Timing Holding, the fifth-largest staffing firm in the Netherlands, announced that it began testing the Laevo 2 exoskeleton with its deployed distribution staff.

The company began to pilot the exoskeleton last month with employees at logistics service provider Kuehne + Nagel among the first to test it. The company also said it was the first temporary employment agency to test to the Laevo 2 exoskeleton.

The Laevo 2 exoskeleton is worn during work and claims to support the back with every bend or squat. The exoskeleton is used in the logistics, industry, healthcare and other sectors. Timing said that back muscles are taxed 40% less with every bending movement.

The exoskeleton is used as a harness over the normal clothing and works with springs that can expand. It weighs 2.3 kilograms. The exoskeleton can be seen in use here.

“In the transport and logistics sector, there is still a poignant shortage and high staff turnover,” Timing said. “Thanks to exoskeletons, work is less heavy and employees can continue to work longer.”

Timing said it fulfils approximately 40,000 mediations per year, including in the logistics sector and it saw an opportunity to contribute to reducing candidate shortage with exoskeletons.

The exoskeletons have been met with positive reactions with a Timing employee commenting that the  suit “forces me into a certain position that makes me feel safer to move.”

Timing said it will continue to run tests with the exoskeletons and said it intends to purchase more packages and roll them out slowly.