In June, Coca-Cola Bottling Co Consolidated will begin using 40 fuel cell-powered Crown and Yale forklifts in a Charlotte distribution centre.

This will be the first application of the technology for the regional Coca-Cola bottler.

The hydrogen fueling system with three indoor dispenser stations comes from Linde North America Inc of Murray Hill, New Jersey, a member of the industrial, specialty and medical gas business of Linde AG. Linde North America signed the commitment with Coca-Cola Consolidated in October 2010.

The fuel cell-powered Class 1 sitdown counterbalance forklifts will replace propane models and help the bottler move pallets of soft drinks, juices and water around the centre prior to shipment to retail outlets throughout the US south east.

Plug Power Inc of Latham, New York supplied the hydrogen GenDrive fuel cell units.

Plug Power and the bottler disclosed plans for the project in October 2009.

"The Linde hydrogen fuel cell solution has allowed us to promote sustainable business practices that will help us achieve greater efficiencies in our materials handling," says Alison Patient, director of corporate affairs for publicly traded Coca-Cola Consolidated. "And due to the high efficiency of the hydrogen fuel cells and the convenient location of the refueling stations in our plant, we expect to improve both our operating cost and our productivity."

Separately, in January, bottling rights owner Coca-Cola Refreshments USA Inc of Atlanta, Georgia said it planned to utilise Plug Power GenDrive-powered Caterpillar forklifts at a 250,000 sqft (22,500 sqm) bottling and distribution centre in San Leandro, California. The fleet will include 37 Class 1 sitdown counterbalance forklifts. Lead-acid batteries have provided power for the site's materials handling equipment to date.