Demand for electric lifts and loaders continues unabated, and safety is another high priority for manufacturers and customers of these specialist pieces of GSE. Making the vehicles as efficient as possible is another key aim for suppliers and operators alike, writes Mike Bryant
Murat Denge, managing director of Turkey-based DENGE Airport Equipment, tells Airside that the company has made some “pretty exciting updates” to its line of ambulifts and catering lifts over the past year, in response to the evolving nature of demand for hi-lifts.
According to Murat Denge: “There’s been a noticeable shift in the market towards greener GSE technology, and this trend is only gaining momentum. The demand for electrification is growing rapidly, with more and more customers preferring electric-powered GSE over traditional combustion-engine options.”
And DENGE has been ahead of this trend for quite some time, he believes, benefitting from a team that’s been working on converting diesel-powered GSE to electric configurations for nearly 14 years. “This experience has allowed us to roll out electric versions of almost all our products, keeping pace with the industry’s push for more sustainable solutions.”
He continues: “We’ve seen firsthand how the market is evolving, and we’re fully committed to meeting these new demands. Our ability to adapt quickly to this change, thanks to our expertise in electrification, has positioned us as a leader in providing greener GSE options.
“So, whether it’s new requirements or continuing trends, we’re not just keeping up – we’re leading the way in offering eco-friendly solutions that our customers are asking for.”
Evidence for this adaptability can be found in the major changes DENGE has implemented of late in its diesel engine models, Murat Denge informs. “Due to the latest emission norms, we’ve had to transition from traditional PLCs [programmable logic controllers] to CANBUS [controller area network bus] systems for automation.”
That might sound like a technical challenge, “but at DENGE, we’re fortunate to have our own in-house automation department with skilled software developers. This has allowed us to independently update and fine-tune the control software on our units, keeping everything running smoothly and efficiently.”
“There’s been a noticeable shift in the market towards greener GSE technology,” says Murat Denge
Strides have also been made in terms of the electrification of other lift models. The company showcased its new fully electric ambulift at GSE Expo Europe 2024 in Lisbon in September. “This innovation is all about reducing carbon footprints while still delivering top-notch performance,” Murat Denge says.
The trend in demand for greater sustainable GSE has also been reflected in the move by Germany-based TREPEL Airport Equipment to offer electric versions of its CHAMP 35, CHAMP 70, CHAMP 140 and CHAMP 350 hi-loaders, all of which are now available in electric variants.
TREPEL is also working on an electric version of the CCL 35 high loader/transporter – “one of the last pieces of the fleet that hasn’t yet been electrified”, says managing director Carsten Schimkat. The goal is for that unit to be launched onto the market by the end of next year.
Nearly half of TREPEL’s loader sales are now of electric models and Schimkat expects the share of greener units to continue to rise. However, he does think it will level off in the foreseeable future, perhaps at around 50% to 60% of the company’s total sales for loaders.
New electric lifts
Northern Irish GSE manufacturer Mallaghan recently unveiled North America’s first fully electric, refrigerated, widebody-capable catering truck with lifting van body, the eCT6000, as well as the first fully electric tanker, the Mallaghan Electric Self-Propelled Toilet Service Truck (eTSU), at the GSE Expo 2024 in Lisbon.
Chief commercial officer Joe Griffith believes that these new additions to Mallaghan’s ever-growing range of products represent “a significant leap forward in electric GSE innovation”. Green technologies – such as electric and alternative fuel – are core to the company’s current and future portfolio, he states.
A TREPEL CHAMP 350 serves DHL
“While every product launch is an important milestone, these latest developments are particularly groundbreaking,” Griffith continues.
The eCT6000 is the first fully electric catering truck designed specifically for the North American market, and the eTSU is the first fully electric, self-propelled toilet truck, powered by an 80V system.
Since introducing its first piece of electric GSE in 2010, growth in demand for these more sustainable products has remained steady, Griffith says. However, in recent years, demand has surged, with some product lines now almost entirely electric.
In the near future, he expects that the majority of sales will consist of electric GSE as this shift continues to gain momentum.
Safety first
Demand for electrification is rising from multiple sectors, including airlines, airports, governments and regulatory bodies, but safety receives an equally high level of focus, and much like electrification, there has been substantial advancement in safety systems over the past several years, Griffith considers.
Safety measures are primarily centred on two key areas: the protection of operators and airside personnel and the safeguarding of aircraft.
A wide range of safety systems are integrated across all of Mallaghan’s equipment, including sensor systems, EN 123-12 approved safety gates and AHM 913 compliant Collision Avoidance Systems.
Notably, Mallaghan was the first to introduce a fully compliant collision avoidance system to the market and has maintained a leading position in this field, particularly in the development of hi-lift equipment, Griffith says.
In Turkey, DENGE has integrated its Aircraft Proximity-detection System (DAPS) anti-collision technology into its GSE to offer “superior reliability compared to competitors”, says Murat Denge.
“We developed this in-house in response to IATA requirements for safe docking, and it’s really been a game changer,” he asserts.
“DAPS ensures that our ambulifts dock with aircraft without any contact, offering 100% reliability. Plus, we offer free training to our customers on how to use this system, so they can feel confident and secure with the equipment.”
TREPEL Airport Equipment is experiencing strong demand for its cargo loaders
These free tests and trials take place at DENGE’s factory employing a fuselage mock-up, which allows operators to test DAPS rigorously in real-world conditions. “This not only reflects our confidence in DAPS but also our commitment to providing the safest, most reliable equipment that meets both CE and IATA standards,” Murat Denge promises.
Meanwhile, nearly 90% of TREPEL loaders are now sold with aircraft approach systems to minimise the danger of ‘ramp rash’. They are equipped with the company’s ACAS anti-collision system, which is requested by the vast majority of customers as part of their loader specification requirements, Schimkat confirms.
Current and future business
Business is good for TREPEL and its well-known range of CHAMP cargo loaders. The company also offers the TRANS 70 7-tonne loader transporter and 3.5-tonne CCL 35 loader transporter.
There is strong demand in the market for TREPEL’s various loader products, says Schimkat, and orders have recovered well from the slump felt during the Covid-19 pandemic.
TREPEL is continuing to adapt and improve its loaders to meet evolving customer requirements. As for other additions and improvements to the loader fleet, the company is already anticipating the likely need for a new Airbus A350 maindeck loader, should a freighter version of the A350 become a reality as Airbus expects. This is a new capability that TREPEL would certainly like to offer, if it is needed.
The demand for lifts, and perhaps particularly ambulifts, is expected to grow steadily as time passes, Murat Denge believes. The primary drivers for this are to be found in the improvements in healthcare systems across the world, leading to a higher number of elderly passengers who require the use of medical lifts, as well as the anticipated growth in air traffic.
“Considering these factors, regions with increasing GDP per capita will likely be key markets in the coming years,” he assesses.
The DENGE team is always looking for ways to innovate and meet the changing needs of its customers as well as any projected growth in the market. Thus: “While the development of new lift models is largely driven by specific customer requests, we’re currently exploring the introduction of a new medical lift that we believe will be a significant advancement in the industry.
An ambulift serves an aircraft
“This model is designed to address specific challenges that haven’t been fully met by existing solutions, making it a potential game changer in the market,” says Murat Denge.
DENGE has also recently developed a new TP1510 ambulift model to cater specifically to passengers with restricted mobility (PRM) flying on smaller aircraft. It is versatile, with a transfer platform that adjusts to different door heights, and features solar panels to power its battery system. “It’s another example of how we’re always listening to our customers and striving to meet their needs with innovative solutions,” Denge explains.
Moreover: “In the meantime, we remain committed to our current range of diesel and electric lifts, which continue to perform exceptionally well. We’re constantly refining these models to ensure they meet the highest standards of efficiency and reliability.
“So, while we have exciting plans for the future, we’re also focused on maintaining the quality and performance of our existing products,” he adds.
At Mallaghan, demand for hi-lift models, including cleaning and catering trucks, maintenance platforms and ambulifts, remains robust and continues to grow year after year.
Griffith and his colleagues expect this upward trend to continue, driven by the overall expected growth of the industry.
Busy times in China
Weihai Guangtai Airport Equipment Co is a Chinese supplier of a wide range of GSE, including container pallet loaders, catering trucks and ambulifts.
Like his peers in Germany, Turkey and Northern Ireland, Gwenn Hervet, general manager of Guangtai Europe, recalls a busy year or so for Guangtai and its lift and loader products.
A Weihai Guangtai ambulift
He also shares their view on the importance of sustainable GSE for meeting the needs of the lifts and loaders market. Hervet notes, for instance, that the company recently formally launched its first fully electric catering truck – one that is currently being tested at several airports across Europe – in co-operation with partner TCR. Like Mallaghan’s new electric GSE, the vehicle was on show at the GSE Expo in Lisbon in September.
Guangtai is also continuing to upgrade its family of cargo loaders with more sustainable technologies. Last year, the company launched a fully electric 35-tonne heavy duty cargo loader, and then this year it launched a 3.5-tonne electric loader designed primarily to meet the needs of the European market.
All Guangtai lifts – including its catering trucks, ambulifts and cargo loaders – employ high-voltage lithium technology in their design. The GSE supplier is working in co-operation with Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Co (CATL).
Challenging infrastructure restrictions
Hervet believes that electric power is now very much “a mature technology for our industry”. Constraints on GSE-powering infrastructure are still to be overcome, he believes, but airports, airlines, handlers and all stakeholders in the aviation sector “are now investing in high-capacity charging infrastructure to allow a wider use of electric GSE on a larger scale”.
Hervet also agrees that safety is a prime concern for the industry. “Anti-collision systems are now a standard in our industry for equipment which come into close contact with aircraft, including hi-lifts, cargo loaders, belt loaders and passenger stairs, and all first-class suppliers like Weihai Guangtai offer high-end solutions on the base configuration of these categories of GSE.”
Going global
Guangtai’s main target market remains Asia, where it is the market leader for hi-lifts in many major countries, including China, Hong Kong and Singapore, Hervet says. But over the past two years the group has acquired a global presence: “We are now among the top three suppliers of hi-lifts (and more generally across GSE) in Australia, Latin America and Europe, especially for cargo loaders.
“In all these markets, demand currently remains very heathy, especially for electric models,” Hervet reveals.
And, for the future, Guangtai is now actively focusing on marketing its electric catering trucks and is “very optimistic of achieving significant sales in Europe, with the support of our partner TCR”.
Driving efficiency at AeroTech
Bobby Gray, engineering manager for cargo loaders at Oshkosh AeroTech, tells Airside that the Oshkosh Corporation business is focused heavily on “enhancing our existing products and introducing features that respond to the changing needs of ground support operations”. Oshkosh took over the former JBT AeroTech GSE business late last year.
And, over the past few years, he continues, the business has responded to a need for more efficient cargo loader operations. “In talking with our customers, it was determined that for some applications, too much time was lost and equipment too frequently damaged by long cargo loader drives from station to station.
Oshkosh AeroTech cargo loaders have seen significant development in recent times
“The Ranger cargo loader was specifically developed to solve that issue for our customers. It is designed to travel from gate to gate or across the field at nearly twice typical cargo loader speeds. And, with a leaf-spring suspension for a gentler ride, the Ranger reduces impact from the rough ramp environment.”
But all Oshkosh AeroTech cargo loaders have seen significant development, especially in terms of safety and automation, in recent times. Key options include the integration of Aircraft Proximity Detection (APD) technology and the introduction of JetDock Autonomous Docking.
Demand for both Commander and Ranger loaders remains strong, especially in markets that are prioritising operational efficiency and safety. Airports and hubs that are expanding their terminals are particularly valuable markets for loaders like the Ranger which can efficiently move from terminal to terminal, Gray notes.
Meanwhile, that evolution in market demand for greater sustainability as well as automation has certainly not passed Gray and his colleagues by. AeroTech’s Ranger and Commander cargo loaders are available with electric power modules, telematics capabilities and operator-assist autonomous operations technologies. Many of these features can be easily retrofitted to units already in operation in the field.
Across the industry, AeroTech is seeing greater interest in equipment that can help reduce environmental impact, particularly with the shift toward electrification, Gray observes. Customers are looking for ground support equipment that is not only powerful, but also capable of contributing to their carbon reduction goals.
This drives an uptick in demand for electric loaders and electrification conversion kits for existing fleets. At the same time, the move toward autonomous technology continues to gain momentum, as customers prioritise efficiency, accuracy and safety, Gray agrees. Oshkosh AeroTech’s APD systems are “continuously being refined and updated to meet the growing demand for safer ramp operations”, he says.
Moreover, “Today, we are testing AI-assisted cameras, LiDAR [light detection and ranging], radar, and other types of proximity sensors for speed control, operator access control, geo-fencing and geo-location. These technologies are designed to increase the safety of operations and operators.”
Oshkosh AeroTech is certainly not the only hi-lift/loader manufacturer looking at autonomous docking in addition to anti-collision systems. TREPEL’s Schimkat, too, for instance, has seen that trend in requests for its loaders. “As a result, we are working on offering this capability,” he advises.
And at Guangtai, “The trend is now to go beyond [anti-collision systems] and eliminate human errors and unsafe behaviour as much as possible, and this is where we naturally start talking about autonomous technologies,” Hervet says.
“At Guangtai we are actively developing fully autonomous driving systems on our equipment, starting with baggage tractors, which are already in operation at several airports in China. Autonomous technologies have been tested on hi-lifts, but due to the proximity to aircraft and the congestion of the aircraft handling zone, infrastructure is not yet available for an operational use of this technology.”
