Vedanta, Gear to deploy largest Lithium-Ion Forklift Fleets

New Delhi, January 5, 2022:  Vedanta Aluminium Business, India’s largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, has signed an agreement with GEAR (Gemini Equipment and Rentals Private Limited) India, to deploy one of the largest fleets of lithium-ion battery-powered electric forklifts, becoming the first in Indian aluminium industry to undertake such an initiative. The company shall commission 23 such forklifts in a phased manner over the next few months at its aluminium smelter in Jharsuguda, Odisha, which is one of the world’s largest single-location aluminium smelters. Substituting diesel-fuelled forklifts with this green fleet will reduce diesel consumption by more than 2.5 lakh litres annually, thereby ensuring GHG (greenhouse gas) emission savings of nearly 690 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
Vedanta Aluminium currently operates a large fleet of forklifts for finished goods handling, material movement, etc. The new lithium-ion forklifts will help maximise productivity of operations by enabling longer working cycles via rapid charging. What’s unique about the lithium-ion batteries is that they avoid the hassles of frequent battery change and have a substantially longer life than conventional lead-acid batteries, while being virtually maintenance-free, as they are completely sealed.
Rahul Sharma, CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Limited, said, “Vedanta Aluminium is committed to achieving Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2050. Our partnership with GEAR to deploy one of India’s largest and most advanced electric forklift fleets, is in line with our endeavour towards leveraging the power of innovation and technology to make our operations future-ready.”
Varun Chopra, Executive Chairman of GEAR India said, “ It is our privilege to be Vedanta’s partner in this pioneering venture, which will go a long way towards decarbonizing their industrial vehicle fleet. This will serve as an inspiration for the Indian manufacturing industry to explore emerging technology solutions for achieving their Net Zero vision.”