Melbourne-headquartered forklift and elevated work platform provider Adaptalift Group, has signed a strategic distribution agreement with Hydi Hydrogen to offer its hydrogen systems to the materials and container handling sectors across Australia and New Zealand.

Hydi, also an Australian company, produces a unit which is attached directly to an existing diesel engine.

The attachment inputs hydrogen into the combustion of that engine, allowing the fuel to burn hotter and cleaner, which Hydi says, “has proven results impacting emissions, fuel consumption, power/torque, engine performance, and servicing costs”.

Hydi states the system is able to deliver emission and diesel reductions up to 15% across a fleet of materials handling equipment. Hydi adds its system also reduces diesel particulates by up to 80%.

“The partnership aims to accelerate the adoption of sustainable technology, helping businesses significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational fuel costs,” Adaptalift states.

The initial three-year agreement encompasses a comprehensive range of heavy-duty machinery across all major brands, specifically the full spectrum of forklifts, reachstackers, straddle carriers and empty container handlers.

The partnership also extends to specialised attachments including material handling grabs used in the forestry and scrap metal industries, ensuring that carbon-reduction technology is available to the most demanding industrial applications in Australia.

“As the industry moves toward a greener future, our partnership with Adaptalift Group represents a pivotal step in making sustainable power accessible to the material handling market,” says Craig Bates, chairman & CEO at Hydi. 

“Adaptalift’s extensive national footprint across Australia & New Zealand ensures that Hydi’s technology will reach the businesses that need it most to meet their 2026 and beyond ESG targets.”

Adaptalift is also the exclusive distributor of leading brands such as Hyster, Yale, Combilift, Dingli and Kärcher.