Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

inbound

Video series testifies for propane-powered forklifts

The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) says its videos address common misconceptions about indoor usage, emissions, and cost.

Video series testifies for propane-powered forklifts

Which power source you choose for warehouse lift trucks can have a big impact on cost and productivity, but making that decision can be confusing. To help with that decision, a proponent of propane-powered forklifts has released a series of videos that aim to educate material handling professionals about common misconceptions regarding indoor usage, emissions, and cost of the widely used fuel.

Produced by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), the three-part series includes videos that feature:


1. An explanation of propane's quick refueling process—simply swapping out an empty propane cylinder for a full one—and its ability to minimize downtime;

2. A discussion of propane's versatility, including its suitability for working both indoors and outside; and

3. A comparison of the acquisition and operating costs for propane forklifts with costs for forklifts using other fuels, including the argument that capital costs for a propane forklift are 30 percent less than those for an electric truck.

"The videos shed light on a few of the key benefits linked with propane that, if overlooked, can prevent facilities from operating at maximum efficiency," Jeremy Wishart, PERC's director of off-road business development, said in a press release. "Ninety percent of Class 4 and 5 operators are choosing propane forklifts over diesel or electric to handle their material handling needs, and this video series will help facility managers understand why."

The Latest

More Stories

pie chart of business challenges

DHL: small businesses wary of uncertain times in 2025

As U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face an uncertain business landscape in 2025, a substantial majority (67%) expect positive growth in the new year compared to 2024, according to a survey from DHL.

However, the survey also showed that businesses could face a rocky road to reach that goal, as they navigate a complex environment of regulatory/policy shifts and global market volatility. Both those issues were cited as top challenges by 36% of respondents, followed by staffing/talent retention (11%) and digital threats and cyber attacks (2%).

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

forklifts in warehouse

Demand for warehouse space cooled off slightly in fourth quarter

The overall national industrial real estate vacancy rate edged higher in the fourth quarter, although it still remains well below pre-pandemic levels, according to an analysis by Cushman & Wakefield.

Vacancy rates shrunk during the pandemic to historically low levels as e-commerce sales—and demand for warehouse space—boomed in response to massive numbers of people working and living from home. That frantic pace is now cooling off but real estate demand remains elevated from a long-term perspective.

Keep ReadingShow less
drawing of warehouse for digital twin

Kion Group teams with Accenture and Nvidia to design intelligent warehouses

German lift truck giant Kion Group will work with the consulting firm Accenture to optimize supply chain operations using advanced AI and simulation technologies provided by microchip powerhouse Nvidia, the companies said Tuesday.

The three companies say the deal will allow clients to both define ideal set-ups for new warehouses and to continuously enhance existing facilities with Mega, an Nvidia Omniverse blueprint for large-scale industrial digital twins. The strategy includes a digital twin powered by physical AI – AI models that embody principles and qualities of the physical world – to improve the performance of intelligent warehouses that operate with automated forklifts, smart cameras and automation and robotics solutions.

Keep ReadingShow less
person holding smartphone with freightcenter app for tracking shipments

3PL BlueGrace Logistics acquires FreightCenter

The third party logistics (3PL) provider BlueGrace Logistics has acquired FreightCenter, an online transportation solutions provider for freight logistics management, saying the move will expand BlueGrace’s customer base by integrating FreightCenter’s clients with BlueGrace’s suite of tools and services.

Following the deal, Palm Harbor, Florida-based FreightCenter’s customers will gain access to BlueGrace’s unified transportation management system, BlueShip TMS, enabling freight management across various shipping modes. They can also use BlueGrace’s truckload and less-than-truckload (LTL) services and its EVOS load optimization tools, stemming from another acquisition BlueGrace did in 2024.

Keep ReadingShow less
worker using sensors on rooftop infrastructure

Sick and Endress+Hauser say joint venture will enable decarbonization

The German sensor technology provider Sick GmbH has launched a joint venture with the Swiss measurement technology specialist Endress+Hauser to produce and market a new set of process automation solutions for enabling decarbonization.

Under terms of the deal, Sick and Endress+Hauser will each hold 50% of a joint venture called "Endress+Hauser SICK GmbH+Co. KG," which will strengthen the development and production of analyzer and gas flow meter technologies. According to Sick, its gas flow meters make it possible to switch to low-emission and non-fossil energy sources, for example, and the process analyzers allow reliable monitoring of emissions.

Keep ReadingShow less