The beverage industry has special requirements for internal and external logistics. Most transports in this field are not only heavy and bulky, but often have to be carried out by a single person under time pressure. A reliable piece of equipment is therefore essential when it comes to manual load handling in the professional sector – from 20-litre bottles in round or square shapes to double stacks of beverage crates and KEG barrels of various sizes. For over 70 years, EXPRESSO Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG has been supplying ergonomic, durable hand trucks that are precisely customised to the requirements of the industry. At drinktec trade fair in Munich/Germany, the company will be presenting its favourites made in Germany specifically for use in beverage logistics in hall C1, stand 452. Production takes place in Germany in compliance with strict quality standards according to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 and DIN EN ISO 14001. At the headquarters in Kassel, the hand trucks are assembled with great care, tested and individually adapted to customer requirements. “This is made possible by our clever modular system, which was introduced back in the 1960s and has been continuously developed ever since. To date, this has resulted in over 2,000 variants, many of which are in daily use at breweries, mineral water springs, beverage logistics companies and wholesalers,” explains Aysenur Yildiz, team leader of the manual transport equipment business unit at EXPRESSO.

Special solutions for professionals

Focusing on the beverage industry, EXPRESSO has developed a range of tried-and-tested, modular extensions for hand trucks over the decades, which industry professionals can see for themselves at stand 452 in hall C1. These include a height-adjustable pendulum that allows beverage crates of different sizes to be picked up safely. A suitable attachment is also available for PET bottles: it increases the loading volume and prevents the load from slipping thanks to foldable side panels. Other add-on options, such as loading area extensions, enable the transport of wide goods, while three-stage adjustable restraint bars ensure a secure hold for double-stacked beverage crates. The high adaptability of the hand trucks to changing transport requirements is one of their key design features and one of the main reasons for their widespread use in professional environments. ‘Our customers use the robust hand trucks as permanent companions in their delivery vehicles or as stationary units in their warehouses,’ says Yildiz, adding: ‘One clever detail is the option of individual labelling using an integrated sign with the company logo, which supports clear allocation in fleet use and offers our customers clear functional added value.’

Quality down to the last detail

It is no coincidence that many models have been in reliable use for decades. ‘The key factors for this longevity are the heavy-duty construction, the consistent quality of the materials and the precise assembly,’ Yildiz continues. EXPRESSO uses only first-class components, such as elliptical tubes made of a high-strength special alloy with targeted reinforcements at the main load points. These are complemented by glass fibre-reinforced cross struts, stable angle connections and double stainless steel clamps. Slip profiles made of Exlan plastic on the slanted runners protect both the device itself and stairs and sensitive surfaces. A practical detail is the continuously curved axle: it makes tilting easier even with heavy loads and prevents the foot from slipping. In addition, customers can choose from a wide range of functional components, including various types of shovels, wheel variants, runners and handles. Precision-milled, profiled shovels are available in rigid or folding designs, pneumatic or low-maintenance Airlex wheels with Exlan rims, and ergonomically shaped handles with optimised grip and high grip safety.

Spare parts for the long term

At its trade fair stand, EXPRESSO not only showcases selected industry models, but also provides insights into its spare parts strategy and service concept. Original spare parts can be ordered by email, telephone or conveniently via the web shop and are available on a long-term basis. This means that even older models can be quickly and easily retrofitted or repaired. ‘Spare parts enquiries for devices that are already over 30 years old prove the exceptional durability of our hand trucks,’ emphasises Yildiz. In addition, the company provides technical instructions and video tutorials on its own YouTube channel, which facilitate independent maintenance and contribute to the sustainable use of the devices. EXPRESSO now offers a ten-year warranty on many models – a strong indication of the manufacturer’s confidence in the durability and quality of its products.

Anyone who faces demanding logistics tasks on a daily basis in the beverage industry will find that the hand trucks from Kassel/Germany offer a tried-and-tested solution with a systematic approach and long-term reliability. The devices are not only the result of decades of experience, but also an expression of a consistently pursued commitment to quality. Thanks to its modular design, focus on ergonomics and forward-looking spare parts availability, EXPRESSO offers a technically sustainable answer to the transport requirements of beverage logistics.

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‘Their design follows the principles of modern ergonomics, their modularity allows them to be adapted to many intralogistics scenarios, and their return on investment (ROI) averages 0.4 years,’ says Oliver Stauch-Vaupel, outlining the high added value of EXPRESSO’s handling and conveyor systems. The head of the Powered Handling and Transport Equipment business unit and his team of experts will be demonstrating how this works in practice with several exhibits at this year’s Fachpack in Nürnberg/Germany. In Hall 7, Stand 652, the focus will be on the eBalanceLift ARM electric handling system and the EXPRESSO Connect IoT solution, as well as two mobile lifts: The cost-effective lift2move selective and the customisable lift2move solution. Both versions are entirely ‘Made in Germany’ and are currently proving their worth in many industries as ergonomic and efficiency-enhancing system solutions for gripping, lifting, loading/unloading and conveying loads. Depending on whether they are used in assembly, production or warehousing, they serve as goods carriers, means of transport, assembly tools or positioning aids for the safe handling of containers, components, tools, packages and much more. While the affordable lift2move selective is available in three sizes for payloads of up to 125 or 200 kg and is primarily designed for standard tasks, the lift2move solution is always configured individually according to the customer’s specifications. All variants of the lift2move selective can be ordered directly from the EXPRESSO webshop at fixed prices, whereas the lift2move solution is designed in collaboration with the customer following an intensive needs analysis. ‘This involves, for example, choosing the optimal load carriers, design details, aspects of ergonomic workplace design, prospects for further process optimisation, or the integration of our digital IoT system EXPRESSO Connect,’ explains Oliver Stauch-Vaupel.

Flexibility at an affordable price

The lift2move selective is available at entry-level prices of less than €5,000. For this price, customers receive a universally usable system with low-maintenance spindle operation of the lifting mechanism, a sensor-controlled safety system, a height-adjustable push bar and a foot brake bar with three operating modes (brake locked, locked in the direction of travel or released). The lifting/lowering speed of the lifting sled can be individually controlled via remote control in two preset and six freely selectable levels. A tool-free, replaceable Powerpack battery pack (18 Ah) is included as standard. The chassis has four swivel castors and, thanks to low-profile front castors, a ground clearance of only 88 mm. There are options for the electrically powered lift mast, which is available with three lift ranges of up to 1,850 mm (type 125) or 2,020 mm (type 200). There are ten different load attachments to match, including a platform, a jib, a roll turner, a clamping fork for sheet metal and shepherd’s boxes, and an attachment for round parts.

Maximum customer focus

EXPRESSO offers customers maximum flexibility with the lift2move solution, which is designed as a versatile system solution. It offers plenty of scope for adaptation to different tasks and can be integrated into Industry 4.0 environments via digital interfaces. The model range includes three single-mast variants with load capacities of up to 250 kg and a double-mast variant for loads weighing up to 400 kg. All models can be combined with chassis of different sizes, and the electrically operated lifting mast can accommodate numerous special or custom-designed load attachments. As a result, a lift2move solution can be tailored to both product and process requirements – as a lifting and tilting system, a turning and holding system, a gripping and rotating unit, a feed and discharge solution, or even as a conveyor for internal pick-up and delivery services. ‘Even when precise shelf loading, accurate approaches to workbenches or repeatable operation of workpiece carriers are required, processes can be designed ergonomically and efficiently with a customised lift2move solution,’ reports Oliver Stauch-Vaupel.

Technical highlights of the lift2move solution also include the compact, lightweight flyweight battery packs (lithium iron phosphate) with status display and sensory fault diagnosis with visual signalling, which alerts the user to malfunctions or operating errors. Optional extras include Vertical Position Control for automatically moving to up to eight freely programmable lift mast positions and other accessories: a lift travel limiter that can be attached to the mast, a mechanical lift travel extension and a telescopic mast that allows the lift travel to be increased without changing the overall height of the system.

The lift2move solution always has a chassis made entirely of steel, which gives it stable statics and excellent manoeuvrability. A long wheelbase improves stability and a high lift mast base gives the base assembly high torsional rigidity. The chassis also includes four swivel castors, the front pair of which can be locked. ‘All of this benefits the ergonomics and usability of the lift and makes it a powerful system solution for process optimisation – even when higher load-bearing requirements are needed,’ says Oliver Stauch-Vaupel.

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As a manual transport device for effortless, safe and ergonomic handling of cardboard boxes, drinks crates, barrels or storage boxes, the EXPRESSO hand truck has a firm place in logistics and intralogistics. Its many variants have proven themselves in the supply chains of many industries around the world. The continued success of this single-axle ‘short-distance trolley’ is based not only on its high-quality workmanship, but also on the further development of the product idea into a modular system that offers more and more scope for the realisation of customer-, industry- and country-specific solutions. Based on the strict quality assurance of the assembly processes at its main factory in Kassel/Germany and in view of the durability of its hand trucks, the German manufacturer recently decided to take an unusual step: since January of this year, many standard hand trucks have had an extended warranty period of ten years! ‘This forward-looking promise of quality not only expresses our own confidence in the high reliability of our transport system, but is also a carefree package that offers the customer a considerable degree of added value,’ says Karsten Grötecke, who heads the hand trucks business unit at EXPRESSO. The new super warranty covers all material and manufacturing defects and applies to the majority of the hand trucks from the company’s wide range of models.

Investment security and availability

The customer benefits from the extended warranty period in several ways. They not only safeguard their investment decision, but also reduce their financial risk to a moderate minimum. This is because they are exempt from the costs of repairs and spare parts for a full decade in the event of production-related defects. Karsten Grötecke also explains: ‘To ensure the high availability of the hand trucks, we have set up a clearly structured process for the rapid rectification of production and material faults, which supports the rapid elimination of defects. Our partner network with many certified suppliers in the region is also a great advantage here.’ EXPRESSO has also included the costs for the delivery of repaired or replaced products to the original delivery address in the new warranty. Excluded from the ten-year warranty, however, are – as is generally the case – accessories and wearing parts as well as protective profiles (e.g. skids, tyres, lashing straps, protectors). The customer is still entitled to all statutory warranty rights in this respect.

EXPRESSO’s extended warranty period should also send a signal to all those companies that want to organise their supply chains according to sustainability criteria. Apart from the fundamentally high product quality of the hand trucks, it makes it clear that these ‘Made in Germany’ transport devices are designed for a very long service life. As their product life cycle can be refreshed again and again with spare parts or modules, it often takes many decades before an EXPRESSO hand truck becomes obsolete. Karsten Grötecke also emphasises that ‘ecological aspects are included in all product development considerations right from the start. We continuously optimise the use of energy and raw materials in order to protect the environment in the long term.’

Premium through and through

The high level of quality that EXPRESSO achieves with its hand truck is reflected in many details of the design. For example, the carcass structure of the pneumatic wheels guarantees maximum load capacity with minimum rolling resistance. In addition, all wheels are odourless and run on waterproof and dustproof deep groove ball bearings. ‘We have an Airlex wheel in our programme as a ‘non-flat’ solution. It is made of polyurethane, contains thousands of microcellular air bubbles and offers a service life that is 5 times longer. All wheel types have very good shock absorption on uneven surfaces and are extremely directionally stable,’ explains Karsten Grötecke. Worth mentioning here: All wheels with a diameter of 260 mm have the curved axle typical of EXPRESSO hand trucks as standard. This makes tipping easier, even with heavy loads, and prevents the user’s feet from slipping.

For the frame of its hand trucks, EXPRESSO uses aluminium elliptical tubes made from a high-strength special alloy that is 50 percent lighter than steel, yet still meets high standards in terms of stability and load-bearing capacity. Glass fibre reinforced, permanently protected angle connectors and double stainless steel clamps are also used in the main load areas. All cross connections are also GRP-reinforced and positively connected to the rail. The anti-slip profiles made of high-quality Exlan plastic protect the aluminium inclined runners when negotiating steps. When the integrated red centre of their wear indicator appears, it is time to replace the profiles. This is done quickly thanks to a clip system. The spade blade of the hand truck, precision-milled from a special alloy, is tightly profiled and prevents the load from slipping sideways. ‘All spare and wear parts can be ordered via our service centre or web shop. They ensure that an EXPRESSO hand truck can always be kept in top condition and will serve its user faithfully for many years – accompanied by the new super guarantee,’ says Karten Grötecke.

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With its world of ideas centred around the lift2move mobile handling system, EXPRESSO offers process optimisers, plant managers and factory planners numerous options for increasing the efficiency of processes in assembly, production and warehousing. In view of the tense economic situation in many industries, the German company will not only be presenting various customer-specific complete solutions at LogiMAT (11-13 March 2025), but also a particularly cost-effective and smart system product: the new lift2move selective and the matching portfolio of load supports. ‘We are thus offering a price-optimised and quickly available lifting, conveying and positioning system that covers a wide range of standard tasks in almost all areas of intralogistics,’ emphasises Oliver Stauch-Vaupel, Head of EXPRESSO’s Powered Handling and Transport Equipment business unit.

Premiere for payloads up to 200 kg

At its stand 7F41 in hall 7, EXPRESSO will be exhibiting the new lift2move selective in versions for payloads of up to 125 kg and 200 kg. They are offered with various electrically operated lift masts as standard. While the 125 version provides the user with strokes of 1,150 mm, 1,500 mm and 1,850 mm, the 200 version has strokes of 1,320 mm, 1,670 mm and 2,020 mm. As the smart feed unit can also be equipped with ten different load supports, it can be customised for a wide range of handling tasks. In addition to platforms with and without rollers and a rotating V-block, there is a roller mandrel, a roller turner, a fork for plastic boxes, a clamping fork for sheet metal and Schäfer crates, a short and a long jib and a prism for picking up round parts. Thanks to the three different lifting paths and the choice of load supports, the lift2move selective proves to be an extremely versatile handling system that can be adapted to changing operational requirements in just a few simple steps. And as with all EXPRESSO system products, this also applies here: All components of the lift are made in Germany and the supply of original spare parts is guaranteed in the long term.

‘In order to be able to provide the lift2move selective at an attractive entry-level price and with short delivery times, we have made some simplifications that have no impact on the technical and ergonomic quality of the mobile lift,’ says Oliver Stauch-Vaupel. In concrete terms, this means that the customer does not have to do without the low-maintenance spindle operation of the lifting mechanism, the sensor-controlled safety system or the height adjustability of the push bar. The same applies to the two lifting and lowering speeds of the lift mast, which are preset as standard and can be adjusted by remote control, the Powerpack battery pack (18 Ah), which can be changed without tools, and the central brake bracket with three operating modes for fixed braking, locking in the direction of travel and freewheeling. Its four swivel castors also make the lift2move selective an agile, manoeuvrable handling system that has an underride height of 88 mm thanks to its lowered front castors.

Promising prospects

EXPRESSO’s current trade fair programme will already include a lift2move 400 with double mast that can handle Euro pallets and a customised lift2move solution. The company will also be exhibiting a prototype lift in Stuttgart/Germany, for which it is currently seeking ISO cleanroom certification, and the eBalanceLift ARM load handling system as a swivelling column cantilever system. The company’s extensive consulting and engineering expertise is also likely to provide plenty to talk about at the EXPRESSO stand, with area sales managers and project managers as well as designers and service teams realising innovative intralogistics solutions whose performance sometimes far exceeds customer expectations.

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Online-on-site (OvO), omni-channeling or Retail 4.0 – the digitalization of retail now has many names. Karsten Grötecke, Head of the Smart Retail unit at EXPRESSO, has clear words on the subject: “The solutions that will establish themselves are those that are easiest to use, grow with store operators’ experience and offer them the best opportunities for individualization.” Visitors to EuroCIS, which takes place in Düsseldorf/Germany from February 18 to 20, 2025, will be able to see what this looks like in practice. Karsten Grötecke’s team will be presenting EXPRESSO’s new Smart Retail solutions for use in retail and wholesale stores as a world premiere at stand 10B50 in hall 10. As in the company’s other product worlds, everything here follows the principle of modularity. This means that store operators can choose between three system solutions called EO Smart, EO Go and SmartShopper^® EO Complete, with the latter including all SmartShopper^® models as well as the technologies of big data specialist CYREEN. “We serve up a rich Smart Retail buffet from which the customer can choose what meets their wishes and expectations. As consultants and system partners, we make sure that everything fits together perfectly,” says Karsten Grötecke.

Entry-level software or retrofit kit

With EO Smart, EXPRESSO offers store operators the easiest entry into the world of smart retail. The software solution is inexpensive, quick to install and quickly adapted to suit requirements – including the corporate design of a brand or promotion. Customers scan and pay via smartphone. “This reduces waiting times at the checkouts and gives shoppers a high degree of independence and flexibility,” says Karsten Grötecke. The system is suitable for all modern smartphones with a camera. Among other things, it enables the store operator to send targeted advertising messages and manage their staff more efficiently than before.

The EO Go retrofit system goes one step further, transforming the store operator’s shopping carts into smart shopping assistants. Customers use a barcode scanner on the cart to record their purchases, which saves them having to take their shopping off and put it back on the checkout conveyor belt and reduces waiting times. The system shows the customer the current status of their purchase on a touch display, allowing them to keep an eye on their spending. Staff freed up from checkout work can take on other tasks. The software used in EO Go can be customized and the system’s hardware can be adapted to all standard shopping carts.

Complete retail media solution

Finally, SmartShopper^® EO Complete is EXPRESSO’s all-in-one solution. It uses the company’s SmartShopper^® models as a system platform and can be expanded to include CYREEN’s retail media technology. “This means that the store operator can equip our digital shopping cart with a highly innovative and patent-protected Connecting Ad Impressions with Purchase (C.A.P.) solution in addition to its integrated scanning, sensor and display technology. It offers retailers considerable added value as it makes sales processes more transparent, more attractive and more profitable,” says Karsten Grötecke.

The SmartShopper^® features scanning and weighing of items, the display of shopping lists and cashless payment. For customers, this means shorter waiting times at the checkout and convenient shopping. The system supports store operators in optimizing their sales and personnel management: stock and inventory discrepancies as well as disruptions to automatic ordering routines are avoided; theft is virtually impossible, checkout staff can be flexibly deployed for other tasks and operating costs in the checkout area are reduced. “Experience shows that a SmartShopper^® EO Complete solution often pays for itself in less than a year,” says Karsten Grötecke.

At EuroCIS, EXPRESSO will be showcasing various SmartShopper^® models for use in food retail, beverage and drugstore chains, DIY and cash+carry stores and other markets. The company is also presenting a digital shopping cart with integrated retail media applications from CYREEN. “They provide retailers with extensive options for recording, measuring and evaluating the consumer behavior of their customers and for the targeted use of modern media for targeted campaigns,” explains Karsten Grötecke.

All Smart Retail solutions from EXPRESSO are GDPR-compliant and do not require access to sensitive ERP and POS data. They are also based on modern real-time data integration and do not require a constant internet connection. They are compatible with all common POS systems, have a largely modular design and can be easily integrated into existing system environments and various store organizations.

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‘We see this new cooperation as a catapult for the innovative expansion of the possibilities and capabilities of our SmartShopper^®,’ says Dr Alexander Bünz. As the CEO of EXPRESSO continues, the combination of CYREEN technology with the sensor, display and scanning system of the digital shopping cart creates ‘completely new perspectives for the development of pioneering retail media applications that offer retailers significant added value by making sales processes in stores more transparent, attractive and profitable.’

The C.A.P. solution from CYREEN is one of the pioneers of a new generation of data-driven retail media technologies that record, measure and evaluate consumer behaviour in the retail sector. Shoppers are provided with visual and audio information via monitors or other media that can be assigned to the receipts. This is all done in compliance with GDPR. ‘This creates a database that provides advertisers and market operators with precise and efficient analyses for product campaigns and content strategies – similar to measurement within e-commerce sites – as well as very precise insights into target group activities,’ explains Davide Scheidegger, Co-CEO of CYREEN.

EXPRESSO currently offers its SmartShopper^® in variants for food retailers, beverage and drugstore chains, DIY and cash+carry stores and other retail markets. These are complete mobile solutions with a hand scanner, display and load cells that check the goods selected by the customer to the exact gram. Network-compatible analysis software collates all the data. From the customer’s point of view, the SmartShopper^® simplifies shopping, prevents incorrect purchases and reduces waiting times at the checkout. This gives the store operator full transparency about trolley contents and demand trends. It also offers numerous opportunities to provide direct information about special offers and to optimise sales, checkout and inventory processes. Here, too, all processes are GDPR-compliant, as no personal data is requested from the customer.

The new cooperation with CYREEN now offers EXPRESSO the opportunity to enhance the SmartShopper^® with additional retail media capabilities through the integration of C.A.P. technology. This makes the digital shopping cart even more attractive for the store operator or branch manager, as it serves as a future-proof, multifunctional and multimedia control instrument for sales management. Davide Scheidegger explains: ‘They can integrate modern media, receive reliable information about their customers’ purchasing behaviour and, based on this, increase the efficiency of their own brand or product campaigns and those booked by advertisers, thereby significantly boosting the profitability of their store.’

Together with the big data experts from CYREEN, the specialists from EXPRESSO’s Smart Retail business unit have already started to develop specific retail media applications for the SmartShopper^® digital ecosystem. ‘We will probably be able to present the first results at the EuroCIS trade fair in February 2025,’ reports Dr Alexander Bünz.

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