Finnish materials handling equipment manufacturer Kalmar has concluded separate agreements with customers in Inner Mongolia, Tianjin, Shanghai and Hong Kong to supply a total of four Kalmar electric reachstackers. 

It has also secured a further order for electric reachstackers from a port in Sweden.

The Asian orders were booked in Kalmar's Q2 2026 order intake, with deliveries ongoing throughout the year.

The reach stackers going to Inner Mongolia, Tianjin, Shanghai and Hong Kong were manufactured at Kalmar’s Shanghai plant, which was recently expanded to optimise operations and enhance production capacity.

The machines are the first units to feature Kalmar’s next-generation lithium-ion battery technology and also include native GB/T (the Chinese standard) fast-charging, allowing customers to charge the machines via a direct connection to the local power grid without the need for adapters or other modifications.

John Zhang, managing director, Kalmar Shanghai Plant says: “These orders reflect the accelerating adoption of electrified heavy machinery across China and demonstrate our capability to deliver cutting-edge solutions that empower the industry's transition toward more sustainable operations”. 

“Furthermore, these orders also highlight the strategic importance of our recently expanded Shanghai plant, which strengthens our local manufacturing capabilities and our ability to respond to the growing demand in the Chinese market for fully electric cargo-handling equipment,” Zhang adds.

Meanwhile, the Swedish Port of Helsingborg has signed a six-year deal for the supply of up to nine electric reach stackers.

The port’s equipment fleet already includes a Kalmar electric reachstacker, delivered in early 2024. Located in the south of Sweden on the Øresund coast, the Port of Helsingborg is Sweden’s second-largest container port and a vital hub for sea, road and rail traffic. 

Kalmar says the port has made significant investments to mitigate the challenges relating to global climate change and to address climate impact and energy use in its transport and terminal operations, including the electrification of the port’s cargo-handling equipment.

Christina Argelius, chief technical officer, Port of Helsingborg says: “This framework agreement represents an important step in our transition towards lower-emission terminal operations”.

“Through this agreement, we can continue to replace diesel-powered machines in a structured and long-term way, aligned with our overall investment plan and energy strategy,” Argelius continues. “Electrification also brings new requirements in infrastructure, charging and daily operations, and having a partner with strong technical expertise is essential as we scale up.”

The names of the clients and value of the orders were not disclosed.