Case study | Tire Manufacturing
Smarter energy powers uptime, safety and sustainability in tire manufacturing
Key metrics
100% elimination of collisions with AGVs
by eliminating trips to the battery room and reducing floor traffic for safer operations
49% forecasted ROI after 5 years
reflecting long-term savings from improved energy efficiency and operational performance
–38% CO₂ emissions
a tangible step toward greener, more energy-efficient material handling operations
Company overview
Established in Quebec in the 1960’s, the customer specializes in the manufacturing of passenger, SUV and light truck tires. The plant is one of the many owned by a world-renowned multinational company. The plant employs over 1,500 people and produces more than 17,000 tires a day.
Tire Manufacturing
Trusted partner
Quebec, Canada
Challenges
The customer wanted to increase its production capacity by relocating a production line, but couldn’t proceed because the space was taken up by a battery room that was required to power the forklift fleet. The intensity of operations meant that forklifts had to operate 24/7, all year long. At such intensity, the lead-acid battery technology couldn’t cope without battery swapping. A battery room was inevitably needed.
Solutions
Following a thorough assessment of floor challenges and after conducting an energy audit, lithium-ion battery (LIB) technology was selected. Converting lead-acid batteries (LAB) to greener and superior technology was directly in line with the customer’s vision of transforming its production with more modern solutions.
Safe solution that eliminates H&S risks
Lithium-ion battery with fast opportunity charging
End-to-end battery life management with Energy as a Service (EaaS)
More space, more safety, more productivity.
Transitioning from lead-acid to lithium-ion power created space, efficiency and a path toward more sustainable operations.
Benefits
Eliminate energy bottlenecks and improve uptimes
Fast opportunity charging right in the production area
No battery swaps required, speeding up efficiency
Reduce health & safety risks
Eliminate three battery swaps per truck every day (27 284 battery manipulations yearly upon complete transition to UgoWork)
No back and forth traveling to the battery room, thereby eliminating accidents with automatic guided vehicles (AGVs)
No toxic fumes and operator discomfort resulting from LAB heating
Create an instantaneous ROI
Battery maintenance is kept to a minimum (no more water refilling, charge equalization, battery room ventilation)
Battery room space allocated to production
No more H&S costs (collisions with AGVs and battery manipulation related injuries)
“UgoWork’s opportunity charge performance is the best and simplest in the industry. Trucks never leave the production area and work flawlessly since installed. Some operators even mentioned that they would quit their job if the battery was removed!”
Looking to make more room for performance?
If limited space or outdated power systems are slowing your growth, it may be time to rethink how energy can drive efficiency and expansion.
