology and the « Internet of Things » are also key advances which could be used to operate and programme forklifts or palette trucks to work autonomously, with the operator many miles away.

In time, this could lead to the introduction of fully mechanised warehouses: goods could be checked in, stored and then distributed entirely automatically. The potential benefits for safety, security and operational efficiency could be enormous.

Tougher trucks for a more demanding workplace

With a 24/7 marketplace, forklifts and palette trucks need to be able to function for longer, frequently in challenging environments. There is a need for vehicles that can go many hours before recharging is required; also for vehicles that can take goods outdoors, or through rain or snow, as well as tolerate cold storage to move frozen foods.

Greater sustainability

The need for equipment that’s as carbon neutral and planet friendly as possible will continue. As solar energy storage options improve, there is the potential to use stored solar power for palette truck batteries. Modern materials enable trucks to be lighter and more durable with no corresponding reduction in performance.

From humble beginnings, palette trucks and forklifts have developed to become a globally utilised resource. With an ever-increasing rise in goods being distributed worldwide, the need for efficient vehicles to aid goods transportation is set to continue. Who knows what the exciting developments future decades will bring when it comes to pallet truck design and production?

Every year China celebrates the online shopping event 11.11 singles day. Since 2016 EP holds his very own 11.11 celebration with sales records every year. 2018 was the first year where EP also invited international dealers to participate to the 11.11 festivities. 4 days full of exciting activities around the world of forklift trucks. With over 450 visitors from our chinese dealer network and around 50 international dealers, EP is proud to present the results of this years event:

Let’s innovate together

In the past years EP has introduced several groundbreaking products to the industry starting with the EPT 20-15ET, to the JX1 and EPT 12EZ. This year during the 11.11 festivities, EP revealed their new line up of products, pushing the limits even further: “The future is now”. Making use of all the advantages of Li-Ion technology EP launched new pallet trucks and counterbalance trucks build around the Li-Ion Battery, creating more flexible, small and light trucks than ever before

Let’s learn together

At EP we try to improve on a daily basis. Learning about new trends and products is a key element of our success. At our international dealer event, we invited experts from our facilities in the USA and Europe to share their ideas on products from two trends in our industry: Order picking and Li-Ion.

Bill Pedriana from Big Joe USA introduced our JX Series products to our guests from around the world showing the advantages for small goods picking compared to traditional low level order picker as well as highly expensive and large narrow aisle equipment.

From EP Equipment in Europe, Arjan van Zanten gave an introduction about our new generation of Li-Ion products. As the largest manufacturer of pallet trucks and stackers, EP Equipment presented three new products to the market. A 1.5to entry level pallet truck with Li-Ion battery, a 2to electric pallet truck with removable plug & play controller as well as a new semi-electric pallet truck with the same battery as our successful EPT 12EZ. In addition to these products EP also presented the concept of the next generation counterbalance truck called L2, completely build around the advantages of Li-Ion technology and focused on high-performance application in the warehouse. For the more common user, EP also introduced the L1, a cost-efficient, Li-Ion 4-wheel counterbalance truck range from 1.5-3.5 to capacity. With this setup, EP brings Li-Ion technology to the masses.

Let’s bike together

For the second time EP held the Material Handling Cycling competition in cooperation with partners from throughout China. For the first time EP also participated with an international team with colleagues from USA, Europe and Thailand. In the end the chinese competition was too strong for the international team, but they promised to come back in 2019 with an even more competitive team.

Record breaking sales on 11.11 event

EP is breaking sales records on their 11.11 every year. But this year event really brought 11.11 to a new level. During the sales event, our Chinese sales network placed orders for

23.611 units

38.6 Million USD revenue

An unbelievable amount as the whole EP production in 2015 was about the same amount. Another highlight of this years event was the amount of Li-Ion counterbalance trucks sold to our dealers. With sales of over 1.200 units Li-Ion counterbalance trucks, EP sets another record compared to last years event.

We are very proud of our team who worked hard over several months to make this event a success and we look forward to seeing you again next year. And you can also find out more about our event on chinese television:

 

 

 

During the last months, EP worked towards the introduction of our Li-Ion counterbalance trucks. After selling Li-Ion counterbalance trucks successfully in the Chinese market for over a year, we launch the products for international sale.

We are ready to release the first 50 trucks to our best partners around the world and start the revolution: Making Li-Ion available to the masses!

With the introduction of our well known TV8 Li-Ion Series three wheel counterbalance trucks, we facelift our proven, robust system into the world of Li-Ion (CPD18TV8).

To show you what the future of Li-Ion has to offer, we also introduce the L1. Our all-new, simple and robust 4 wheel CB truck. Increased Legroom, purpose build around the Li-Ion battery it is a worldwide first counterbalance truck, build around the advantages of Li-Ion technology.

To get your hands on one of the first 50 units Li-Ion CB trucks, please contact your account manager and find out if you are entitled to one of the very first units. The timeframe is short, availability too.

Duration: October 11^th – November 11^th