Power Stow CCO Christian Søeberg answers Airside’s questions about the company’s latest innovation, the Tail Loader, which it unveiled for the first time in September at GSE Expo Europe 2024
Can you tell Airside about the Tail Loader?
The Tail Loader is an ergonomic lifting device designed to bridge the gap between the rear end of a belt loader and a baggage cart or ULD. Its wide operating range provides exceptional flexibility, allowing baggage handlers to position it optimally in order to eliminate the need for lifting when transferring bags between the belt loader and the baggage cart or ULD.
Its robust and user-friendly design ensures durability in demanding airport environments, while also being simple to operate and maintain.
Where did the idea for the unit come from – and what is its purpose?
Most of Power Stow’s innovations are customer and user-driven, which was also the case with the Tail Loader. We constantly strive to reduce the number of instances where a handler needs to manually lift and carry luggage during the baggage handling process.
We are well known for our Rollertrack solution, which is mounted at the front of the belt loader to transport luggage in or out of the plane’s cargo hold. Therefore, it was a natural progression to develop a solution for the rear end, making the baggage handling process semi-automatic on both sides.
The Tail Loader enhances the ergonomics and efficiency of baggage handling operations. It eliminates the need for manual lifting, twisting and the tossing of baggage, reducing the physical strain on baggage handlers and minimising the risk of injuries.
It is ideal for any ground handler seeking to optimise baggage unloading and loading processes. Minimum aircraft ground time by quick turnaround is key for airlines and the Tail Loader enables speedy baggage handling while significantly improving working conditions for handlers. Further, it allows higher productivity with optimised teams.
How will it improve operations in terms of safety and efficiency, and also improve the workload for the workers who use it?
Manual baggage lifting and handling are the main risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among baggage handlers, often leading to injuries, absenteeism and increased costs. With many airports worldwide facing challenges in recruiting and retaining baggage handling staff, an ergonomic tool like the Tail Loader can quickly make a positive impact in daily baggage handling operations.
By minimising manual handling and reducing physical strain, the Tail Loader enhances workplace safety, can lower injury rates and improves job satisfaction. Its innovative design supports a one-person operation at the rear of the belt loader while maintaining or even boosting productivity.
Additionally, it offers extended reach and flexibility, accommodating baggage carts even when parked slightly farther from the rear of the belt loader. This ensures seamless operation, improving efficiency and adaptability on the ramp.
How far were your customers involved in the idea and design of the Tail Loader – and can you share the product development process for it?
We always collaborate closely with users and customers during the development of new solutions in order to make sure that our products meet real-world needs effectively. For the Tail Loader, customer involvement was important from the very beginning.
Throughout the development and testing phases, we gathered detailed feedback from multiple airports and ground handling teams. This collaborative approach allowed us to develop a product that incorporates various input from those who are working with the tool every single day and we were able to design an intuitive, user-friendly and efficient solution.
How many units have been sold so far, and where?
We are currently ramping up the series production, but we have already sold and received orders for a significant number of units. Some of the Tail Loaders are being delivered pre-mounted on Rollertrack Conveyors directly from production, while others will be retrofitted onto Rollertrack units already in operation.
We have successfully delivered Tail Loaders to customers across Asia, Europe and North America. While we see no limitations in markets, we expect the highest demand will continue to come from our core markets and regions, such as those I have mentioned. This includes both retrofitting Tail Loaders to existing units and incorporating them onto new installations.
What feedback have you received for the unit so far?
The feedback from handlers has been extremely positive. They are grateful to have a reliable, very responsive, quick tool that helps them to reduce their workload and enjoy easier workdays.
Users have also complimented the Tail Loader’s intuitive design, which makes it easy to learn, operate and integrate into daily workflows. The technical and mechanically robust design was made with the harsh environment in mind, and has really proven itself in full, with maximum uptime at all locations.
