Polski
An Automated Warehouse Worth PLN 230 Million and Electric Giants Among Forklifts
The end of September and beginning of October 2026 brought the intralogistics industry two pieces of news that perfectly illustrate where warehousing and internal transport are heading. On one hand, a gigantic, fully automated storage tower launched at a Polish brewery. On the other, the electrification of the forklift segment, which for decades had been a stronghold of the diesel engine. Let's take a closer look at what exactly happened.
01 · Warehouse Automation
Poznań gets a new high-bay warehouse – and quite a remarkable one
On September 30, 2026, a new, fully automated high-bay warehouse went into operation at Kompania Piwowarska's brewery in Poznań. The facility stands around 40 meters tall and can hold between 58,000 and 60,000 pallets – the equivalent of as many as 60 million cans of beer waiting to be shipped. The system can dispatch up to 440 pallets an hour, which in practice means the entire distribution logistics of beer from the Poznań brewery is gaining a completely new scale and pace [1].
This isn't the first project of its kind within the Asahi Europe & International group – a similar warehouse was already built in 2023 at the brewery in Pilsen. For Kompania Piwowarska itself, however, this is an unprecedented undertaking: the largest logistics investment in the company's history, worth PLN 230 million [1]. Importantly, it's further proof that warehouse automation on such a large scale is no longer the exclusive domain of e-commerce and parcel distribution – it works just as well in FMCG logistics, where throughput, process repeatability, and vertical storage density are what matter most.
02 · Electromobility
Hyundai electrifies the heaviest forklift segment
If warehouses are growing taller, the equipment serving them has to keep pace – and that's where the week's second major piece of news comes in. On October 1, 2026, Hyundai unveiled the 160B-X and 180B-X models, electric forklifts with lifting capacities of 16 and 18 tons respectively [2].
This is a significant shift, since the heaviest forklift segment – used in places like ports, shipyards, or construction material transport – has until now been dominated by diesel power. Hyundai's new models run on 618V lithium-ion batteries and offer more than 7 hours of continuous operation, parameters that genuinely allow them to replace combustion-engine machines in demanding industrial applications [2]. The manufacturer also went a step further on safety and ease of operation – the forklifts are equipped with pedestrian-detection cameras and an autonomous parking function [2].
It's worth connecting this launch to the first piece of news: the more automated and densely utilized warehouses become, the greater the importance of internal transport equipment that must operate safely, efficiently, and – increasingly – with zero emissions. The electrification of heavy forklifts is a signal that this trend is now reaching even the most demanding, rugged industrial applications, not just light warehouse trucks.
Summary
Summary
This week showcases two parallel directions in the industry's development: the vertical expansion and automation of warehouses, and the electrification of heavy transport equipment. Both trends – storage scale and cleaner, smarter machines – will be among the main topics at the Intralogistica Poland Expo – International Warehouse Logistics Fair. If you're wondering how to automate your own warehouse or what the future of forklifts looks like, this is the best place to see it live and talk to solution providers. We invite you to join us!
Invitation
See live how warehouse automation works on the scale of 60,000 pallets, and how electric forklifts are transforming heavy internal transport. At the Intralogistica Poland Expo you'll meet providers of high-bay storage systems and manufacturers of modern forklifts, including electric models for the most demanding applications. It's a great opportunity to compare solutions and talk with industry experts. Reserve your spot today!
Intralogistica Poland Expo 2026Footnotes
[1] Wiadomości Handlowe — https://www.wiadomoscihandlowe.pl/przemysl-i-producenci/rynek-piwa-i-cydru/kompania-piwowarska-uruchomila-nowoczesny-magazyn-w-poznaniu-2538338[2] Electrek — https://electrek.co/2026/10/01/e-quipment-highlight-hyundai-160b-x-battery-electric-forklift/
This review was prepared by the Ptak Warsaw Expo editorial team.