How Vulkollan Wheels Solved Forklift Downtime for Logistics

A major comprehensive logistics enterprise in Vietnam specializes in providing warehousing, sorting, and short-haul transfer services for clients in the automotive parts and electronic components sectors. Its core distribution center in Ho Chi Minh City handles over 5.000 tons of cargo daily and is equipped with a fleet of over 30 electric forklifts for high-frequency operations such as rack access and cargo loading/unloading.

However, during long-term high-intensity operations, the original wheel assemblies of the electric forklifts frequently suffered from wear, deformation, and debonding. This severely impacted operational efficiency and introduced additional maintenance costs and potential safety hazards.

The Challenge: High-Intensity Operations in a Harsh Environment

VN Logistic's distribution center presents typical high-intensity operational characteristics:

High Mileage & Load: Single electric forklifts travel over 80 km daily, frequently carrying heavy loads of 2–3 tons while performing start-stop maneuvers and turns.

Ground Conditions: The warehouse features concrete flooring with some uneven areas, and dust accumulation is common during cargo transfers.

Climatic Factors: Vietnam's high-temperature, high-humidity summer climate accelerates the aging of wheel materials.

Due to insufficient wear resistance, the average lifespan of the original wheels was only 2–3 months. The company had to replace over 10 sets of wheels monthly. This not only increased spare parts procurement costs but also led to frequent equipment downtime, reducing sorting efficiency and compromising the ability to meet client delivery timelines. To address this pain point, VN Logistic partnered with an equipment service provider to conduct a survey, ultimately selecting Vulkollan Heavy-Duty Wheels as the upgrade replacement for their electric forklifts.

The Solution: Vulkollan Heavy-Duty Wheels

After comparative testing of various wheel materials and an analysis of operational adaptability, the logistics company decided to fully retrofit all electric forklifts with Vulkollan heavy-duty wheels. As a representative of high-performance polyurethane materials, Vulkollan wheels leverage unique material properties and structural design to precisely match the operational needs of electric forklifts. The core advantages are as follows:

1. Superior Wear Resistance and Load-Bearing Performance

Vulkollan is a high-performance polyurethane polymerized through a special process, achieving a hardness of Shore A95–A98. Its wear resistance is 3–5 times that of ordinary polyurethane wheels and 8–10 times that of rubber wheels. The wheel body utilizes an "Integrated High-Strength Aluminum Alloy Hub + Vulkollan Elastomer" cast structure. With a load capacity of 3–5 tons, it easily handles the routine 2–3 ton heavy-load requirements of the forklifts while effectively resisting friction loss caused by frequent starting, stopping, and turning.

2. Excellent Environmental Adaptability and Stability

The Vulkollan material possesses a wide operating temperature range, functioning stably between -30°C and 80°C. This makes it perfectly suited for Vietnam's hot and humid climate, avoiding the softening and aging issues common in standard wheels. Additionally, the wheel surface features an anti-slip texture design paired with built-in high-precision ball bearings. This ensures smooth rotation without jamming or deviation, even on dusty warehouse floors.

3. Effective Shock Absorption and Floor Protection

Compared to rigid nylon wheels, Vulkollan material offers moderate elasticity. This effectively absorbs vibrations caused by uneven ground, improving the smoothness of the forklift's operation and reducing the risk of cargo damage from jolts. Furthermore, the elastic material does not scratch concrete floors, eliminating extra maintenance costs for the warehouse flooring.

4. High Compatibility and Convenient Installation

The Vulkollan heavy-duty wheels are standardized according to the wheel axle specifications of mainstream electric forklifts, ensuring precise alignment of mounting holes. The replacement process requires no specialized tools, and a wheel set change for a single forklift can be completed in just 30 minutes, minimizing equipment downtime. Its standardized design also fits various brands and models of electric forklifts, lowering spare parts procurement and management costs.

Conclusion

The successful application of Vulkollan heavy-duty wheels on electric forklifts fully demonstrates their core advantages in high-frequency, heavy-load, and complex environments. By precisely matching the operational needs of electric forklifts and adapting to the hot, humid climate of Southeast Asia and specific warehouse floor conditions, Vulkollan heavy-duty wheels have provided this logistics enterprise with a "high wear resistance, long lifespan, and low maintenance" solution.