Forklift News - Linde strengthens heavy forklift business

At Linde's heavy forklift plant in Merthyr Tydfil.

Linde Material Handling is investing EUR21 million (USD33.1 million) to boost the competitiveness of its heavy forklift business in the global marketplace.

Theodor Maurer, Linde Material Handling’s chief sales officer, and Roland Hartwig, Linde Heavy Truck Division’s managing director, said at a press event at the Merthyr Tydfil plant that the money would be spent over the next three years.

About EUR17 million (USD26.8 million) will be diverted to research and development while EUR4 million (USD6.3 million) will be used to optimise production at the plant.

Maurer said the heavy forklift division wants to exploit the growth opportunities resulting from strong demand for port handling technology.

"In the past 14 years, the number of containers being transported has quadrupled. We believe that over the coming years, container transport will undergo further significant growth."

Maurer attributed the predicted growth to international supply relationships, relocation of production to low-wage countries, an increase in global sourcing, and global sales strategies. He added that Asia would continue to be the most dynamic region for global container handling.

Besides creating a separate business unit for the heavy forklift business, Linde has appointed a new management team for the division. Michael Göbner is responsible for production, Michael Wuttke heads development management, John Haden is responsible for sales, Mark Timothy is in charge of marketing and Davide Bertozzi heads business development. The Linde Heavy Truck Division reports to Kerry McDonagh, CEO of Linde Material Handling (UK).

To shorten development times and simplify production, Linde heavy and container handling forklifts will be built using a modular design. Components and modules are developed and produced independently of each other before being assembled to create the equipment.

This will free up production capacity to be used to meet growth targets. Over the next few years, Linde plans to add new heavy forklift models with lifting capacities of 18-37 tonnes - plus one with a 52-tonne lifting capacity - higher lifting capacity reach stackers and empty container handlers to its product range.

The Linde C90 empty container handler with 9-tonne lifting capacity is part of Linde's ambitious plan to grow its product range

Linde launched the Linde C90 empty container handler with 9-tonne lifting capacity this month as part of its ambitious plan to grow its product range. The machine can stack 8’6" containers to seven high. It has a 4.0-metre (13-foot) wheelbase but by the last quarter of 2008, models with a 4.5-metre (14.8-foot) wheelbase, which can single- and double-stack 8’6" containers to eight high, will also be available.

Linde, according to Timothy, intends offering "the full range of heavy forklifts in the market segments that matter to us".

McDonagh adds that the sales and service departments will be expanded.
"We will need to appoint more regional sales managers and additional sales experts for the planned increase in market coverage. More service experts and spare-part availability should ensure immediate assistance when a truck requires maintenance."

Linde Heavy Truck Division posted sales of EUR173 million (USD272.7 million) in 2007 and over 90% of trucks produced in Merthyr Tydfil are exported. The site produces reach stackers, container handlers, heavy diesel forklifts and side loaders.

In 1989, Linde AG bought the British container handler manufacturer Lansing. Linde moved to the production site in Merthyr Tydfil in 2000, taking it over from the Korean industrial truck manufacturer Halla Ltd.

The Merthyr Tydfil site covers 240,000m² (2,583,339sqft) and includes a production hall with an office wing that extends over 21,000m² (226,042sqft). The heavy forklifts and container handlers were previously built 24km (14.9 miles) away in the Lansing Linde Ltd plant in Blackwood but Linde says the site offered no expansion opportunities.

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