Helge Nyberg

Innovative chassis concept for a new generation of trucks

Helge Nyberg develops solutions for fast, efficient and ergonomic material handling – lightweight electric trucks and trolleys for the manufacturing industry, goods handling and order picking.

Helge Nyberg is also an important part of Toyota Material Handling Europe where, among other things, they jointly develop truck platforms. Jobro has been a development partner for many years and before the latest launch of a new generation of trucks, Jobro was able to deliver both shortened lead times and opportunities for new and more modern design.

the mission

Helge Nyberg’s lightweight electric trucks under the ErgoBjörn brand (which in turn is the platform for Toyota’s electric truck models) were facing a major upgrade – a whole new generation with improved performance and functionality. The ambition of both Toyota and Helge Nyberg was to create an attractive and easy-to-drive truck, with good ergonomic qualities and a modern design, where technology such as computers and reading tablets would be easy to integrate. Once the design vision of Toyota’s chief designer Magnus Oliveira Andersson was in place, Jobro’s technical department was involved with the task of developing a sustainable and economical production process in close collaboration with Helge Nyberg’s production.

“Jobro has become increasingly important to us as a partner. For example, we have completely transferred our sheet metal processing over to Jobro and their technologically advanced machinery. Instead, we can focus on bending and welding,” says Robert Andersson, Production Manager at Helge Nyberg.

We had a strict deadline where lead times were extremely tight. It’s not possible to purchase or produce parts in Asia in this situation. With proximity and speed in all their processes, not least tool development, we knew that Jobro could deliver and that few other suppliers can match their expertise.

Robert Andersson, Production & Purchase Manager, Helge Nyberg AB

the challenge

Time to Market is critical in all industries – including for truck developer Helge Nyberg. The goal was to launch a prototype of the new ErgoBjörn 700 truck at the important trade fair LogiMAT in Stuttgart in February 2013.

“We had a strict deadline where lead times were extremely tight. It’s not possible to purchase or produce parts in Asia in this situation. With proximity and speed in all their processes, not least tool development, we knew that Jobro could deliver and that few other suppliers can match their expertise,” continues Robert Andersson.

the solution

Previously, Helge Nyberg had worked with conventional press brake forming (straight bends) in three dimensions, but Jobro’s development team made it possible for the designed front and bumper to be manufactured in a more sustainable and rational way. Thanks to the simplified process, lead times were drastically shortened and Jobro was able to produce prototype parts for launch in record time – from customer approval to the spotlight of LogiMAT in just three weeks.

“There has been an extremely positive response in the market – and we have received a lot of credit for the design. Toyota won the IF Design Award with its BT Movit truck model and is also nominated for the German Design Award, which is really cool for us as developers. There will also be more collaboration with Jobro in the future. We work a lot on customisation and special solutions, and Jobro is a very important player here. Above all, we see an increased demand for our so-called taxi solutions, ‘truck and trolley trains’, for Scania in Södertälje, for example,” concludes Robert Andersson.