
Yale dealer HFT Hebe- und Fördertechnik GmbH provided over 100 trucks to metals industry customer Silbitz Group for their new forklift truck fleet. The Silbitz Group forklift truck fleet features the latest engine and drive technology for LPG and diesel engines, which has significantly reduced fuel consumption.
Background of the Silbitz Group
Since the establishment of its Rasberg foundry in 1896 the Silbitz Group has expanded, with three foundries and a mechanical machining facility across four sites in Germany and Slovakia. Improved logistics between the foundry and their network of customers is one of the key elements to meet their strategy.

Yale provides the best overall value
Yale Europe Materials Handling has been a part of Silbitz Group’s innovative journey for the past 20 years. HFT Hebe- und Fördertechnik worked closely with Silbitz Group to understand the needs of the three new locations. Using its expertise from supplying the foundry at the Silbitz site, the Yale dealer recommended a solution ideally suited for each plant’s individual requirements.

Tailored solutions were found for numerous problems in order to improve future work in the plants. For example, the company’s Zeitz facility selected the GDP16EC12 counterbalance forklift truck, which increased the load-bearing capacity from 12 to 16 tonnes. This means that the forklift truck can now move significantly more parts and the bottleneck in crane loading is reduced.
The latest technology is also used to manage the fleet of forklift trucks, with the Yale Vision fleet management tool allowing all trucks to be managed centrally. Driver activation is also controlled, since all forklifts can only be started with an operator key card, ensuring that the truck is only used by authorised drivers. If damage does occur, the built-in sensors detect this and automatically reports it, enabling repairs to be planned quickly and reducing equipment downtime.

“We’re proud to continue our working relationship of twenty years with Silbitz Group,” said Jens Assmuth, Branch Manager, HFT Hebe- und Fördertechnik GmbH.
Through understanding how Silbitz Group operates, Yale have been able to offer materials handling solutions that not only aids work efficiency, but also keeps energy efficiency at its core.
Read the full case study to discover how the new forklift truck fleet achieved energy efficiencies for the Silbitz Group:
Silbitz Case Study | English |
Silbitz Case Study | German |
Silbitz Case Study | French |
Silbitz Case Study | Spanish |
Silbitz Case Study | Italian |
Silbitz Case Study | Dutch |
For further information on Yale’s extensive range of materials handling equipment visit: www.yale.com