The KION Group has released the Linde Delta, a specialized turret truck designed for Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) warehousing where aisles can be as tight as 1.6 meters. Traditional forklifts must turn 90 degrees to pick a pallet, requiring wide aisles. The Linde Delta utilizes a "turret" assembly where the mast and forks rotate independently of the chassis. This allows the truck to drive straight down the aisle and pick pallets from either side without turning the vehicle body.
The engineering focus for the Delta was on stability and energy efficiency. The mast is mounted on a reinforced "straddle" leg design that spreads the load directly to the floor rails, eliminating the need for a heavy counterweight. This allows the truck to lift loads up to 18 meters high while maintaining a small footprint. A key innovation is the "Descent Energy Recovery" system. When the forks are lowered with a heavy load, the hydraulic oil creates resistance. In the Linde Delta, this resistance is captured by a hydraulic motor that drives a generator, feeding electricity back into the battery. This system extends the battery life by up to 30%, a critical factor in cold-store operations where changing batteries in freezing temperatures is difficult. Additionally, the operator's cab is ergonomically designed to face the direction of travel, reducing neck strain caused by twisting to see the forks in tight spaces.
