Case Study

A worry-free forklift fleet solution

By Ruari McCallion

March 2025

Cat® warehouse trucks and full-service package drive food company’s processes and costs to maximum efficiency.

When Swiss company Traitafina AG looked to boost productivity and improve its warehouse management and supply performance, it turned to Cat® Lift Trucks. The solution selected was a full fleet of Cat® pedestrian stacker and pallet trucks, supplied on a full-service rental agreement by Switzerland’s Cat lift truck dealer, Max Urech AG. Ruari McCallion has the details.

Traitafina AG, a Swiss food processing and supply company, has its headquarters in Lenzburg. This is located west of Zurich and north of Lucerne, in central-northern Switzerland, not far from the German border. Trading as Traitafina since 1998, it now has more than 200 employees and generates annual revenues in excess of SF7 million. Its growth has been primarily organic, achieved through providing a range of high-quality food products. They include sauces, pasta, salads, delicatessen items, sausages and fresh and processed meats. It also offers a range of vegan and vegetarian sauces, under its Vegifina brand.

traitafina_Logo_2020

Optimising processes and costs

While its geographical market is primarily domestic, in Switzerland, it also exports to neighbouring Italy, Germany, France and Austria. Its customers range from retail stores to restaurants and foodservice organisations. Having enjoyed consistent growth in recent years, Traitafina approached Max Urech after determining that it should optimise its processes and cost structure.

André Urech, CEO of Max Urech, explains: “Traitafina had been using a lot of energy for its production processes and, especially, for cooling the warehouses. It was therefore important to ensure the most efficient energy solution for charging the trucks.”

The trucks within the warehouses are primarily pedestrian-operated. As the storage and inventory management areas are kept at cold store temperatures, to keep the produce fresh, the new fleet had to be robust and able to cope with demanding conditions.

André Urech CEO of Max Urech

Electric batteries lose power in cold temperatures and the solution would have to be sufficiently resilient to operate reliably, day in, day out, all through the year.

Warehouse trucks modified to suit.

“Customisation was necessary to tailor the machines to Traitafina’s specific needs and to ensure smooth operation in their warehouse and production areas alike,” said Nicolas Roy, Regional Manager for Cat Lift Trucks. “This included designing the energy package and power supply to support two-shift operation.”

Working with Cat Lift Trucks Europe, the solution Max Urech presented to Traitafina was a fleet of electric high-lift and standard pedestrian trucks with lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. These trucks would replace the existing lead-acid battery-powered trucks the company had been using. Rather than outright purchase, Max Urech offered a full-service performance rental package, which also helped Traitafina to reduce the complexity of running its fleet. All maintenance, service and operating responsibility would be assumed by Max Urech and Cat Lift Trucks. That would leave Traitafina free to concentrate on what it does best: sourcing, processing, manufacturing and supplying high-quality food and foodservice solutions to its customers in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe.

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Handing over the new Cat® fleet to Traitafina. Pictured left to right are: Stefan Strebel (Traitafina CEO), André Urech (Max Urech CEO), Mischa Kunz (Max Urech Sales Manager), Hannes Bösch (Traitafina Operations Manager), Patrick Item (Traitafina Head of Sales), Nicolas Roy (Cat Lift Trucks Regional Manager), Eveline Heiniger (Max Urech Field Service), Gerd Forsting (Traitafina Chief Operations Officer).

Try before buy

Of course, before the deal went ahead, Traitafina had to satisfy itself that the equipment was really what it needed and that it was up to the job.

The trucks to be supplied were:

  • Twelve Cat NSP12N3I pedestrian stackers with initial lift, to cope with ramps and uneven floors
  • One Cat NSP12N3 pedestrian stacker
  • Eight Cat NPP16N3 pedestrian power pallets

The Cat NSP series stackers all have a capacity of 1.2 tonnes; the Cat NPP power pallets can carry up to 1.6 tonnes and are suited both to transport within the warehouse and to loading and unloading of delivery vehicles. They feature a robust, water-resistant construction, which makes them especially suited to handling frozen and chilled foods in cold stores or freezers. Their linked suspension castors provide high levels of stability and smooth handling, combined with quite rapid acceleration when needed. The Cat NPP16N3 has a higher load capacity but is still small enough to be used on a mezzanine floor or transported in the back of a goods vehicle. Both models feature an advanced tiller arm design, which gives operators more precise levels of control.

Cat NSP10-16N3(R)(I)(S) pedestrian stacker range.

Designed for short shuttle applications and stacking up to 5.4 metres (depending on model and mast choice).

Cat pedestrian stacker range

Cat NPP16-20N3(R)(E) pedestrian power pallet range.

Ideal for loading and unloading, transport and work in confined areas. All Cat tiller-steered power pallet trucks and stackers feature the class-leading emPower tiller head.

Cat power pallet range

Cat lift truck quality and suitability

The comprehensive service and support package means that Traitafina need not worry about unexpected costs, while availability remains a priority. Fast and easy access to components, and the option to charge the trucks without removing their batteries, means that maintenance is kept simple and downtime is minimised.

“After testing, Traitafina’s management and staff were convinced by the quality and workmanship of the Cat trucks,” said André Urech. “The full rental solution means that costs can be better planned, without tying up capital.”

The 21 Cat trucks were delivered in September 2024. They were very well received; so well that Traitafina ordered two more Cat NSP12N3 pedestrian stackers, one in September and another in October. Its fleet of warehouse trucks is now completely Li-ion-powered; all the lead-acid vehicles are now gone.

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Max Urech AG, Switzerland’s Cat lift truck dealer, has over 40 years of experience in meeting customers’ materials handling needs.

Full-service forklift solutions growing in popularity

“This was an unusually large contract, but such deals are becoming more commonplace, especially in the growing long-term rental, full-service sector, where Max Urech has been able to expand its expertise and offer more flexible solutions to customers,” said Mischa Kunz, Sales Manager of Max Urech. “We have a strong focus on customers’ needs and are proud to say that all the trucks in Traitafina’s warehouse are now Cat branded. It has been an excellent experience for us, for Traitafina, and especially for its warehouse operatives, who are delighted with their new, reliable and easy-to-operate equipment.”

Summary

Our case study involves a large food processing and supply company. The customer needed a new forklift fleet suitable for moving palletised goods in food production and cold storage facilities. In particular, the forklifts needed to be robust and energy efficient. The Cat® lift truck dealer concerned helped its customer to:

  • Boost productivity
  • Improve warehouse management and supply performance
  • Cut energy costs
  • Minimise forklift downtime

The dealer’s solution included:

  • A fleet of 21 Cat pedestrian stackers and power pallets
  • Adapted for cold store conditions and other application needs
  • Powered by efficient Li-ion batteries
  • Supplied as part of a worry-free, full-service performance and rental package, covering fleet management and maintenance
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