New Belgium Brewing Company’s forklifts increase operators’ efficiency

Founded in 1991, New Belgium Brewing Company currently ranks as the United States’ fourth-largest craft brewery, as it produces 14 year-round beers, including Fat Tire Belgian Style Ale, at its two facilities in Fort Collins, Colo., and Asheville, N.C.

In late 2015, New Belgium opened the Asheville location, as it was committed to scaling up to a capacity of 250,000 barrels of beer annually. From the beginning, the new location encountered logistics challenges related to its packaging and distribution. In particular, the facility needed lift trucks that were capable of moving well in small, tight spaces to service its keg line. With this in mind, New Belgium sought solutions to streamline the operation from a materials handling manufacturer.

“We chose [the manufacturer] based on the size of our keg lines and the equipment they had to match our space requirements. We needed to fit forklifts in tighter spaces, as we’re a smaller footprint brewery,” says Phillip Pollick, packing manager and beer traffic controller for New Belgium.

The manufacturer helped New Belgium determine an optimal mix of forklifts, particularly those with strong maneuverability in tight spaces, allowing easy loading and unloading at the keg line, as well as elsewhere in the operation. It also identified beneficial add-ons, such as reverse lights and seat-side mini-levers that met particular needs and further improved operator efficiency.

Ultimately, New Belgium chose electric-powered forklifts, which increased efficiency and reduced emissions, compared to using propane. As a result of the ergonomic options selected, productivity has risen, while operator safety has been enhanced.

“Our forklifts are electric, so on our keg lines, we can actually charge a lift truck and have it in use while we have another offline, which is typically our indoor and outdoor-duty lift truck,” Pollick continues. “It’s very versatile—we can use it on the keg line or we can use it to haul beer up to our liquid center across the street.”

According to Pollick, the ergonomic features of the manufacturer’s lift trucks have been popular among operators, helping them stave off fatigue and, in turn, become more productive.

“Our operators, who come from Fort Collins, Colo., say, ‘you guys have the Cadillacs here in Asheville,’ which is a testament to how much they appreciate the durability, comfort and ease of use of the lift trucks,” Pollick says.

Since the facility opened, New Belgium has scaled the operation to already reach half of its 500,000 barrel total capacity.

“We appreciate [the manufacturer’s] work with us on this project and opening up this brewery, taking us from zero to 250,000 barrels in less than two years,” Pollick says.

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