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The power of a good idea.
50 years of hydrostatic drive.
The long road to perfect power control
Fifty years of hydrostatic drive from Linde: however spectacular a technological invention is, it always needs time. First of all it has to undergo lengthy development and testing in order to achieve genuine market maturity and to ensure that it cannot be forced out of the market by competitors overnight. Then, once this hurdle has been overcome, its superiority must be constantly put to the test and permanently exposed to changing customer requirements and market challenges.
Fifty years of hydrostatic drive from Linde: however spectacular a technological invention is, it always needs time. First of all it has to undergo lengthy development and testing in order to achieve genuine market maturity and to ensure that it cannot be forced out of the market by competitors overnight. Then, once this hurdle has been overcome, its superiority must be constantly put to the test and permanently exposed to changing customer requirements and market challenges.
For this reason, our engineers have never been satisfied with what they have achieved; instead, right from the start, they have kept seeking to perfect the hydrostatic drive and improve the efficiency, quality and eco-friendliness with each new device.
With its double benefit of higher efficiency and more precise control, it has almost no competitors.
This is because, unlike in a mechanical drive system, this system transmits power via closed oil circulation and the oil pressure distributes the power evenly and directly to the two motors of the drive wheels. It is to this innovative type of power transmission that our vehicles owe their unique sensitivity and efficiency. A differential is also superfluous, as are a clutch and gearbox. Brakes are not needed either: dual-pedal control moves the truck forwards or backwards automatically, and the vehicle stops automatically when the pedal is released.
Ultimately it is these benefits that have made Linde one of the leading global brands in the field of industrial trucks – and created a new benchmark for the quality of our products.
With its double benefit of higher efficiency and more precise control, it has almost no competitors.
This is because, unlike in a mechanical drive system, this system transmits power via closed oil circulation and the oil pressure distributes the power evenly and directly to the two motors of the drive wheels. It is to this innovative type of power transmission that our vehicles owe their unique sensitivity and efficiency. A differential is also superfluous, as are a clutch and gearbox. Brakes are not needed either: dual-pedal control moves the truck forwards or backwards automatically, and the vehicle stops automatically when the pedal is released.
Ultimately it is these benefits that have made Linde one of the leading global brands in the field of industrial trucks – and created a new benchmark for the quality of our products.
- Linde launched the first forklift truck with a hydrostatic drive in 1960 – the Hubtrac. This signalled the start of smooth driving, simple and precise handling, reduced wear and a high level of safety
- The next step in the evolution of truck and hydrostatics development: The 314 series was produced from 1968 until 1980
- The Linde 351 series forklift trucks with the advanced and more compact hydrostatic drive were the top-selling trucks in Europe between 1985 and the middle of 2003
- Thanks to the latest generation of hydrostatic drives, which does not have a mechanical reduction stage, the 39X series provides even greater power density
The invention has made us Europe‘s no. 1
Ultimately, our global reputation and number one position in Europe are the logical consequence both of quality thinking and of the tenacious will of our engineers to make the significant advantages of the hydrostatic drive available to as many customers who require it as possible throughout the world, and thus to develop new application areas and markets.
- Without Linde hydrostatic drive the operator must go through many unnecessary lifting and manoeuvring motions and this costs time and time is money. Linde hydrostatic drive keeps a Linde forklift squarely on track, accelerates quicker and gets road transport vehicles unloaded much more efficiently. This is achieved without working faster; it‘s just that a Linde truck does exactly what the operator wants it to do.
Our success was bolstered, of course, by the rapid development of international trade and the volume of transport in the last 50 years. This is because customer requirements increased in line with rapidly growing demand. Therefore, in a prosperous phase of global trade there were enough capable business people who were attracted by the technical superiority of our products and the benefits that they could gain from them.
Not to be overlooked, however, is the enormous contribution made by the countless drivers of our trucks worldwide. These are the people who have worked with our trucks at the coal face, so to speak, and who have taken up the cudgels for our brand in so many purchasing departments and among so many decision-makers. And they have done so out of a sense of solid commitment. After all, who is in a better position to evaluate the quality of our products than the very people whose job it is to move so many heavy loads every working day?
Not to be overlooked, however, is the enormous contribution made by the countless drivers of our trucks worldwide. These are the people who have worked with our trucks at the coal face, so to speak, and who have taken up the cudgels for our brand in so many purchasing departments and among so many decision-makers. And they have done so out of a sense of solid commitment. After all, who is in a better position to evaluate the quality of our products than the very people whose job it is to move so many heavy loads every working day?
Technology can be copied. But experience cannot.
When you‘ve been manufacturing trucks for 50 years that move millions of tons throughout the world every day, you are able to draw on a wealth of practical experience. This experience does not merely help us to constantly optimise our vehicles and make them more efficient; it is also an indispensable basis on which we are able to develop and offer useful services tailored to the needs of our international clientele in all matters relating to vehicle fleets.
Time required to load and unload 15 delivery trucks. Base: H25D BR 392 delivery truck work cycle.
The occasional copies – or more accurately attempts at copying – our hydrostatic drive in recent years are impressive proof that such a complex, mature and sophisticated technology cannot simply be imitated.
And to those who think that it is only a matter of time before it is possible to do so, we can give a guarantee: one thing that it will never be possible to copy is our 50 years of market experience with this special technology. It is so rich and diverse that the edge we enjoy in the market will remain safe. Our customers can also rest assured for many more years in the knowledge that their investment is safe with us. That‘s unless, of course, you believe that rodeo is a higher art form than dressage?
And to those who think that it is only a matter of time before it is possible to do so, we can give a guarantee: one thing that it will never be possible to copy is our 50 years of market experience with this special technology. It is so rich and diverse that the edge we enjoy in the market will remain safe. Our customers can also rest assured for many more years in the knowledge that their investment is safe with us. That‘s unless, of course, you believe that rodeo is a higher art form than dressage?