The Challenge

Jan Tromp Transport Group has been a provider of air cargo transport and storage solutions since 2014, specialising in time-critical and high-tech machinery transport throughout Europe. The Group operates from Eindhoven, providing road feeder services in the Netherlands and to destinations in France, Germany, Belgium and England almost daily. Its planning department works closely with clients to provide a tailoured solution to transport challenges around the clock, 24/7, 365 days a year. For one of the world’s leading semiconductor manufacturers, Jan Tromp Transport Group was tasked with transporting its semiconductor equipment.

The challenge was to find a solution that would allow for efficient loading and unloading of air cargo while maintaining the safety and integrity of the machines during transit. Given the delicate nature and high value of the semiconductor equipment, automated loading was essential.

The Solution

The Modular Rollerbed System with Powered Cargo Rollers from Joloda Hydraroll was selected as it enabled Jan Tromp Transport Group to use standard trailers while ensuring the secure and controlled handling of its air cargo containers. This compatibility allowed Jan Tromp Transport Group to retain all trailer security certificates, approvals, and insulation measures, thereby maintaining their high standards of safety and compliance.

Other features of the Rollerbed System with Powered Cargo Rollers (MRS-PCR) for Jan Tromp Transport Group when operating its road feeder services, include:
• Modularity – The system’s modular design allows it to be easily installed and removed without the need for extensive modifications, enabling businesses to retain build integrity and compliance certifications.
• Slimline Design – The system’s low-profile design (with a height of only 70mm) can be retrofitted into any standard trailer, meaning it can load and transport most varieties of air cargo.
• Pneumatic Operation – The system pneumatically lifts loads onto rollers and enables loading and unloading without the use of forklifts – even oversized cargo such as aerospace engines.

Results

The implementation of the Modular Rollerbed System with Powered Cargo Rollers provided Jan Tromp Transport Group with numerous benefits:
• Increased Efficiency – Semi-automated loading and unloading processes have significantly reduced turnaround times, leading to improved operational efficiency. The system can load a 13.6m trailer in just 90 seconds.
• Enhanced Safety – The powered cargo rollers eliminate reliance on pushing/ pulling which means loading is more controlled, reducing the risk of operators injuring themselves or cargo being damaged.
• Improved Productivity – Faster and more efficient air cargo has enabled the group to increase productivity and meet customer demands more effectively.
• Flexibility and Cost Savings – As the MRS-PCR is modular and can be retrofitted into existing trailers, this provides flexibility and saves money as it removes the need to invest in specialised trailers.

Jan Tromp, Managing Director, stated: “We are extremely pleased with the installation of the new MRS-PCR system. It has enabled us to use standard trailers, without modification, to handle all kinds of air freight with precision and make loading safer for our drivers. This will no doubt have a positive impact on our operations.”

The installation of Joloda Hydraroll’s Modular Rollerbed System with Powered Cargo Rollers is enabling the Jan Tromp Transport Group to safely and efficiently handle even the most delicate air cargo. Due to its innovative, modular design, the system could be retrofitted to the existing trailer fleet, leading to immediate ROI when purchasing new trailers, while unlocking ongoing productivity gains.

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“Gruse is a natural fit for SIGI,” stated Southworth International Group Inc.’s president and CEO, James Cabot (pictured, below). “They offer a well-recognized and long-tenured German brand, a strong history of quality and innovation, a similar customer-focused culture — as well as a physical presence in the centre of the European market.”

James Cabot

Cabot continues, “This acquisition supports SIGI’s strategic plans to strengthen our portfolio of material handling solutions in German-speaking Europe and reinforces our overall position as a European leader through increased engineering and technical capabilities and expanded production capacity. We are excited to welcome Gruse to our organization.”

Southworth International Group Inc. (“SIGI”) is a privately held company with a global reach including locations in North America, Europe, and China. SIGI provides material handling solutions for a variety of market sectors and applications, while promoting safer work environments, improved productivity, and workforce optimization.

SIGI is headquartered in Falmouth, Maine, employs 500 people across its global locations, and serves customers in 60+ countries around the world.

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In Dubeau’s new role, he will be responsible for achieving sales targets, developing and executing strategic sales plans, building and maintaining key client relationships, and driving sales growth.

Bringing decades of industry leadership experience in operations, sales, business development and strategic account management, Dubeau has held a variety of positions, including vice president of operations and sales, vice president of sales, sales director, key account director, and human resources director.

“From his knowledge of commercial strategy to his respected reputation within the field, Benoit will undoubtedly strengthen GMR’s future,” said Gaétan Jetté, founder and CEO of GMR Safety. “Dubeau brings decades of leadership experience across operations, sales and HR making him a strong asset to our team.”

Dubeau holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Quebec in Montreal.

Headquartered in Quebec, GMR Safety is a global designer and manufacturer of wheel-based vehicle restraint systems for all types of vehicles operating in logistics warehouses and loading areas. Since 1996, the company has been committed to the safety and success of its customers and partners by providing innovative, reliable and simple solutions with the same fundamental principle at heart: designed to last.

GMR Safety has grown to become one of the world’s top manufacturers of dock safety products, achieving a 25 percent annual growth rate in the last eight years by installing more than 35,000 systems in more than 30 countries worldwide.

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Fuelled by Samsara’s open platform, these first-of-their-kind solutions empower organisations to operate smarter and fundamentally alter the industry’s approach to the safety of frontline teams. These new solutions include AI-powered safety tools, a new connected wearable, advanced routing and navigation capabilities and enhanced maintenance tools.

“We’ve entered the age of intelligence, and AI is helping our customers operate smarter,” said Sanjit Biswas, CEO and co-founder of Samsara. “We’re partnering with our customers to build products that help them run safer, more efficient operations and protect frontline workers while saving millions of dollars.”Samsara has invested more than $1bn in research and development to date. By leveraging its more than 14 trillion data points, the company is continuing its innovation leadership with the launch of several new products and enhancements.

Reward drivers, spot risks and prevent incidents in real time

Driving ranks among the top 10 most dangerous jobs. Over the past decade, there has been a 49% increase in fatal crashes, coupled with a 40% increase in associated insurance premiums in the USA. Samsara offers advanced technology to help detect risky driving events, such as phone use or speeding; now, several new AI-fuelled features have been added to improve fleet safety and reward safe driving:

● AI Multi-Cam: Drivers can now add up to four additional HD cameras, providing a 360-degree view to reduce blind spots, all accessible via an in-cab monitor. In addition, the AI Multi-Cam actively notifies drivers in real time of hazards, such as pedestrians and cyclists. Whether using a Samsara camera or a third-party device, administrators can retrieve historic video footage and corresponding audio to help quickly resolve incidents.

● Weather Intelligence: Administrators can now overlay real-time weather data pulled from the National Weather Service onto the existing dashboards to view and alert workers of imminent threats such as fire risks, heavy rain and more.

● Safety Coaching for Lean Teams: A new set of customisable features helps administrators with lean safety teams to scale driver coaching and recognition with AI and automation. AI analyses hundreds of risky driving events – considering factors such as severity, frequency, road conditions and total drive time – and automatically sends low-risk behaviours to drivers for self-coaching and escalates higher-risk events to managers. Furthermore, AI provides insight into big-picture behavioural trends across drivers and trips, so managers can coach based on driving patterns rather than just isolated incidents.

● Revamped Driver App: As the No. 1 driver app in both major app stores, the Samsara app now includes TikTok-style training videos to boost engagement and end-of-day reviews to help with driver coaching. Designed to act as a companion for drivers throughout the day, the app now offers new gamification features and recognition tools to reinforce positive, safe behaviour. For example, administrators can send gift cards that can be redeemed at popular dining, entertainment and shopping locations directly through the app.

“Getting drivers home safe is one of our primary goals at Samsara, a priority we share with every one of our more than 10,000 customers,” said Johan Land, SVP of Product and Engineering at Samsara. “Thanks to rapid advancements in AI technology, we’ve been able to build new products that are now empowering drivers to make better decisions on the road and equipping safety teams with the tools for faster, more effective feedback. AI is increasingly becoming a powerful ally in protecting drivers, and Samsara is at the forefront of this trend.”

Worker Safety Beyond the Vehicle: New wearable joins the fleet

The need to keep frontline teams safe extends beyond the vehicle to both local jobsites and remote locations. To help protect frontline workers outside of the vehicle, Samsara is introducing the Samsara Wearable. The new connected device is powered by the Samsara network of millions of devices and enables quick response and protection in any environment. With the addition of the wearable, organisations now have access to a holistic safety offering that can help predict risk, reduce accidents and alert administrators to urgent needs of their frontline workers. The new Samsara Wearable offers several benefits, including:

● More than one year of battery life: The Samsara network replaces the need for cellular connectivity, equipping the Samsara Wearable with a battery life of more than one year. This charge life far surpasses the industry standard of 24 hours, providing reliable access to everywhere customers operate.
● One-click protection: With one click, workers can connect to emergency services, who can immediately pinpoint their precise location and access a real-time audio recording of the situation. The small, lightweight device is easy to use and gives workers an added layer of protection in the field.
● Fall detection: The Samsara Wearable can automatically detect and respond to falls in situations such as slips on icy pavements and falls from heights such as scaffolding, cranes or trailers.
● Proactive threat alerts: In the case of severe weather or wildfires, fleet managers can proactively check in on workers and alert them of the unsafe conditions via push notifications to the device.
● One platform: Samsara connects driver and worker safety in one system, allowing for faster response times and visibility across the entire fleet.

Smarter, Easier Routing

Historically, commercial fleets have relied on a patchwork of incomplete maps and manual processes to plan routes and guide drivers. These legacy maps are updated as infrequently as every one to five years, leading to inefficient routes, missed delivery windows and increased driver stress. Samsara’s new Route Planning and Commercial Navigation products offer a modern, integrated alternative that helps fleets cut costs, stay compliant and deliver more reliably.

● Route Planning: Building on existing routing capabilities, Samsara now integrates directly with fleet operators’ sales systems to pinpoint the most efficient routes and delivery schedules for customers’ fleets. These advanced routing capabilities consider variables such as vehicle limitations, compliance requirements for drivers, customer delivery windows, as well as traffic and weather patterns, to stay within promised delivery windows and avoid unnecessary fuel usage. Early Samsara data suggests a 15% reduction in the number of vehicles required for deliveries and a reduction of manual back-office routing time, turning routing into a competitive advantage.

● Commercial Navigation: Samsara can now overlay fleet-specific restrictions such as weight, height and hazmat directly onto standard digital maps to provide more accurate turn-by-turn directions. By combining this insight with information such as hours of service within the Samsara Driver App, drivers can access everything they need in a single location to remain compliant and on time.

“Samsara has made a significant impact on our operations, saving $7.75 million annually across our three fleets by helping us optimise planned versus actuals route improvements,“ said Andy Yearout, VP of Transportation & Logistics at Mohawk Industries. “With the new Route Planning capability, we expect to see a reduction in daily route planning time from hours to minutes.”

Asset Maintenance and Visibility

Vehicle maintenance violations comprise 60% of all US Department of Transportation offences, resulting in substantial financial penalties and costly vehicle downtime. To help minimise these disruptions, Samsara has introduced several new preventative maintenance features, including Vehicle Inspection, Fault Code Intelligence, Automated Work Orders and Level Monitoring.

● Vehicle Inspection: Now, drivers can simplify the vehicle inspection process by automatically converting inspection notes from voice to text. In turn, managers can ensure that reports are properly completed by viewing drivers’ walkaround paths, the duration of the inspection and quality of the report photos. To help maintain compliance, the platform triggers real-time alerts for missing vehicle inspections, monitors FMCSA data, reviews inspection result and violations and audits driver behaviour. This AI-powered functionality works in low-connectivity and loud environments and results in faster inspections and streamlined repairs and maintenance.
● Fault Code Intelligence and Automated Work Orders: This optimisation extends to the back office, where fleet administrators can view the Vehicle Inspections in a unified dashboard. Fault code intelligence automatically deciphers the codes and uses AI to create maintenance work orders. In addition, Samsara now offers AI invoice scanning to help quickly upload external vendor invoices into the platform, reducing administrative time and errors associated with manual entries.
● Level Monitoring: With level monitoring, organisations have near real-time visibility into levels across a wide range of tank types. This insight enables improved tank utilisation and the ability to optimise inventory.

“Physical operations organisations are at the forefront of adopting AI because it saves lives. It also drives a more efficient use of labour, fuel and energy savings, and higher utilisation of capital assets,” said Kiren Sekar, Chief Product Officer, Samsara. “With the rollout of Samsara’s new AI-powered solutions, we are giving physical operations leaders a real partner on both safety and efficiency.”

HappyRobot Integration

Continuing its commitment to bring cutting-edge AI to its customers, Samsara today announced a new partnership with HappyRobot, a pioneer in AI-powered voice solutions for the logistics sector. Samsara Ventures also announced an investment in HappyRobot to reflect our belief in its vision and the transformative potential of agentic AI.

HappyRobot offers truly human-like agentic AI to automate communications via phone, email and text to boost efficiency and improve customer satisfaction. Organisations can use agents to automatically call drivers or customers to notify them of shift details or order status, to navigate phone trees, negotiate contracts with freight brokers and even for screening, hiring and onboarding.

HappyRobot users are automating more than 20 million conversations annually, reducing call times by half and cutting operational costs by a third. Existing Samsara customers like Werner are seeing tremendous value from HappyRobot’s technology.

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Following its identification of ‘cargoes of concern’, the Cargo Integrity Group (the Group) now focuses on the issues that may commonly compromise safety by initiating or proliferating fire under certain conditions.

It is recognized that many of the cargoes in this category, labelled ‘reactive hazards’ already fall within the scope of Dangerous Goods regulations. These regulations start from the premise that the transport of Dangerous Goods is prohibited – except in accordance with the details of the regulations.

However, incidents still occur too frequently; as the judge in one casualty litigation explained, disasters are only infrequent due to a “lack of a similar perfect storm of events, and simple good fortune”. All that is required is an alignment of mistakes, oversights, or failed controls. The Group is at pains to explain the dangers associated with these cargoes and emphasize strongly that only reliance on robust diligence or precise emergency response prevents many minor incidents becoming major casualties.

Furthermore, the Group is generating greater awareness overall and urges attention to the need for stringent compliance with mandatory regulations, such as the IMDG Code, and adoption of industry good practices, such as found in the CTU Code.

Such cargoes with reactive hazards include:

Calcium Hypochlorite, a powerful oxidiser, prone to rapid decomposition. In low concentrations, the chlorine content is used as a water cleanser and disinfectant, such as household bleach and swimming pool maintenance. Decomposition – taking place constantly at a very slow rate – is accelerated by higher temperatures and by contamination. The latter can be unpredictable since it necessitates rigorous controls over the raw materials used and the entire manufacturing process.

Charcoal concerns include among others charcoal that is intended for burning on barbecues, shisha pipes etc – sometimes having been treated with accelerants to assist ignition. There has been lengthy debate at IMO to fashion a revised safety framework for transport by sea, that will become mandatory from January 2026. This will remove an unreliable test regime and require that charcoal is always declared as a DG.

Cotton and Wool, Fishmeal and Krill and Seed cake are perhaps less in the public eye, but also prone to self-heating and fire, where integrity and care are required both to ensure compliance and maintain safety during transport.

Lithium ion battery hazards are becoming known, but many are emergent, not least as science advances global energy transition. Many incidents to date have involved new batteries; the hazards will only multiply with age and deteriorating condition. While this will challenge the recycling industry, the reality is that all these products, whether new, used, in use, damaged or end of life, will impact the transport and storage industries for decades to come.

The Group calls for continued and thorough research into all the hazards presented by lithium ion batteries and dependent devices. Apart from fire, incidents have revealed risks from toxic gases and vapour cloud explosions that can be critical in transport and storage.

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A report by STIQ recently confirmed a rule of thumb that automation needs to deliver return on investment (ROI) in three years or less for a business case to compete with manual flows. In the world of logistics, this is not unique to automated trailer loading systems (ATLS). However, ATLS are proving a good example of how access to automation is changing. Labour shortages, rising operational costs and high throughput demand are universal challenges regardless of size or sector – so while not every business is ready to invest in full automation, or has the business case to make it immediately viable, the majority are under pressure to do more, faster. A greater variety of solutions with different price points and capabilities is helping open up the benefits of automated pallet handling to a far wider range of companies – but they may not be aware.

Expanding the definition of ROI

The benefits of an automated trailer loading system are vast: reduced loading times lead to higher throughput and operational cost savings, in addition to improved safety, accuracy and consistency. However, many logistics operators are still early on in their automation journey. Labour shortages, safety concerns, and rising operational costs may be accelerating interest in automated solutions, but hesitancy remains due to cost, space constraints, and operational rigidity – all of which influence their viability for certain use cases. While the throughput of pallets is high, constrained warehouse footprints, semi-automated or manual upstream operations (such as delivering directly to a customer that uses a forklift truck to unload pallets), or a large distance between two facilities, can make full-scale automation – and the required modifications to existing infrastructure and trailer fleets – more difficult to justify.

It is also the case that ROI in automation isn’t the same for every use case and vertical. While throughput is a key factor, there are many other value drivers that need to be considered – particularly in specialised environments. In cold chain logistics, for example, reducing damage to trailers can be just as critical as speed. In sectors where contamination must be avoided, the quality control offered by automation becomes a central advantage. Safety is another major factor: dock areas are among the most hazardous in the warehouse, and reducing human intervention here can have a significant impact.

What’s needed is a middle ground: solutions that offer a range of costs and capabilities for more businesses to introduce automation into their pallet loading and unloading processes and receive a fast return on their investment.

Filling the market gap

There’s a clear gap in the market for compact, low-commitment automated trailer loading systems that can enable businesses to increase their daily loading capacity without requiring extensive modifications to existing site and fleet infrastructure. New developments are beginning to fill that gap.

Modular, bolt-on systems now exist that allow for a wide range of pallet types and complex load patterns (manual or automated), and integrate with all standard docks. These approaches reduce upfront cost while still improving efficiency, productivity, and safety. The new LoadMatic Lite from Actiw, a subsidiary of the Joloda Hydraroll Group, is capable of loading full, standard, non-modified trucks and trailers in just six minutes. Pallets are staged at the rear or side of the dock using forklifts, electric pallet stackers, or AGVs, queued, and then loaded in one shot with precision.

The price point typically comes in at one-third of the cost of traditional ATLS. Pilot simulations have demonstrated ROI in as little as 13 months – making automated trailer loading systems an increasingly accessible strategy, and allowing more businesses to transition to automation as they grow.

For many companies, trailer loading has remained unchanged for decades. But faced with workforce challenges, rising demand, and a general requirement to achieve more with less, automation is necessary for all businesses to help improve reliability, safety, and resilience. But, of course, only if it is financially viable. For most companies, this means an ROI in less than three years. A broader range of solutions and price points are now available so that growing businesses don’t need to dive straight into fully automated systems but can begin to reap the benefits and evolve their operations over time. In doing so, they build a more sustainable foundation for future automation and competitive advantage.

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Strategic Development in the UK’s Golden Triangle

Fradley Park, one of the UK’s most strategically located logistics hubs, continues to reinforce its position as a first-class destination for distribution and manufacturing. Located near Lichfield in Staffordshire, at the heart of the country’s Golden Triangle of logistics, this key site offers exceptional motorway connectivity and infrastructure—making it an ideal choice for major occupiers seeking sustainable and scalable warehousing solutions.

Evans Property Group has successfully completed development on the latest phase of the site, known as Fradley Link. The speculative scheme spans approximately 280,000 sq ft and includes two highly sustainable, flexible-use industrial units of 204,500 sq ft and 78,500 sq ft respectively. Both are being delivered to exacting standards, targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC A ratings, and are equipped with EV charging capabilities, solar-ready roofing systems, symphonic drainage, and secure cycle storage.

Loading Bay Solutions Designed to Enhance Speed

Supporting this high-specification development, ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems was appointed to deliver a comprehensive entrance and loading bay solution in partnership with architect Kilmartin Plowman & Partners, main contractor GMI Construction Group, and developer Evans Property Group. The project represents a significant milestone for ASSA ABLOY in the UK, as it marks the first major installation of the recently launched Crawford OH1142P Dual Drive sectional overhead door — an innovation designed to deliver a whole new level of speed, efficiency, safety, and security in modern industrial environments.

High-Spec Installations Across Two Warehouses

The larger of the two buildings, at 204,500 sq ft, has been fitted with a full suite of loading bay equipment to support streamlined operations. This includes 20 standard and tall loading bays, each equipped with swing lip dock levellers, OH1142P Dual Drive doors, and mechanical dock shelters designed to accommodate a range of vehicle sizes. Complementary accessories such as dock lights, traffic control systems, and wheel guides were also installed to ensure safety and efficiency across all docking operations.

In addition, four ASSA ABLOY OH1042P level access overhead sectional doors were supplied to align with the building’s architectural palette — finished externally in RAL 7016 and internally in RAL 9002. These doors not only match the visual identity of the site but also deliver excellent thermal performance, achieving an overall U-value of 1.3 W/m²K.

The second building, at 78,500 sq ft, has been completed to a similar specification, featuring ten loading bays supported by the same combination of dock levellers, OH1142P doors, and dock shelters. Four level access OH1042P doors were also integrated, mirroring the installation in the adjacent, larger unit.

First for the Dual Drive

A standout feature of the Fradley Link development is its status as the first major UK project to incorporate the Crawford OH1142P Dual Drive sectional overhead door—ASSA ABLOY’s most advanced overhead door system to date. This next-generation solution has been designed from the ground up to meet the evolving needs of high-performance logistics environments, with a focus on energy efficiency, operational speed, and minimal maintenance.

The OH1142P Dual Drive represents a leap forward in entrance system technology. Its state-of-the-art design operates without traditional springs or cables, significantly reducing the number of moving parts and thereby cutting long-term maintenance requirements. The simplified, maintenance-friendly configuration also eliminates the need for structural preparation or additional reinforcements—saving time and space during installation and streamlining integration with modern warehouse architecture.

Engineered for speed and efficiency, the OH1142P opens and closes up to 30% faster than standard overhead doors, helping to reduce energy loss and improve internal climate control. This faster cycle time not only boosts operational productivity but also directly supports the sustainability goals of modern developments such as Fradley Link, where energy optimisation is a core performance metric.

Enhanced security is built in as standard, with automatic electric locking and remote monitoring capabilities via integrated smart technology. These features allow facilities teams to oversee and manage door operations more effectively, enhancing both safety and operational visibility across the site.

By requiring minimal structural prep and offering lower lifecycle costs through fewer components, the OH1142P Dual Drive supports a future-proof, cost-effective approach to industrial design. Its inclusion at Fradley Link signals a strong commitment to innovation from Evans Property Group and sets a new precedent for UK logistics developments.

Enhanced Safety and Sustainability at Every Bay

The dock shelters used across both units have been carefully selected to enhance energy efficiency and maintain optimal conditions during loading. Unlike sloped-roof designs that allow water run-off onto trailers, ASSA ABLOY’s flat-roof shelters incorporate integral rain channels that divert water away from the loading area—helping to protect goods and improve safety on site. The shelters accommodate a wide range of vehicle sizes and maintain consistent performance in all weather conditions.

Each loading bay also features ASSA ABLOY’s high-spec rubber dock buffers with steel face and top plate, and all wheel guides were supplied with a yellow painted finish, ensuring enhanced visibility and long-term resistance to wear and weathering.

Delivering the Future of Industrial Infrastructure

This installation reflects not just a technical achievement, but a broader alignment with the values driving the future of logistics property development—efficiency, safety, sustainability, and future-readiness. Through collaboration with Evans Property Group and the wider project team, ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems has helped deliver a logistics hub that sets new standards in operational performance and environmental responsibility.

Fradley Link is more than a new industrial scheme — it is a model for what the next generation of distribution infrastructure can and should be. With innovation like the Crawford OH1142P Dual Drive at its core, the site is now equipped to support occupiers with the performance, reliability, and resilience required in today’s fast-moving supply chain environment.

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His long-distance cycling trips, particularly a cross-country ride with his brother, serve as a metaphor for planning in business, emphasizing the importance of having a main goal, a stretch objective, and a fallback option to manage unforeseen challenges.

The conversation explores the origins of Sentry’s signature product — an energy-absorbing column protector — and its evolution into a broader range of warehouse safety solutions. Ryan explains how initial resistance, particularly in European markets like Germany, gave way once competitors adopted similar concepts, validating the market need and helping push safety standards forward. He also discusses the role of collaboration, even with competitors, to advance industry-wide safety improvements.

Cycling Podcast

A major theme of the episode is the balance between speed and safety. Drawing comparisons to motorsports and modern cycling safety gear like radar-based lights, Ryan highlights the importance of infrastructural safety systems like Sentry’s Collision Sentry, which uses sensors to warn of potential collisions at blind corners. These tools, he notes, function similarly to how radar alerts cyclists to approaching vehicles, enhancing awareness and preventing accidents.

Ultimately, Ryan underscores that workplace safety is not just a regulatory requirement or added cost — it’s a vital investment in people. He argues that safer environments lead to higher productivity, improved morale, and greater business resilience. Just as cyclists must remain vigilant and equipped for changing conditions, businesses must combine the right tools, training, and culture to protect their most valuable asset: their people.

Click here to listen

In recent years, we’ve taken great interest in the products brought to market by Sentry, who are expert at identifying areas of danger and coming up with seemingly simple solutions to reduce or eliminate warehouse accidents. But after many conversations with James Ryan, the founder of Sentry Protection Products, only now do I fully comprehend the design and manufacture challenges
that lie behind ‘simple’ solutions such as its Column Sentry rack protectors, and the lead time it takes to conceive, test, trial and manufacture, and then bring to market such a solution. Not to mention the various international standards to which it has to conform.

Given enough time, anyone could come up with a complicated solution to solve a problem. But real genius lies in the ability to develop a solution that is both brilliantly effective and brilliantly simple, the “why didn’t I think of that” type of product.

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As the global materials handling sector undergoes seismic shifts – driven primarily by sustainability mandates, technological innovation, and evolving customer demands – Clark Europe is on a mission not just to keep up but to leap ahead. At the helm of this ambitious transformation is Stefan Budweit, its President and CEO, whose three-decade career spans major names like Jungheinrich, Toyota, and now, Clark, having replaced Rolf Eiten on 1st January this year. In an exclusive interview with Logistics Business, Budweit discusses the brand’s growth strategy, product innovation, and how a century-old name is reinventing itself for the electric age.

Growth-Driven Challenger

Budweit’s career journey mirrors the evolution of the industry itself. Starting in parts sales with Jungheinrich before taking on international sales roles, and later leading global key accounts at Toyota, he’s no stranger to operating at scale. “The transition to Clark was a chance to build something new,” Budweit explains. “At Jungheinrich and Toyota, you’re maintaining a large ship. At Clark, we saw the opportunity to grow from a lower base with fresh thinking. We had nothing to lose – only ground to gain.”

Now, with his promotion to CEO, Budweit is tasked with steering the next chapter in Clark’s storied history. “Taking Clark from a global ranking of around 14 or 15 to a top-10 position, that’s a task that excites me.”

Clark’s strategy isn’t about chasing every trend or copying market leaders. Instead, it focuses on aligning its products with customer needs, especially those of its core base: small to mid-sized businesses with fleets of up to 20 units. These customers, often underserved by larger OEMs, are facing the same pressures to cut carbon emissions and improve efficiency as the major logistics players.

“The role of the forklift hasn’t fundamentally changed – it still moves pallets from A to B,” says Budweit. “But the environment in which it operates has. That’s where we see opportunity.”
One of Clark’s key growth initiatives lies in its newly-announced crossover models, electric trucks designed for outdoor use, previously a stronghold of internal combustion (IC) vehicles. These rugged, high-clearance trucks can handle conditions where diesel and gas once reigned supreme, such as mud, rain, and uneven ground.

“These crossover models meet customer needs for performance and sustainability,” Budweit notes. “And because many big players don’t yet offer a comparable product, we see a real chance to carve out market share.”

Sustainability with Substance

For Clark, sustainability is a sales imperative. Across Europe, emissions regulations are accelerating the decline of IC trucks. Meanwhile, companies of all sizes face growing pressure to report on their ESG metrics.

“Even smaller customers now need to reduce their carbon footprint and report it in their annual reviews,” Budweit says. “We’re helping by providing electric alternatives and also by offering transparency in our own production and logistics emissions. ESG is now a core part of our value proposition.”

This shift is most visible in Clark’s electrification strategy. While IC trucks remain important in less regulated markets like Africa and parts of the Middle East, in Europe, electric models dominate, particularly in warehousing where electric account for around 65% of the market.

To serve this demand, Clark offers both lithium-ion and lead-acid battery options across its electric range. “Flexibility is key,” Budweit says. “Many customers start with lead-acid and upgrade later. Our trucks are designed to accommodate both.”

Another sign of Clark’s transformation is in branding. Gone are the cryptic model names, and in come the bold new product lines Raider and Renegade introduced at LogiMAT.
“The names help us position products for specific markets,” Budweit explains. “Raider is the entry-level option, cost-effective and durable. Renegade is for more demanding applications, with advanced features and premium ergonomics.”

The differentiation also allows Clark to tailor offerings across regions. While Eastern Europe may favour budget-friendly models, Scandinavia expects high-end features and comfort. With centralised product groups now coordinating global development, Clark is better equipped than ever to deliver region-specific solutions.

Going Digital

As the forklift industry evolves beyond the mechanical into the digital, Clark is embracing the shift. Its new fleet management system – developed in-house rather than outsourced – is a response to changing customer profiles and the rise of larger fleet operators.

“In the past, our customers didn’t necessarily demand fleet management,” Budweit says. “But as our client base grows to include bigger operators, we’re providing smart solutions, factory-installed, and fully integrated.”

Looking ahead, Clark sees potential in leveraging AI for predictive maintenance and safety features, particularly in real-time hazard detection. “AI is already playing a role in fleet optimisation,” Budweit says. “We’re integrating these capabilities to meet the demands of a more sophisticated user base.”

The Brand Comes Home

Founded in 1917, Clark invented the modern forklift. Today, Budweit sees that legacy as both a differentiator and an asset. “In many countries, when people say ‘forklift,’ they still say ‘Clark,’” he notes. The company is tapping into that heritage with a symbolic move: on 10th April, it officially returned its global headquarters to Dallas, Texas. “Clark is coming home,” Budweit says with a smile. “We’re reopening our US manufacturing base and reconnecting with our American roots.”

From rugged electric crossover trucks to AI-enabled fleet solutions, Clark is reimagining itself for a future that demands sustainability, flexibility, and performance. And under Budweit’s leadership, the company is not just talking about transformation, it’s building it one truck and one customer at a time. “The sky is the limit,” he concludes. Clark has no pretences to become another Toyota or Jungheinrich – it’s cornering a healthy market where a heritage brand meets future-ready thinking.

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“We switched technology providers because our previous telematics and cameras were unreliable – the data was poor, and our drivers didn’t trust it, hindering bonus planning. We were close to choosing Microlise, but Samsara’s ability to identify key events and behaviours stood out, offering a path to improve our culture through training,” said Peter Cox, Head of Transport, Clean Linen.

Advantages of the Platform

As the most widely-used and fastest-growing connected operations platform, Samsara is committed to continuous innovation and customer success. In fact, the company holds hundreds of patents and has proven to deliver 8x ROI. This commitment translates into many tangible benefits as organisations that use Samsara’s platform can experience:

• Unrivalled AI Insights and Safety: Samsara’s AI is trained on more than 14 trillion data points, more than any other in its industry. Customers leverage its industry-leading AI to gain actionable insights that improve safety, efficiency, and decision-making across operations.
• Expert Partnership, Dependable Supply Chain, and Unwavering Reliability: Customers can rely on Samsara’s solutions for their mission-critical operations, benefiting from secure, scalable, and flexible technology, 99.99% platform uptime, extensive European coverage ensuring top-tier connectivity, rapid 48-hour hardware shipping, and a limited lifetime hardware warranty, all backed by dedicated 24/7 expert support. From day one, customers work with Samsara’s customer success managers and implementation consultants, who stay with them through every stage of their journey.
• Technology Drivers Love: Improve driver satisfaction and retention with leading safety technology and the industry’s number-one rated driver app, designed to be easy to use and to make administrative work simple for drivers.
• Committed to a sustainable future: Samsara customers globally have collectively saved over 1.3 million metric tons of CO2 emissions through the platform’s features designed for efficient fuel use and reduced emissions.
• Future-Proof Stability: Samsara is a long-term, financially strong partner, growing more than 30% year-over-year, and is continuously innovating for its customers, as evidenced by its more than $1B invested in research and development to date.

Thousands of organisations have switched to Samsara because of these advantages and more. Below are a few of their stories with perspective on Samsara’s differentiated solutions and support:

• “It was only when we started investigating alternatives that we discovered Samsara’s AI-based technology. We soon realised it was the perfect fit for us, providing information we needed in real-time,” commented Olivia Fagan, Compliance Officer, Fagan & Whalley
• “We see Samsara as a strategic partner that not only helps us to achieve our current goals, but also supports our long-term vision of a sustainable and successful company… We particularly appreciate the transparent and predictable cost structure that Samsara offers us. Unlike other providers, we get an all-inclusive solution that impresses with its intuitive, user-friendly platform,” added David Intruglio, Head of National Logistics, Alsco
• “When we studied the market, we realised that Samsara differentiated itself from its competitors with particularly effective, latest-generation solutions. We also appreciated their ability to respond very quickly to our specifications with great precision. For the installation of the first gateway, a Samara technician guided us by videoconference and it took us barely 15 minutes. We installed the subsequent units completely independently and very easily, taking just 5 minutes per vehicle,” said Karim Aït Soumane, Co-Founder, TMA Express
• “The Samsara safety score has been a runaway success. It’s given myself and other drivers something to compete over, I can’t count the number of times we’ve joked about beating each other’s score, it’s a fantastic system,” concluded Eddie Burns, Driver and Driver Manager, Midland Tyre Services

“The world of physical operations is the engine of our economy, driving over 40% of global GDP and impacting everyone’s daily life,” said Philip van Der Wilt, EMEA SVP and GM, at Samsara. “The legacy solutions some are relying on simply aren’t built for today’s economic uncertainties and operational complexities, eroding the confidence leaders need. That’s why we’re making it even easier for them to upgrade to the clear advantages Samsara’s platform delivers.”

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