Dear reader,
WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM,
MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE.
This is issue #150 - 25 March
2004 of the weekly newsletter for industry
professionals.
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The USA's biggest materials handling event kicks
off in Cleveland, Ohio, next week, and Forkliftaction.com will
be there. We'll bring you a special series of stories and
photographs from the show in Forkliftaction.com News
#152.
This week's newsletter is Forkliftaction.com News
#150! In a few months, Forkliftaction.com turns four. It seems
like only yesterday that our first newsletter circulated to
about 50 members in July 2000. Now, more than 50,000 forklift
professionals around the world make time each Thursday for
Forkliftaction.com News.
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1.
NA 2004 - THE USA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS 
CLEVELAND, OH, United States
The
USA's largest international forklift and materials
handling exhibition, NA 2004, is open for business from
March 29 to April 1.
More than 400 exhibitors,
filling 180,000 square feet (16,700 square metres), will
represent all sectors of the materials handling and
logistics industries, from traditional manual equipment
to computerised, automated systems.
NA 2004,
sponsored by the Material Handling Industry of America
(MHIA), will feature an international business centre,
where international trade specialists and translators
can assist with international business
relations.
In addition to the exhibition, NA 2004
offers a comprehensive educational conference sponsored
by the Material Handling Institute. It will feature an
executive forum on Monday, March 29, and free
educational sessions on the show floor, covering aspects
of materials handling and logistics, from planning and
design to justification and implementation.
The
MHIA will stage its annual "state of the industry" press
conference at NA 2004 on Tuesday, March 30.
The
conference, presented by MHIA executives, will provide
an overview of the USD60 billion US industry's health,
trends shaping the industry, future events, such as
ProMat 2005, and MHIA
initiatives.
Forkliftaction.com will have
three representatives present at NA 2004 - look for the
trademark orange shirts. Don't hesitate to stop them and
ask questions about Forkliftaction.com. If you would
like to schedule a meeting to discuss the news or
marketing your company through Forkliftaction.com,
contact info@forkliftaction.com.
- NA 2004 website -
2.
ITA FORGES REGULATOR RELATIONSHIP
WASHINGTON, DC, United States
The
Industrial Truck Association (ITA) has improved
regulator relationships, considered becoming a
standards-developing organisation and gained greater
insights into automotive industry needs.
ITA
president Dirk von Holt gave a state-of-the-association
report yesterday during the association's 53rd annual
spring meeting in Washington. Mr von Holt is president
of Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corp USA and Multiton MIC
Corp/Jungheinrich, both of Richmond,
Virginia.
"Our initial plans for an alliance with
the Occupational Safety & Health Administration
(OSHA) are going [well]. We have already established
common links on operator training and rules and
regulations [for] young people operating industrial
trucks. We are very near to establishing a link to a
revised daily checklist," he said.
Mr von Holt
expressed confidence in working with OSHA on other
issues such as lock out/tag out and lifting in unison.
ITA's "executive committee has established a task force
on this, and I am confident we will be able to reduce
the number and severity of accidents by working
together", he said.
ITA could become a
standards-developing organisation under the auspices of
the American National Standards Institute. "It is clear
that the American Society of Mechanical Engineers will
drop the sponsoring of some standards, and we want ITA
to step in," Mr von Holt said. "This is our industry,
and we need to maintain our leadership role."
ITA
has played a key role in developing standards governing
forklift safety in Canada, he said.
ITA was
exploring how to deal with the imposition of duties on
USA-originated parts and industrial trucks heading to
Europe and what to do, if anything, about the
"incredible increase in the cost of steel and steel
products".
ITA has established a close
relationship with the Automotive Industry Action Group
(AIAG) to gain insights to AIAG's efforts to develop
best practices for suppliers to the automotive
industry.
ITA reported 2003 receipts of USD1.82
million, expenses of USD1.806 million and a balance in
the cash reserve fund of USD320,000, "an amount we
believe is adequate for an organisation of ITA's size",
Mr von Holt said.
ITA holds its annual meeting
from October 23 to October 26 in Miami, Florida, and
will host the Alliance of Industrial Truck
Organisations, consisting of the management committees
of the ITA, European Federation of Materials Handling
and the Japan Industrial Vehicles Association.
- ITA website -
3.
HOIST SELLS E SERIES FORKLIFT LINE
BEDFORD PARK, IL, United
States
Hoist Liftruck Manufacturing Inc has sold its
E Series forklifts to Schaeff Inc for an undisclosed
amount.
Hoist Companies (Hoist Liftruck, Elwell
Parker, AutoLift and Schreck Industries) had marketed
the E Series, with capacities from seven tonnes to 12
tonnes, since early 2001 through Hoist, Elwell Parker,
Clark, and Komatsu dealers in the USA and the
UK.
But, after three years of research and
development, Hoist will finish building and deliver its
current orders by late April.
Hoist president
Marty Flaska said the sale had caused an "unavoidable
delay" in the production schedule.
"Schaeff will
continue building this product under its company label
and expects to have products in production by [the]
third quarter 2004," he said.
"Schaeff will
accept orders in the immediate future ... Hoist
Companies will no longer be involved. Schaeff will
honour warranty commitments for this product and provide
after-market support for models built and sold by Hoist
Companies as well."
Hoist would continue to
produce its heavy compact forklifts and large
counterbalance machines.
- Hoist website -
4.
KALMAR TO HEIGHTEN RTGS
GDYNIA, Poland
Kalmar has won a
contract to increase the height of eight Kalmar
rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) for Baltic Container
Terminal Ltd (BCT) in Gdynia, Poland.
The
modification will raise the lifting capacity of the
cranes from one over three to one over five containers,
and increase BCT's handling capacity from 400,000 TEU to
600,000 TEU. As part of its expansion plans, BCT has
also ordered four new Kalmar 5+1 wide RTGs capable of
lifting one over five containers high.
Kalmar
parts & projects general manager Kari Ronkainen said
crane heightening was most cost-effective, as the
machines were in excellent condition.
"Finding
the right approach required a lot of technical research
and planning. It is a solution that will be valuable for
terminals where physical grounds cannot be extended and
the only possible direction for growth is upwards. By
extending the container stacking height, capacity can be
increased considerably," he said.
Kalmar would
supply materials, technical calculations, electricity
and documentation for the rebuild, and BCT would perform
the installation under Kalmar's supervision. The work
begins at Gdynia in late May and should be completed by
October.
- Kalmar
Industries website -
5.
**ADVERTISEMENT** LINDE TRUCKS MUST BE
SOLD
We have new six Linde A13 narrow aisle
electric turret trucks for urgent sale. These trucks are
brand new, and surplus to our materials handling
requirements. All offers will be considered, and a
discount is offered for a bulk buy.
Capacity:1350 Kg
Mast Height: 4960mm, 6210mm
extended
Turning radius: 2080mm
Polyurethane
tyres
Electric power steering
Centrally-controlled functions
Similar specs and
photo: see Spec-Checker.
For sales
enquiries:
Contact Ayman Ismail Ahmed
Tel:
+97142135223
Fax: +97142135523
Mobile:
+971506684302
Email: ayman.ahmed@alfuttaim.ae
6.
TOYOTA USA INTRODUCES 4,500-POUND ELECTRIC PALLET
TRUCK
IRVINE, CA, United States
Toyota
Material Handling USA Inc (TMHU) has launched a
4,500-pound (two tonnes) capacity electric pallet truck
with pinwheel capabilities and advanced motor and
control technology.
The new truck broadens
Toyota's product range and adds another fast-charging
model to the electric line.
Toyota's sister
company, BT-Raymond, in Muscatine, Iowa, is
manufacturing the pallet truck, which is available in
the USA, Canada and Mexico.
According to TMHU,
the truck is manoeuvrable, compact, efficient for use in
confined spaces and incorporates advanced engineering
technologies. For improved acceleration, higher speeds
and precision positioning, the truck has a separately
excited, or Sep Ex, drive motor and transistor control
system.
The multifunction control handle has
large, ergonomically-positioned buttons and dual thumb
wheels for activation of controls with either hand.
Angled handgrips fit the natural hand contour and reduce
fatigue.
The truck is suitable for use in
warehouses, retail stores, manufacturing sites and
transport operations, including truck
trailers.
The truck features a reduced head
length and tapered fork tips.
Pinwheel
capabilities permit right-angle stacking in a trailer or
other confined area and allow a 40-foot-long (12 metres)
by 96-inch-wide (2.4 metres) trailer to be loaded to its
maximum capacity of 22 standard pallets.
For
maintenance, all major components are accessible through
a one-piece service access cover. The truck's system is
engineered without drive contactors, reducing
maintenance and inspection time.
Irvine-based
THMU debuted the truck at a regional dealer advisory
council meeting in Dallas, Texas, on March 18, and
intends to exhibit the new model at NA 2004 in
Cleveland, Ohio, next week.
- TMHU website -
7.
TYRE HANDLERS - WHO'S GOT THE BIGGEST?
SYDNEY, Australia
SMV Australia's
claim to having installed Australia's largest tyre
handler (Forkliftaction.com News #145) caused
quite a stir among other suppliers.
Many
companies contacted Forkliftaction.com News, claiming to
have installed larger machines around Australia, so we
decided to settle the argument by publishing the
specifications of each company's machines.
Only
SMV and Red Australia provided detailed specifications.
Other companies were contacted, but had not returned
their specifications by deadline.
Rather than
make the judgement on the biggest machine ourselves,
here are the specifications. You decide.
SMV
Australia
FORKLIFT SUPPLIED
Make:
SMV
Model: SL16-1200A
Max Capacity: 16 tonnes at
1200mm load centre
Type of equipment tyres are fitted
to:
- Leibher T282 dump truck, using Bridgestone 55
80 R63s (4200mm diameter)
Delivered to: Bridgestone
Earthmover Tyres, Mt Thorley, New South
Wales
ATTACHMENT
Make: Cascade
Model:
220HTH211
Capacity: 10 tonnes
Opening range:
1450mm-4500mm
Rotation: Not supplied
Maximum tyre
size: 4200mm
RED Australia
FORKLIFT
SUPPLIED
Make: Komatsu
Model: FD200T-6
Max
capacity: 20 tonnes at 1220mm load centre
Type of
equipment tyres are fitted to:
- Tyre diameters
1500mm-4100mm, typically Hitachi dump
trucks.
Delivered to: Callide Coal, Blackwater,
Queensland
ATTACHMENT
Make: Cascade
Model:
220H-DT-11 sel
Capacity: 10 tonnes
Opening range:
1450mm-4500mm
Rotation: 180
degrees
Clark Australia
Clark
Australia also submitted some details of a 25-tonne
forklift it installed in Mt Newman, Western Australia.
The machine was fitted with a custom attachment made by
John Engineering, of Western Australia. This is the
largest forklift submitted, but Clark provided no other
specifications before deadline.
8.
INTRUPA ADDS MANN FILTERS
GRAYSLAKE, IL, United States
US
forklift users now have access to German-engineered Mann
filters through parts supplier Intrupa. Intrupa now
stocks Mann fuel, lube oil, hydraulic, transmission and
air filters. Mann air filters use advanced materials
designed for maximum contaminant containment. Spin-on
filters incorporate a threaded mounting plate for
mechanical strength and seal integrity.
- Intrupa website -
9.
FAMOUS JCB BACKHOE FINDS NEW HOME
ROCESTER, United Kingdom
The JCB
digger that made history for its spectacular role in the
world's biggest attempted jewel robbery has been sold at
auction for GBP10,200 (USD18,700).
About 200
people bid on the 1992 3CX Sitemaster Backhoe Loader,
which went under the hammer still bearing the damage it
suffered during the amazing James Bond-style heist four
years ago (Forkliftaction.com News
#149).
The highest bidder was Brian Holmes, a
Derbyshire-based property developer, who is chairman of
Nottinghamshire non-league high-flyers Hucknall Town
Football Club. Mr Holmes plans to make the machine the
star of the show at the club's home ground.
"I'm
very proud to own this very special machine. When I
discovered it was going to go under the hammer I
realised it would be a piece of history. It will be
ideal to take pride of place outside my club's ground,"
he said.
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10.
MASSIVE FORKLIFT CLEARANCE - ONLINE
AUCTION
Due to record sales and re-signed
rental contracts, Yale Asia-Pacific has an oversupply of
trade-ins and quality ex-rental forklifts.
More than
200 forklifts and other machines will now be sold via an
online auction at www.graysonline.com.au, from March 25
to March 31.
Inspections of the machinery can be done
in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. See our detailed release for locations.
The
auction includes a wide range of dual fuel, gas and
diesel forklifts from 1.5 tonnes to 16 tonnes in
capacity, with unreserved bidding starting as low as
$9.
Brands include Yale,Toyota, Hyster, Taylor
empty container handlers, BT, Nissan and Komatsu.
For
more information, click here.
11.
VNA WAREHOUSE ALERT: LASER-GUIDED CONCRETE GRINDER
LAUNCHED
Concrete Grinding Limited,
specialists in upgrading the floor flatness of narrow
racking aisles in new and existing VNA warehouse/storage
units, have released the Laser Grinder, a
laser-guided concrete grinding machine.
The
Laser Grinder grinds aisles to the
required flatness, while being clean, quick and
non-intrusive. Designed to operate in operational
warehouses, floors are upgraded to ensure a safe and
efficient VNA facility with little
disruption.
Concrete Grinding Limited has this
year completed grinding projects for customers in Saudi
Arabia, South Africa, Singapore, Germany and the
UK.
Click here for our full article and
pictures.
CONTACT US:
Tel: +44 (0) 1484
600080
Fax: +44 (0) 1484 600095
Email: information@concrete-grinding.com
Web:
www.concrete-grinding.com
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