Modular space solutions – Safety in motion

Container systems and modular buildings are the temporary or long-term solution for quite different challenges. Between individual projects, the large-scale system components are stored in depots and handling them there requires more than standard attachments.

Adapteo GmbH (Adapteo) is a leading provider of high-quality container systems and modular buildings in Northern Europe. Whether school or university buildings, residential accommodations or offices, usage for events or as health care facilities: Adapteo builds, rents and sells flexible buildings for tomorrow's challenges. The company has over 40 years’ experience in the construction of modular space solutions and operates in several European countries.

Adapteo operates four regional hubs in Germany, each comprising hundreds of containers and the associated equipment, such as stairs, doors and sanitary facilities. At the hubs, the containers are stacked on top of each other several stories high. This is challenging material handling! After all, elaborately painted and prepared modules should enjoy maximum protection from damage. To ensure this, Adapteo decided to redesign handling at its hub east of Frankfurt/Main. An already used Linde forklift truck (H150) should be supplemented with a new and larger unit.

The modular constructions pros have been a long-standing customer of heavy-duty equipment of Suffel Fördertechnik GmbH & Co. KG (Suffel). That is why Adapteo turned to the local Linde dealer to bring this complex project to fruition. "We were more than happy to take on the challenge," says Christian Kunkel, Sales Manager for the Rhine-Main region at Suffel. The new forklift is not only designed to pick up the modules from the side, but also to transport other loads using the integrated fork adjustment. Therefore, changing the attachments had to be a relatively simple process.

Adapteo also included advanced features such as cameras, wireless data transmission and additional work lights in the specifications. "It quickly became clear that we couldn’t use an off-the-shelf spreader," explains Christian Kunkel, describing the start of the project, "so I contacted KAUP." After all, the attachment manufacturer had recently successfully completed a similar spreader project with another Linde dealer. During the joint project planning, KAUP and Suffel were able to draw specifically on the design and experience gained from this previously delivered spreader.

Spreaders are no new territory for KAUP. After all, the machine manufacturer has been designing and producing container spreaders for several decades; in the past, frequently for ship cranes, mobile harbour cranes or container gantry cranes. Besides these more traditional spreaders, another type is becoming increasingly important: Spreaders for forklift trucks. KAUP currently offers seven different basic spreader models, which can be adapted to specific requirements and differ primarily in how they pick up their load: from the top or from one of the sides. One of these is part of the Adapteo project.

"Given the customer’s requirements, it quickly became clear which spreader would be used," says Anton Schäck, Head of Internal Sales at KAUP and a specialist in spreader projects: "a telescopic side spreader T193." However, it wasn’t quite as simple as it seems at first glance. Implementing the project required a great deal of consultation. "The challenge was to equip the spreader in such a way that all modules could be handled," explains Schäck, an experienced mechanical engineer, "as their dimensions vary considerably and are not standard."

Intensive exchange

Following the project launch, several months of intensive collaboration ensued between Suffel, Adapteo and KAUP. Technical drawings were exchanged, as were ideas for implementation. The main challenges lay in the software and hardware design of the interface between the KAUP spreader and the Linde forklift truck, and consequently in the control of the four hydraulic functions. A CAN bus solution was chosen to control the width and height adjustment as well as the telescopic locking heads. These heads are required to securely accommodate all Adapteo modules of varying sizes – 10' and 20' ISO containers as well as UNICO containers – at any time.

Ultimately, the project was successfully completed at the end of 2025 with the delivery of the 20T193-10-20 side spreader and the matching support block. The block is necessary to enable the use of the integrated fork positioner BR 179. Anton Schäck sums up: "We’re happy with the project, even though it was challenging at times."