Dear reader,
WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM,
MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE.
This is issue #96 - 27 February
2003 of the weekly newsletter for industry
professionals.
|
 | |
 |
The Forkliftaction.com website is the place to
find new staff or post your resume. Our Jobs & Resumes
section will place your position on the desks of the industry
professionals you want to reach. To read more about
Forkliftaction.coms Jobs & Resumes section, click here.
Forkliftaction.com subscribers are welcome to post positions
vacant and resumes on this page at no cost. Resumes can be
posted anonymously. The Jobs & Resumes section could lead
you to a better job or help you find the right
candidate.
| |
 |
1.
MATERIALS HANDLING HINDERS LINDE
PROGRESS 
WIESBADEN, Germany
Lindes
preliminary full-year 2002 results, released this week,
show group sales fell slightly to EUR8.276 billion
(USD9.386 billion) from EUR8.833 billion (USD9.5
billion) in 2001.
Despite challenging economic
conditions, particularly in Germany, orders received
rose 2.3 percent from EUR9.111 billion (USD9.8 billion)
to EUR9.322 billion (USD10.026 billion), the company
said.
Lindes materials handling business posted
a significant drop in earnings, which the company said
was due to decreasing demand and intensified
competitive conditions.
While we cannot be
satisfied with business for 2002, we are using this time
to focus on bringing about a lasting improvement, said
Linde president Wolfgang Reitzle.
As soon as the
economy begins to improve, we will again show clear,
positive growth in sales and profits.
At the end
of 2002, Linde employed 46,521 people, compared to
46,400 at year-end 2001.
- Linde website -
2.
FLTA AWARDS HIGHLIGHT ACHIEVEMENTS
BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom
More than
500 people packed the Birmingham Hilton Metropole for
the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) Annual Awards for
Excellence 2003 on February 8.
Seven materials
handling industry individuals and companies carried off
the prized solid bronze Archimedes statuettes,
Archies.
FLTA chairman Brian Warbrick said the
Archies were potent symbols of the industrys quest for
excellence. He applauded the industrys attitude to
safety and the environment.
Recognised
nationally and internationally as the industrys
ultimate accolade for an individual, a product or a
service, the Archie holds an enormous influence and
prestige, Mr Warbrick said.
The high quality of
nominees and winners confirms we are continuing to
follow in the footsteps of Archimedes ... using our
ingenuity to take the capabilities of people, aided by
machines, to new levels.
Archimedes was a Greek
mathematician and physicist.
Click
here for a full list of nominees and
winners.
- FLTA website -
3.
NACCO BOOSTS PROFITS
MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, United
States
Nacco Material Handling Group (NMHG) has
reported major financial improvements for the 2002
fourth quarter and the year ended December
31.
NMHG Wholesale boosted quarterly profit to
USD12.6 million on sales of USD399.0 million, compared
to a quarterly loss of USD11.7 million on sales of
USD314.0 million in 2001.
Strong worldwide demand
led to a 25 percent increase in the fourth quarters
forklift volumes to 18,032 units, compared to 14,451 for
the comparable 2001 quarter. Further improvements were
expected, a company report said.
In 2003, NMHG
Wholesale anticipates a modest strengthening of the
Americas market, a relatively flat European market and a
slight improvement in the Asia-Pacific market, NMHG
said.
The potential for war and continuing
economic uncertainty in the US and Europe could affect
overall shipments in 2003.
NMHG Wholesale
reported a USD8 million charge for the phase-out of its
Lenoir, North Carolina, plant and the restructuring of
its Irvine, Scotland, facility, which were announced in
December.
In year-end results, NMHG Wholesale
logged profit of USD21.5 million on sales of USD1.4
billion, compared to a 2001 loss of USD14.1 million on
sales of USD1.5 billion.
The retail side of the
business showed progress and was working to achieve at
least break-even results for 2003, the company
said.
NMHG Retail posted a quarterly loss of
USD2.6 million on sales of USD43.3 million, an
improvement on the USD14.6 million loss on sales of
USD58.0 million it reported in the fourth quarter of
2001.
Nacco is eliminating inter-company
transactions between its wholesale operations and
company-owned retail dealerships. In January, the retail
unit sold its only wholly-owned US dealer to MH
Logistics, an independent Hyster dealer with operations
in seven states in the USA.
NMHG Retail had a
full-year loss of USD9.2 million on sales of USD172.2
million, compared to a loss of USD35.3 million on sales
of USD209.1 million in 2001.
The Nacco Industries
group reported a full-year profit of USD42.4 million on
sales of USD2.55 billion compared to a loss of USD36.0
million on sales of USD2.68 billion in 2001.
- Nacco website -
4.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
BILSTON, United Kingdom
Christopher
Stott, managing director of Still Materials Handling
Ltd, the UK arm of Still GmbH of Hamburg, Germany, has
resigned from the company, effective from February
17.
Directors Chris Booth and Frank Mller have
assumed joint responsibility for managing Still UK,
which employs about 6,000 people.
A company
statement said Mr Stott and Still parted by mutual
consent.
Pictures: Christopher Stott (above),
Frank Mller (below left) and Chris Booth (below
right).
-
Still UK website -
5.
SECOND QUARTER IMPROVEMENT FOR JLG
McCONNELSBURG, United States
JLG
Industries Inc improved in its second quarter, which
ended on January 31, and is forging ahead despite dark
economic and ratings clouds, the company
says.
Chairman Bill Lasky said recessions started
as a sprint, but recent times had called for a
marathon response. We are proud of the team for getting
through this tough recession, he said on February
25.
JLG posted a profit of USD4.2 million on
sales of USD151.3 million for the second quarter,
compared to profit of USD1.3 million on sales of
USD156.4 million for the second quarter in
2001.
Aerial work platform sales declined to
USD79.6 million from USD89.7 million a year earlier.
Sales for telehandlers lifted to USD19.4 million from
USD18.6 million. Excavator sales fell to USD10.6 million
from USD14.6 million.
Mr Lasky said the industry
was at the bottom of its economic cycle, and he
anticipated better results in JLGs traditionally
stronger third and fourth quarters and into the 2004
financial year.
-
JLG website -
6.
COST-CUTTING BOOSTS MAINTENANCE SECTOR
MANILA, Philippines
With the falling
peso constricting budgets, forklift users are
refurbishing machines to save money, boosting the
forklift repair and maintenance industry.
Jane de
la Cruz, spokesman for RR Hydraulics Inc, which repairs
forklifts, said the company expected increased forklift
repair, maintenance and rehabilitation work this
year.
Ms de La Cruz said the average cost of a
total forklift rehabilitation and repair was 200,000
pesos (USD4,000). She was optimistic the repair business
would be sustained this year, despite competition with
20 companies which offered repair and maintenance
services.
Yale Trak Philippines Inc, the
exclusive distributor of Yale forklifts in the
Philippines, says 2002 was one of its best
years.
But marketing vice-president Lerio Escano
admitted war in Iraq could affect forklift demand and
put further pressure on the foreign exchange rate and
economy.
He would not reveal the companys 2002
sales figures.
7.
DOUBLE-DECKER TORN OPEN IN FORKLIFT
CRASH
LONDON, United Kingdom
A forklift
sliced open a double-decker bus as it drove down a busy
London street in a bizarre accident last week.
No
fatalities were reported, although one passenger, a
38-year-old man, was taken to hospital with a knee
injury, the Scotland Evening News said. The collision
happened on Leith Walk on February 17.
The
circumstances of the accident, which saw the forklifts
tines tear a four-metre hole in the bus, were unclear,
as the forklift operator claimed the machines handbrake
was applied when the collision occurred.
Police
were investigating, the Evening News said.
| | |
 |
8.
RONCARI SINGLE DOUBLE ATTACHMENTS SELECTED BY OI
CANADA
FRIENDSWOOD, TEXAS, United
States
Roncari USA and Unit Load Handling Systems,
Inc. have been selected by Owens Illinois Canada Ltd. to
supply the Roncari UFB model multi-pallet handler
forklift attachments for all its Canadian
operations.
One challenge was to eliminate
troublesome air cylinders and extra hydraulic functions
from OIs previous machines. OI determined Roncari was
the superior product.
Advantages of the Roncari
UFB are its simplicity and ruggedness, ease of use and
total visibility, which speeds operations and reduces
product damage.
Click
here for pictures and the full text of this
release.
- ULHS website -
9.
CASCADE-ITAB COMBINATION RAISES THE BAR IN DAMAGE
REDUCTION
ALMERE, Netherlands
Cascade
Corporation, the top producer of forklift attachments
and the industry leader in damage reduction technology,
has joined forces with ITAB, the Sweden-based developer
of the Smart Clamp system for paper roll
handling.
Merging the two companies' product
lines and damage reduction offerings further cements
Cascade's position as the premier supplier to the
European paper industry.
Tommy Abrahamsson,
Europe's leading expert in damage reduction solutions
for the paper industry, was chosen to merge the
companies' complementary products and
technologies.
Click
here for pictures and the full text of this
release.
For more information, contact: Tommy
Abrahamsson at +46 (0)39 33 69 50 or abrahams@cascorp.com.
-
Cascade website -
| | |
 |
16.
LEASE 6 EACH,10K FORKLIFTS - URGENT CLOSE DATE
FRIDAY
Fort Hood TX, United
States
Closing: 28 February 2003 TBA - Contract:
DABK15-03-Q-0023
17.
PERSONNEL HOIST
unknown, California, United
States
Closing: 21 March 2003 2:00pm - Contract: SOL
# 51651
18.
LOADING OR HANDLING MACHINERY.
Torino,
Italy
Closing: 15 April 2003 10:00am - Contract: CPV:
28527300
19.
FORK-LIFT TRUCKS, WORKS TRUCKS RAILWAY-STATION PLATFORM
TRACTORS
Ponta Delgada, Portugal
Closing:
06 April 2003 5:00pm - Contract: CPV: 29221500
20.
FORK-LIFT TRUCKS
Lyon Armees,
France
Closing: 04 April 2003 12:00am - Contract:
CPV: 29221511
21.
LIFTING AND HANDLING EQUIPMENT.
CRANES.
Monfalcone, Italy
Closing: 07
April 2003 12:00am - Contract: CPV: 29221000
22.
HYDRAULIC JACKS
Ruelle, France
Closing: 18
March 2003 TBA - Contract: CPV: 29221320
23.
3 EACH 10 TON ELECTRIC HOIST/WINCH
Fort
Carson, United States
Closing: 10 March 2003 TBA -
Contract: DABJ13-03-T-0028
24.
LIFTING & HANDLING EQUIP AND PARTS. BUILT-IN JACKING
SYSTEMS.
Johanneshov, Sweden
Closing: 19
March 2003 4:15pm - Contract: CPV: 29220000
| | |
FEEDBACK
We appreciate your
feedback and will reply promptly. A form to register your comments
is at: www.forkliftaction.com
or simply email us at
info@forkliftaction.com.
If forklifts are your business and you have news, press releases,
photos or tender information to publish, we'd love to hear from you.
Please email us at: info@forkliftaction.com.
COPYRIGHT
Forkliftaction.com
News is copyright. Unauthorised reproduction is illegal. We are
happy for you to onforward this newsletter to potential new
subscribers. If you would like to discuss syndication of
reproduction of our news on your website, please contact us at biz@forkliftaction.com | |
