German-headquartered equipment maker Jungheinrich, has inked a multi-year deal with global transport and logistics business Kuehne + Nagel, for almost 5,000 industrial trucks.

The vehicles, believed to include forklifts, reach trucks and pallet trucks, are to be delivered to several sites across Europe, operated by Swiss-headquartered Kuehne + Nagel.

Jungheinrich states the energy-efficient industrial vehicles, which feature lithium-ion technology, are characterised by high availability, short charging times and maintenance-free battery systems.

Under the agreement, Jungheinrich will be responsible for the long-term provision and management of the new vehicles, as part of a rental and service concept based on Jungheinrich Rental Fleet Management.

Jungheinrich states this system has been designed “specifically for internationally active customers with large fleets… it enables the highly efficient combination of a core fleet with flexibly scalable rental components”. 

The German equipment manufacturer adds it also developed a bespoke solution for Kuehne+Nagel called KN-RFM+, which, it says, prioritises flexibility and the achievement of a particularly high utilisation rate for the fleet. 

“The focus here is on transparency and comparability, as well as the uniform management of the fleet across different sites and national borders,” Jungheinrich states.

Nadine Despineux, Jungheinrich’s chief sales officer, says: “This partnership goes far beyond the provision of industrial trucks”.

“With our Rental Fleet Management approach, we are supporting Kuehne+Nagel in implementing an internationally uniform, transparent and at the same time flexible, fleet model that is consistently geared towards efficiency,” Despineux continues.

Eduardo Razuck, executive vice president contract logistics & member of the board of management at Kuehne+Nagel, explains the partnership with Jungheinrich is based on a shard understanding of complex logistical requirements and long-term operational development.

“The requirements in logistics are evolving rapidly,” Razuck adds. “By combining our operational expertise with Jungheinrich’s fleet management capabilities, we are creating a scalable and transparent solution that supports business needs across multiple markets. 

“Together, we are building an approach that helps us respond more effectively to changing market requirements and customer expectations.”

Jungheinrich is already a fleet partner for Kuehne+Nagel in several European countries, including France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.