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    Burwell Material Handling Rolls Out AI Pedestrian Detection to Mark National Forklift Safety Day

    June 12, 2025
    Blaxtair uses real-time AI to distinguish people from objects in close proximity to forklifts and alert operators before an accident occurs.

    In coordination with National Forklift Safety Day, Burwell Material Handling, a growing material handling solutions provider, is partnering with Arcure to bring its Blaxtair AI-powered pedestrian-detection system, designed to help stop accidents before they happen, to its customers across its 18-branch network in the United States.

    Blaxtair uses real-time AI to distinguish people from objects in close proximity to forklifts and alert operators before an accident occurs. Burwell Material Handling will now offer Blaxtair® as part of its Connect & Protect technology suite.

    “Blaxtair gives our customers a smarter way to protect their people without slowing down their operations,” said Kent Senf, president of Burwell Material Handling. “We believe this technology can make a real difference in preventing accidents, and it fits perfectly with our mission to deliver smarter, safer solutions. We’re proud to launch it as part of our safety leadership during National Forklift Safety Day.”

    This distribution partnership announcement comes as the industry promotes the 12th annual National Forklift Safety Day on June 10, 2025, led by the Industrial Truck Association to emphasize operator training and pedestrian awareness. According to OSHA, nearly 70 percent of forklift-related accidents could be prevented with proper safety measures.

    “Our goal is to provide proactive safety tools to our customers that help prevent accidents,” said Jeff Buyck, chief technology officer for Burwell Material Handling. “Blaxtair is a game-changer for visibility at busy warehouses, distribution centers, and construction sites, and we’re excited to make it easy for our customers to see it in action.”

    Burwell Material Handling’s technicians have already been trained to install and support Blaxtair on both new and existing forklifts. With nearly 80 years of experience and coverage spanning more than 30 states, the company is uniquely positioned to deliver the system wherever it’s needed.

    “Burwell Material Handling is the right partner to help us expand in the U.S.,” said Franck Gayraud, chairman and co-founder of Arcure. “They understand the challenges of material handling, they know what customers need, and they care about doing things right. As a pioneer of AI-driven solutions, we’re proud to team up with a distributor that shares our passion for safety and service.”

    The partnership is part of Burwell’s broader investment in connected fleet technologies that help customers improve safety, visibility, and uptime. For more information, visit burwellmh.com.