On 30 July, Linde Material Handling Australia welcomed members and guests from Melbourne’s North Food Group (MNFG) and Melbourne’s North Advanced Manufacturing Group (MNAMG) to its Scoresby branch for an inside look at the equipment, technology and solutions helping businesses create safer and more efficient operations.
Hosted by Linde Retail Sales Manager Alan Elmenawi and Territory Sales Manager Kylie Baines, the event brought together attendees for an afternoon of presentations, live equipment demonstrations and industry discussion.
Looking beyond the forklift
The session was designed to give attendees a broader understanding of Linde’s holistic approach to material handling and the range of solutions available beyond the equipment itself.
Alan and Kylie showcased Linde’s extensive equipment portfolio and the various finance solutions available to customers, while reinforcing the importance of workplace safety in today’s material handling environments. Safety was a key focus throughout the afternoon, with attendees gaining insights into Linde’s comprehensive range of safety technologies and solutions. From pedestrian awareness systems through to advanced operator assistance features, the session highlighted how proactive safety measures can help businesses reduce risk, protect people and create safer more productive workplaces.
The group also explored FleetFOCUS, Linde’s fleet management system, and the role operational data can play in helping businesses make more informed decisions. Discussions focused on how greater visibility of equipment utilisation, operator activity and fleet performance can provide valuable insights into day-to-day operations, assisting businesses to improve efficiency, identify opportunities for optimisation and better manage their material handling assets over time.
Exploring the future of warehouse automation
Linde Automation Manager Andrew Ferguson also joined the session to introduce warehouse automation and the growing role automated solutions are playing across Australian operations.
Attendees gained a practical understanding of where automation can deliver value, from improving process consistency and reducing repetitive manual tasks through to helping businesses maximise available labour resources and respond to increasing operational demands.
Importantly, the discussion moved beyond the concept of fully automated warehouses and explored the range of automation pathways available to organisations. Andrew highlighted how semi-automated solutions can be implemented progressively, allowing businesses to adopt technology at a pace that aligns with their operation requirements, workforce needs and long-term objectives.
Putting the equipment into action
Following the presentations, attendees moved into the Linde warehouse to see the equipment in operation firsthand.
Divided into smaller groups, participants rotated through a series of live demonstrations featuring reach trucks, electric counterbalance forklifts, order pickers and pallet trucks.
The hands-on format provided an opportunity to experience the equipment beyond the brochure. Attendees were able to speak directly with Linde specialists, ask questions specific to their own operations and gain a deeper understanding of the features, capability and applications of different equipment types.
For Kylie, the afternoon was an opportunity not only to showcase Linde’s capabilities, but also to connect directly with businesses from across the region.
“It was wonderful to host MNFG and MNAMG members at Linde Material Handling for an insightful industry tour,” Kylie said.
“It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase our forklift range, warehouse solutions, fleet management technology and automation capabilities, while connecting with industry professionals from across Melbourne’s north.”
The afternoon concluded with networking and further conversations between attendees and the Linde team, along with a selection of door prizes, including a particularly popular Linde ride-on toy.
By opening the doors of its Scoresby branch, Linde provided MNFG and MNAMG members a practical look at how equipment, safety technology, fleet management and automation can work together to support the changing needs of modern operations.
Linde thanks MNFG, MNAMG and everyone who attended for making the afternoon a valuable opportunity to share knowledge, exchange ideas and strengthen connections across Melbourne’s food and manufacturing industries.