Linde Reverse Assist Radar at Michelin Tyre PLC | Logistics with Backup

Описание: When reversing with a forklift truck, foresight is doubly important. To prevent dangerous situations during reversing from the outset, Linde Material Handling has developed an easy-to-retrofit assistance system: the Linde Reverse Assist Radar. The example of tire manufacturer Michelin in Stoke-on-Trent, England, shows the reliable services this sensor-based technology provides in everyday logistics.

Anyone entering the tire warehouse in the English Midlands, packed to the ceiling, might almost think a movie is playing in reverse. In fact, the counterbalance forklift trucks, all of type Linde E20, are driven in reverse for a large part of the day at the Michelin site – and not just when loading and unloading containers. "The vehicles mainly transport tires larger than 22 inches for trucks and tractors using a rotating tire clamp. This load naturally severely restricts forward visibility – so reversing here is not the exception, but the rule," explains Leon Jackson, who supports the customer as Key Account Manager at Linde Material Handling UK.

A real challenge for the team: after all, up to 20 vehicles are in operation simultaneously per shift in the hall to meet the company's next-day delivery requirement. To reduce the associated accident risk, the tire manufacturer relies, among other things, on the Linde TruckSpot and Red Warning Lines safety features, which are installed in both the counterbalance forklift trucks and reach trucks. "We have been supporting our customer Michelin at this site for over 40 years and therefore know its high demands regarding safety very well," Jackson continues. "In dialogue about how safety could be further improved, the Linde Reverse Assist Radar then came up."

Linde Technology Covers Your Back
At first glance, it is merely an inconspicuous black box on the rear of the counterbalance forklift trucks. However, in Michelin's tightly scheduled logistics operations, this seemingly small add-on provides a significant boost in safety. The Linde Reverse Assist Radar continuously monitors the rear area of the industrial truck. If an obstacle is detected while driving or starting from a standstill, the system actively intervenes in the driving command. Depending on speed, steering angle, load weight, lift height, and distance to the detected object, it brakes the forklift truck to a standstill with a maximum of 3 m/s² – thus effectively preventing impending collisions. The sensor technology used in the Linde solution not only detects static and moving objects but is also extremely insensitive to changing lighting conditions and other influences. "The system really works excellently in daily operations; it detects much more than comparable technologies that are otherwise on the market," says forklift driver Miles Cork, convinced. And his colleague Neil Ritchie adds: "You can work with the vehicle much more stress-free and simply better when you know that
the technology is on board as a backup." In parallel with the automatic speed reduction, Michelin personnel receive a visual warning on the 7-inch display in the forklift truck – and people in the vicinity of the device are additionally alerted to the dangerous situation by an audible warning tone.

An All-Round Success
As of September 2025, nine vehicles in the counterbalance forklift truck fleet in Stoke-on-Trent are already equipped with the Linde Reverse Assist Radar, with more to follow soon. The detection range of the installed sensors is designed for the rear width of the vehicles as standard, but can be easily adapted to individual needs – as in the case of Michelin: "This allowed us to ensure that, for example, when working in narrow aisles, no unnecessary warnings are generated and processes remain in flow," says Linde Key Account Manager Leon Jackson. Of course, the Linde expert continues, the issue of safety is not "finished" with the customer. They will continue to explore every possible optimization in close exchange. Because whether narrow or unclear, backward or forward: when it comes to safety, foresight is and always remains the best way.