The Forefront of Fuel Cell Technology
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Region
- America
Country
- United States
- Canada
Product
- Raymond® Model 7400 Reach-Fork® trucks
- Raymond® Model 5500 orderpickers
- Raymond® Model 4200 stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks
- Raymond® Model 8400 end rider pallet trucks
Tech Stack
- Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Productivity Improvements
- Customer Satisfaction
- Environmental Impact Reduction
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAM)
- Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Applicable Industries
- Food & Beverage
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Warehouse & Inventory Management
- Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases
- Fleet Management
- Energy Management System
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- System Integration
- Training
About The Customer
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) is the largest wholesale distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods and related products in the United States. The company operates 28 distribution centers across the U.S. and Canada, providing value-added services such as marketing, merchandising, category management, and store support. UNFI is committed to environmental sustainability and continually seeks innovative technologies to enhance its operations. The company relies heavily on its lift truck fleet to move products efficiently through its distribution centers, making material handling a critical aspect of its business.
The Challenge
UNFI, the largest wholesale distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods in the U.S., sought to enhance its sustainability initiatives and reduce energy consumption. The company identified its lift truck fleet as a key area for improvement and began exploring hydrogen fuel cells as an alternative power source. The challenge was to ensure that the new technology could be integrated seamlessly into their existing operations, particularly in the Sarasota, Florida facility, which includes freezer, cooler, and dry storage areas. The transition required extensive planning and coordination among multiple stakeholders, including Raymond Corporation and Abel Womack Inc.
The Solution
UNFI collaborated with The Raymond Corporation and Abel Womack Inc. to convert its Sarasota facility's lift trucks to hydrogen fuel cell technology. The project involved retrofitting various models of Raymond lift trucks, including the Model 7400 Reach-Fork® trucks, Model 5500 orderpickers, Model 4200 stand-up counterbalanced lift trucks, and Model 8400 end rider pallet trucks. Significant engineering modifications were required to accommodate the larger hydrogen fuel cells, particularly for the orderpickers, which led to the development of the industry's first hydrogen fuel cell-compatible orderpicker. Extensive testing was conducted to ensure the fuel cells could withstand the facility's varying temperature conditions. The transition was completed in June 2010, with all Raymond trucks in the Sarasota facility converted to hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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