Fantuzzi's sideloader on display at CeMAT Asia 2005.

Fantuzzi Group is the first international manufacturer to make side loaders in China, says product manager Jimmy Lozada.

"It took five years for Kalmar and SMV to understand the [Chinese] market's potential and program an assembly plant for forklifts and reach stackers. We are five years ahead of any side loader manufacturer as well," Lozada said.

He said Kalmar's first two seven-high container handling forklift units, assembled at its Shanghai plant, were completed in early March 2006 while SMV Konecranes would complete its first container handling forklift by mid-2006. "For both compettitors there is no confirmed news about reach stacker production this year."

As for side loaders, Lozada said he had not heard of any international manufacturer planning to manufacture in China.

Side loaders are being manufactured in Fantuzzi's 40,000 square metre Zhangzhou plant, in Fujian province, which produces container handling forklifts and reach stackers. Fantuzzi aims to produce 30 side loaders annually. Eight units that have completed testing at Zhangzhou will be delivered to customers in April.

Fantuzzi is expanding the Zhangzhou plant to include a new 5,000 square metre workshop dedicated to side loader production, due for completion at the end of April.

Lozada estimated the Chinese side loader market at 50 to 70 units annually.

"The market is in development and we are mostly selling to joint-venture companies and fully foreign-owned companies in China. Previous customers of ours in Europe and the USA have asked for these machines," he said.

Fantuzzi had pioneered reach stacker and empty container handling forklift production in China, Lozada said. A CS45Km reach stacker and a FDC25K7 forklift made by Noell Crane Systems China (NCSC), were delivered to customers in 2002.

Zhangzhou-based NCSC, established in 1991, is a member of the Fantuzzi Group of companies.