Dear reader,
WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM,
MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE.
This is issue #108 - 22 May 2003
of the weekly newsletter for industry
professionals.
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Forkliftaction.com makes it easy to plan your
business travel by providing a detailed list of world
materials handling events on Forkliftaction.coms events
page. Our researchers constantly gather information on new
events and enter them into our revolving calendar, which
currently lists 49 upcoming events. The events list allows you
to plan weeks, months, even years ahead of schedule. If your
company is exhibiting at an event, or if you are hosting
seminars, workshops, training courses, corporate events or
product launches, email us at events@forkliftaction.com,
and we will try to include them in the
calendar.
This week Forkliftaction.com's research
team has revised the specifications contained in the Equipment
Catalogue for Nissan
Europe, Nissan
USA and Armanni
Carrelli Elevatori, from Italy. If you deal with these
brands, please check our entries and contact Rodger Lamb if
changes are required.
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1.
RECORD QUARTER FOR UK MARKET 
SUNNINGHILL, United Kingdom
The
British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) is
predicting continued growth for the UK market in 2003,
with renewed confidence following a record first
quarter.
BITA members reported orders for 7,870
forklifts for the first quarter, a record number for a
single quarter and 16 percent higher than the first
quarter of 2002.
The impact of the quarter on
annual figures was "considerable", a BITA report said.
In the 12 months to the end of March 2003, 28,600 new
forklifts were ordered from the UKs principal
suppliers, representing market growth of four percent in
one quarter.
The most significant growth areas
for the year to March were reach trucks (19 percent),
powered pallet trucks (19 percent) and LPG
counterbalance forklifts (13 percent).
"BITA
expects the UK forklift market to remain buoyant during
the second quarter, but the market is not expected to
grow as rapidly as over recent months, and may level out
as we head to the second half of the year," the report
said.
- BITA website
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2.
LINDE: WORLD MARKET RECOVERING?
WIESBADEN, Germany
The world market
for forklifts is showing signs of recovery, according to
Linde AG.
Linde's first quarter 2003 report,
released last week, said orders in the European, USA and
Asian core markets exceeded 2002 first quarter results,
despite overall group orders decreasing.
But the
recovery, in Europe at least, was driven only by
warehouse trucks, the report said. Demand for
counterbalance forklifts continued to fall, especially
in Germany, our most important market.
Overall,
orders received decreased 1.6 percent from EUR756
million (USD872.5 million) to EUR744 million (USD858.7
million). Sales decreased 3.2 percent from EUR685
million (USD790.6 million) to EUR663 million (USD765.2
million).
The worldwide rollout of Linde's 39x
forklift was almost complete, the report said, and the
expansion of drive types to include LPG and new load
classes would have a "positive impact".
"The
global economy still does not exhibit a trend towards
recovery. At least the official ending of combat
operations in Iraq has removed an important source of
uncertainty, and energy prices have decreased
noticeably," the report said.
"The European
economy is confronted with weak domestic demand and a
strong Euro that continues to hamper exports. In
southeast Asia, it appears the spreading of the SARS
virus will have a negative effect on the regions
economic growth. Prospects in the USA are modestly
positive, and we expect a stronger recovery there during
the second half."
-
Linde website -
3.
ROLF SLOBOTZKY: SOUTH OF THE BORDER
MEXICO CITY, Mexico
As the saying
goes, when the USA catches a cold, Mexico gets
pneumonia.
Forklift sales in Mexico have fallen
over the last two years for several reasons. The most
obvious is that Mexico reflects the US market, which has
been wavering.
While forklift sales in 2000
achieved close to 5000 units, in 2002 they were around
3500, and this year looks like being a repeat. The
market pressure has resulted in fierce competition,
meaning reduced profits for traditional
competitors.
Meanwhile, a new challenge facing
the Mexican market is that used forklifts from countries
participating in the North American Free Trade Agreement
are now duty-free. Used forklifts imported from Europe
are subject to only a six percent duty, compared to the
23 percent tax on Asian imports.
An additional
challenge is increasing insurance premiums and up to 40
percent deductibles, which have been driven up by the
theft of almost one forklift a month in recent
times.
Unfortunately, the local forecast is that
it will be 2004 before the situation improves, and even
that predication depends on circumstances beyond the
Mexican markets control.
The Logistic Show is on
again this year from July 2 to July 4, and it could be
the last time forklifts are featured with supply chain
machinery. In 2005, a separate materials handling show
is projected.
- Email Rolf - roslo86@hotmail.com
4.
KCI KONECRANES Q1 RESULTS DISAPPOINTING
HYVINK, Finland
Continuing
difficult markets, increasing price competition,
currency movements and particularly slow sales saw KCI
Konecranes Group's first quarter sales drop 5.1 percent
from EUR158.9 million (USD183.4 million) last year to
EUR150.8 million (USD174 million).
The sales
trend was downward in all business areas, the group's
report for the quarter, ending March 31, said. Standard
lifting dropped 13.1 percent from EUR48 million (USD55.4
million) to EUR41.7 million (USD48.1
million).
Special cranes sales dropped 7.6
percent from EUR47.2 million (USD54.4 million) to
EUR43.6 million (USD50.3 million), despite increased new
orders of EUR41 million (USD47.3 million), up 17.8
percent from the first quarter of 2002 and 35 percent
more than the fourth quarter 2002 result.
Taken
by region, the order intake remained strong in China,
turned to a clear growth in Germany and remained at the
previous years level in America. Compared to Q4/02, the
order intake grew by 13.1% and all business areas showed
growth, the report said.
Group chief executive
Stig Gustavson said earnings were reminiscent of the
seasonal fluctuations experienced in the 1990s, which
saw poor results early in the year, but excellent
results at the end.
"The result level of 2002 is
still within reach for the current year, in spite of the
disappointing beginning," Mr Gustavson
said.
"Challenging markets also mean opportunity
for (us). As one of the strongest and fittest companies
in the industry, we have ample opportunity of advancing
our position in many markets."
- KCI Konecranes
website -
5.
YALE RECOGNISES 14 DEALERS OF EXCELLENCE
GREENVILLE, SC, United States
Yale
Materials Handling Corporation has honoured 14 companies
in its 2002 dealer of excellence awards, held last
month.
Yale president Don Chance said all Yale
dealers compete each year in the Challenge of Excellence
program, and winners were the best in dealer
performance, general management, sales, short-term
rental, aftermarket sales, parts and
service.
"Dedication to Yales uncompromising
mission of providing solutions that exceed customer
needs has helped maintain Yales number one position in
the industry," Mr Chance said.
Yale's dealers of
excellence winners are:
~ Joe Wilson, Berry
Material Handling
~ Kenneth Bonnell, Black Equipment
Co
~ Edward Otis, ED Farrell Co
~ Mike Pruitt,
Eastern Lift Truck Co
~ Samuel Grooms, Hy-Tek
Material Handling
~ Philip Robinson, Insley-McEntee
Equipment Co
~ Robert Kehley, Key Material Handling
Equipment Co
~ Stephen OLeary, Northland Industrial
Truck Co
~ Duncan Murphy, Riekes Equipment Co
~
Joe Clark, The Lilly Co
~ AD "Sandy" MacKinnon, Yale
Industrial Trucks - Gulf/Atlantic
~ Christopher
Burns, Yale Industrial Trucks - Pittsburgh
~ Michael
Dougherty, Yale Materials Handling-Dougherty
Equipment
~ Gary Fairchild, Yale Materials
Handling-Green Bay
-
Yale website -
6.
FORKLIFTACTION.COM NEWS CAPTION COMPETITION
RETURNS
BRISBANE,
Australia
Forkliftaction.com News's caption
competition returns this week with a bizarre picture for
you to ponder.
Forkliftaction.com receives emails
from readers who send in stories, comments, questions
and even criticism, occasionally. When this picture
arrived, most of us couldn't believe what we were
seeing.
What's happening in the picture? Lateral
thinking? Proof that there is more than one way to skin
a cat?
Get your thinking caps on and give our
caption competition a try. Click here to access the
photograph on the website.
If you have never
visited www.forkliftaction.com
before, you may be asked to enter your email address and
password when you access the photograph.
Email
your funny caption, and your name and company name to
Damien Tomlinson at news@forkliftaction.com.
The competition will run for one month, with the winner
and commendable entries published on the website.
-
Click here to view the picture -
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10.
MISCELLANEOUS RAYMOND AND LANSING SPARE
PARTS
New Cumberland, PA, United
States
Closing: 03 June 2003 TBA - Contract:
SP3100-03-T-0232
11.
LEASE 6 OR 7 FORKLIFTS
Hill AFB, UT, United
States
Closing: 02 July 2003 TBA - Contract:
F42650-03-R-A067
12.
PALLET TRUCKS & MISC HANDLING
EQUIPMENT
Leicester, United
Kingdom
Closing: 19 June 2003 12:00am - Contract:
227/04
13.
OVERHEAD TRAVELLING CRANES
Chatenay-Malabry,
France
Closing: 23 June 2003 12:00am - Contract: CPV:
29221420
14.
CONTAINER-HANDLING EQUIPMENT & OTHER
REQUIREMENTS
Fort-de-France,
France
Closing: 25 June 2003 12:00am - Contract: CPV:
29221000
15.
LIFTING, HANDLING, LOADING OR UNLOADING
MACHINERY.
Nantes, France
Closing: 03 June
2003 12:00am - Contract: CPV: 29221800
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