KNAPP Wins Best of Industry Award 2023

KNAPP received the Best of Industry Award 2023 from specialist medium MM MaschinenMarkt in the conveyor system category. Open Shuttle Fork, an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for internal pallet transport, won first place. With AutoPocket – an intelligent pocket sorter solution for sequencing and sorting e-commerce and store delivery orders – also among the top three, several KNAPP products shared the podium.

Two KNAPP innovations voted Best of Industry in 2023

In this year’s Best of Industry Awards, readers of the specialist magazine MM MaschinenMarkt voted for two KNAPP innovations as best products. Every year, the magazine awards the best innovations in industry. This year, around 20,000 votes were cast in 24 categories during the five months the polls were open. The winner in each category was announced on December 7. Open Shuttle Fork, an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) for transporting pallets around the warehouse, convinced readers the most. AutoPocket, KNAPP’s innovative intralogistics solution for sorting goods using pockets, was also represented on the podium.

“With our efforts in product development, we strive to set new standards in the industry. Therefore, winning the Best of Industry Award 2023 for our work and expertise makes us all the more happy. Open Shuttle Fork and AutoPocket are innovative intralogistics solutions that are entirely new concepts on the market,” say Thomas Reichmann, Head of Sales & Business Development at KNAPP Deutschland GmbH, and Dirk Bockelmann, General Management at DFT Dürkopp Fördertechnik, a KNAPP group company.

Open Shuttle Fork: Transporting pallets the automated way

Open Shuttle Fork is an autonomous mobile robot that transports pallets and special load carriers automatically and flexibly. The robot features numerous functions, has many applications and turns on a dime. As the robot moves about, it safely avoids people and obstacles thanks to its 3D detection system. The industrial vehicle can also rotate around its own axis, move sideways and has an electric lifter. With its intelligent software, Open Shuttle Fork can be integrated into the warehouse quickly and start transporting pallets without requiring any changes to the existing infrastructure. Additionally, travel paths, processes and layouts can be adapted very quickly. Open Shuttle Fork offers the perfect starting point for automation, with the added benefits of short delivery and installation times.

AutoPocket: New momentum for pocket sorters

KNAPP has developed a new, intelligent generation of pocket sorter solution for hanging goods. With AutoPocket, companies can precisely transfer goods from pockets to other locations fully automatically. The goods are dropped off at any target location while the solution is still in motion, allowing goods to be sorted without compromising efficiency. AutoPocket comprises different modules, which can be flexibly scaled and arranged next to each other. The solution can also be integrated into existing systems, making a combination with automatic storage systems or picking robots easy. Thanks to highest safety standards, high-quality and robust system design and low-wear components, the innovative pocket sorter solution is suitable for use in different industries. Renowned fashion retailers and express courier service providers rely on KNAPP’s solution.

Best of Industry Award – honoring excellence in tech

Since 2016, the Best of Industry Award has been awarded by the specialist magazine MM MaschinenMarkt to technologies that provide excellent solutions for current and future challenges in industry. Once nominations have been made, readers can cast their vote for the technologies in one of the 24 categories. This year, 160 businesses competed to win the Best of Industry Award 2023. The awards ceremony took place on December 7 in Würzburg, Germany.

About KNAPP Industry Solutions

KNAPP Industry Solutions is the specialist within the KNAPP group for tailor-made solutions for industrial, manufacturing and distribution logistics as well as for autonomous mobile robots. The Dobl location and the KNAPP campus together form the center of solution development and implementation for these sectors. As a technology partner for intelligent value chain management, KNAPP supports renowned manufacturers such as Terberg, Pankl Racing, Würth, Magna, Siemens, VW and Fronius in their value creation.

About DFT Dürkopp Fördertechnik

DFT develops, manufactures and delivers sorter and sequencing solutions for processing e-commerce and store delivery orders efficiently. The company specializes in overhead conveyor systems for a range of different sectors including fashion, electronics retail and wholesale, pharmaceutical wholesale, automotive industry logistics and, in general, for e-commerce retail. DFT is active around the globe with Northern, Western and Central Europe currently being their main markets. The German machines specialist has been a member of the Austrian KNAPP group headquartered in Hart bei Graz, Austria, since 2010.

More information: DFT Dürkopp