Green material handling for the Frog: Werner & Mertz saves 200 tons of CO₂e with Jungheinrich technology
For Werner & Mertz, known for its Frosch brand, material handling needed to become more sustainable and efficient. Together with Jungheinrich, the company now relies on lithium-ion technology and intelligent fleet management – significantly reducing CO₂e emissions and operational costs.
Recently, this commitment posed a logistical challenge: continuously increasing order volumes met high sustainability standards. The fleet of industrial trucks had to reliably support demanding three-shift operations while meeting ecological objectives. The key question was: How can intralogistics become more efficient and resource-friendly?
Good for the planet and business
"We constantly strive for innovations that improve our environmental footprint while delivering economic benefits," Andreas Hardt, Managing Director of Werner & Mertz Service Logistik GmbH. 
Jungheinrich precisely delivered on this. Our solution consists of two key components: transitioning the entire fleet from lead-acid batteries to lithium-ion technology and implementing Jungheinrich's Fleet Management System (FMS). The lithium-ion batteries in the total of 150 industrial trucks enable flexible intermediate and rapid charging and offer significantly higher energy efficiency compared to their lead-acid counterparts, especially crucial in demanding three-shift operations.
Marco Bördner, Operations Engineer at Werner & Mertz, explains: “Previously, we regularly had to change batteries, costing time and money. Now, we save around 28,000 euros annually by eliminating battery replacements – and an additional 14,000 euros by avoiding consequential damages.”
A calculation using the TCO tool available in the Sales App showed that the new fleet is expected to reduce CO₂e emissions during the usage phase by approximately 26 percent, saving around 200 tons of CO₂e over five years.
Smart Control, Maximum Efficiency
The web-based fleet management system complements this efficiency ideally, offering complete transparency over vehicle data and enabling balanced fleet utilization. Vehicles with lower usage can be targeted for increased use, relieving heavily utilized equipment.
The successful implementation at a sustainability pioneer like Werner & Mertz highlights the importance of innovative intralogistics solutions for forward-looking business strategies. Sustainable technology indeed pays off twice – for the environment and for competitiveness.
