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 | Welcome to Forkliftation.com’s first issue for 2006. The team is excited to be back and we promise to keep our readers informed with the latest forklift news. If you want to receive our weekly newsletter in your email, drop us a line at info@forkliftaction.com and we will get the ball rolling. We would also love to hear from members who have suggestions on how we can improve the Forkliftaction.com website for you.
Our recent addition to the newsletter, Your Focus, hasn’t been used much by our members yet. So we thought it deserved some attention here. Your Focus is a special corner for readers to contribute their opinions, expertise and experience. Here's a sample of a published column by one of our readers. Take note of our submission guidelines and you’re ready to contribute your articles.
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Chinese companies join world ranking
ESSLINGEN, GermanyGerman logistics magazine dhf has released the latest rankings for the world’s forklift manufacturers, with a few surprise additions.
In dhf’s World Ranking List of Manufacturers of Powered Industrial Trucks for 2004/05, compiled by Dr Walter Roedig and dhf chief editor Wolfgang Degenhard, the top 10 companies are:
• Toyota Industries Corp (Japan)
• Linde (Germany)
• Jungheinrich (Germany)
• Nacco Corp (USA)
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan)
• Crown Equipment Corp (USA)
• Kone Corporation (Finland)
• Komatsu Ltd (Japan)
• Manitou (France)
• Nissan Motor Co Ltd (Japan)
The top six manufacturers retained their rankings from 2003/04 ( Forkliftaction.com News #203) while Kone Corp moved one up, replacing Komatsu. Manitou also moved up, leaving Nissan at number 10.
The list contains 39 manufacturers and sees the inclusion of newcomers Clark (15), Anhui Heli (17), Hangzhou (19), Hyundai (20), Tailift (22) and Combilift (25).
Dhf chief editor Wolfgang Degenhard and co-author of the list, said some companies had declined to be included in the 2004/05 survey.
He said Hangzhou and Anhui Heli, the only Chinese manufacturers in the list, were surveyed after he contacted company representatives.
“Last year (when ranking 2003/04 was published) I hadn’t heard of Hangzhou but I met someone at the Hannover Fair in October 2005 who told me about them,” Degenhard said.
Forkliftaction.com News will publish an English language version of the dhf world ranking list and an exclusive interview with Degenhard next month. | Boxing Day port delivery 
BANGALORE, IndiaIndital Construction Machinery Ltd has delivered the first of two Contstar CS 320-5 reach stackers to the largest port in India.
Indital delivered the reach stacker to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) on Boxing Day (December 26), part of a contract worth USD740,000 that includes equipment maintenance and operation.
Ranked among the world’s top 30 ports, JNPT is India’s largest, handling 55 per cent to 60 per cent of India’s total containerised cargo, said an Indital statement.
JNPT handled 2.58 million TEUs in 2005, 1.27 million TEUs at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal and 1.31 million TEUs at Nava Sheva International Container Terminal.
The port currently has 13 Kalmar, PPM and Til-luna reach stackers working on a contract basis in its container terminals.
Indital claims the CS 320-5 reach stacker is a bestseller in its class in India, with annual sales of 30 units.
The machine is powered by a 260kw Volvo TAD 942VE engine and ZF’s heavy duty 4WG311 power shift transmission. It can lift 45 tons from the first row, 32 tons from the second row and 15 tons from the third row.
Established in 1989, Indital annually produces around 100 units of reach stackers, forklifts, mobile cranes, push back tractors and other container handling equipment at its Peenya factory, about 15km from Bangalore. |
| China's container output to stop
BEIJING, ChinaWorld-leading container producers have announced a two-month halt to container production in China to ease output surplus, says the China Container Industry Association (CCIA).
The Xinhua News Agency reported CCIA said the decision had been passed by most of China’s container producers at a national conference in Shanghai.
Factories agreeing to the two-month hiatus include the world’s largest container producer, China International Marine Container Group Co Ltd, Singapore’s second largest, Singamas Container Holding Ltd, and Denmark-based Maersk Container Industri AS.
The move is reported to start before China’s Spring Festival on January 28.
CCIA said several production programs in China also would be postponed to control output.
China will produce 4.5 million TEUs this year while global demand from China is only 2.4 million TEUs.
CCIA forecasts the gap between production and demand in China’s container industry will enlarge in future, with annual output to reach 5.8 million TEUs in 2007. | |
| Finnish forklifts wear brands
JÄRVENPÄÄ, FinlandA Finnish beverage supplier now has Rocla trucks parading its brands.
Rocla Oyj has supplied Finnish beverage supplier Hartwall Ltd with its recently launched TP20acH platform pallet trucks wearing “changeable design covers”.
The new option enables customers to custom label forklifts with their own brands. Hartwall’s beverage brands, Lapin Kulta, Forsters, Pepsi Max and Karjala, are now visible on the pallet trucks.
Other Hartwall brands, like Upcider, Hartwall Jaffa and Hartwall Novelle, would get their own covers in future, Rocla design manager Petteri Masalin said.
“The idea of these design covers (applied to the trucks with adhesive labelling material) is to integrate the look of the trucks with the customer’s brand image,” Masalin said. “The changeable covers are very practical because ones battered in operation can easily be replaced with new.
“It is a trend that companies hire more industrial designers. Before, industrial design was like adding icing to a ready-made cake,” he said.
Rocla’s design knowledge was recognised at the Fennia Prize competition in 2005 ( Forkliftaction.com News #193).
Hartwall technical development manager Jari Kangas said:
“Now our brand quality is communicated through the equipment used in our production premises.”
Rocla maintains Hartwall’s automated guided vehicles, warehouse trucks and counterbalanced forklifts. | | Still | FM 14 | 1998 | Germany | EUR 3150 | Details | | Komatsu | FD30T-12 | 1997 | Lithuania | EUR 10180 | Details | | Still | ESU 20 | 1997 | Germany | EUR 990 | Details | | Jungheinrich | DFG30BS | 2002 | Germany | EUR 11200 | Details | | Multiton Mic | MIC-GU-100-B-290-T | 1997 | Malaysia | USD 2663 | Details | | Nissan | PH02A20 | 1993 | United States | USD 7500 | Details | | Jungheinrich | DFG30BS | 2002 | Germany | EUR 10000 | Details | | Caterpillar | 2EC25 | 1998 | United States | USD 11500 | Details | | Komatsu | FG35-4 | - | Australia | AUD 12000 | Details | | Caterpillar | H45T | 1999 | United States | USD 22000 | Details | | Mitsubishi | FG15F25A | - | Australia | AUD 9350 | Details | | Caterpillar | 2EC18 | 1998 | Mexico | USD 4500 | Details | | Komatsu | 454437-2160 | 1997 | Turkey | EUR 9500 | Details | | Cascade | 35E-IB-A11X | 1999 | Netherlands | EUR 1500 | Details |
and thousands more... Click here to include your used forklifts, stackers, telehandlers, container handlers, attachments etc. | Terex wins potentially big order
WESTPORT, CT, United Statesby US correspondent Roger Renstrom
Terex Corp has won a major competition to supply military all-terrain cranes (MAC) to the Quantico, Virginia-based systems command of the United States Marine Corps (USMC).
The program could involve delivery of up to 130 cranes worth USD88.6 million. Manufacturing will occur at the Terex-Demag plant in Zweibruecken, Germany.
As with all multi-year military programs, future procurements are conditioned on federal budgets and USMC needs.
“The bid process was a full and open competition and we were competitively awarded the contract,” said Terex investor relations director Tom Gelston.
The systems command said other bidders were Manitowoc Crane Group’s Grove operation in Shady Grove, Pennsylvania, USA; a business unit of Liebherr-International AG of Bulle, Switzerland; and American Material Handling Inc, of Lilburn, Georgia, USA.
Under federal acquisition regulations for commercial items, officials posted a request for bids in December 2004 and awarded the contract in August 2005.
Terex has a commitment to deliver the first four 50 tonne cranes by July 2006 for required USMC verification testing at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland. Worth USD5.9 million, the order includes accessories, factory testing and limited logistics support and training.
To meet USMC requirements, the Terex-Demag MAC-50 is a new commercial derivative of the AC-50-1 all-terrain commercial crane focused on the US market.
The USMC MAC-50 configuration includes salt-water fording capability up to five feet (1.5 metres), US bridge law requirements compliance, and a drive train with an engine from the Cummins Engine Co and a transmission from the Allison Transmission unit of General Motors Corp.
The USMC included a fording capability in its original requirement but deleted that specification, apparently because other manufacturers were having trouble with it. Terex had no problem meeting the fording specification, Gelston said.
When the USMC changed the specification, there was no cost benefit to lowering the Terex MAC-50’s ability to ford in salt water. Gelston said Terex left the capability in its offer as a value-added proposition, not because it was a USMC-specified requirement.
Terex Government Programs will supply the cranes through its Stafford, Virginia, contracting office, and Terex American Cranes, in Wilmington, North Carolina, will provide global logistical support.
The program calls for full-rate production and supply by 2007. |
| Girl ditches forklift for catwalk
BRISBANE, AustraliaA female forklift driver is one of 13 finalists competing for a modelling career in Australia’s Next Top Model, a reality TV series on pay-TV Fox 8.
Sophie Miller, 19, worked as a forklift driver at her family’s spray painting factory in Brisbane before auditioning for the show, which is based on America’s Next Top Model, created by US supermodel Tyra Banks.
According to The Courier-Mail newspaper, Miller and the other finalists will compete in gruelling physical challenges for 10 weeks.
At the auditions, the girls worked 20-hour days. They were made-over for photo shoots and catwalk shows, and were judged on their performances.
“At the auditions I tried to act up myself. I told them I was going to win and I was better than the other girls,” Miller said.
She said she was just as comfortable posing for the camera as she was sanding and spray painting in her former job. | Manitou gives MT13 a lift
ANCENIS, FranceManitou is introducing a new range of telehandlers with improved lifting performance.
The Ancenis-made Manitou 14-metre (MT14) telehandlers, introduced to the worldwide market last month, will replace the Manitou 13-metre (MT13) telehandlers early this year.
The MT14s, which have a lift height of 13.6 metres, meet the demands of the building industry by improving their loading curves, enabling the extension of a pallet to 9.5 metres in front of the telehandler’s wheels, Manitou said in a statement.
A double LPS (load place system) cross-gate lever, already available on the 10-metre models, will be a standard fitting on the new MT14 models.
With the lever, the operator can use one hand to control all movements involving materials handling with forks and buckets.
The machines, with nominal capacities ranging from 3,500kg to 4,000kg, are available in converter (MT 1235 SL, MT 1440 SLT) and hydrostatic (MT 1435 HSLT) transmissions. |
| Briefs Terex’s NYSE listing not secure
WESTPORT, CT, United States
Terex Corporation says it has received an extension for continued listing and trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) for three months, through to March 31, 2006.
The extension allows it to complete and file its annual report for the year ended December 31, 2004, with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
The NYSE could suspend the listing if Terex fails to file its annual report by March 31.
Linde to buy US company
WIESBADEN, Germany
Linde AG has agreed to buy an American specialty gases company, Spectra Gases Inc, from the founding family, Alvin and Andy Dietz, for an undisclosed sum.
Aldo Belloni, an executive board member responsible for Linde’s gas and engineering business segment, said Spectra Gases allowed Linde to access market segments where it was not strongly represented.
AEM moves to new headquarters
MILWAUKEE, WI, United States
The Association of Equipment Manufacturers has moved to:
6737 West Washington Street
Suite 2400
Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA 53214-5647
Its phone, fax and email are unchanged. | Movers & Shakers DALLAS, TX, United States
Forklift dealer Briggs Equipment has named president David C Bratton as chief executive officer. Mike Winemiller, who is North Texas regional manager and fleet manager, has been appointed vice president and chief operating officer. Chuck Matthews, who manages New Orleans and Baton Rouge, has been promoted to southern regional manager with additional responsibility for the Jackson and Mobile branches.
McCONNELLSBURG, PA, United States
Joe Dixon has joined JLG as president of JLG Service Plus Inc. Dixon was previously vice president for pro business and equipment rental at The Home Depot for three years. Before that, he spent 14 years with Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation in different leadership positions.
GRAYSLAKE, IL, United States
Singapore-based Intrupa Asia Pacific Pte Ltd has appointed George Bitar as sales & marketing director. Bitar was business development manager for TVH Group in Australia and New Zealand for the last five years. Before that, he managed his own company, Rolotec, in France. |
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Easyramps seeks more dealers around the worldEasyramps, the container loading ramp Specialist Company set up by PHL, have begun their search for potential dealers outside of the United Kingdom. Easyramps see this move as a perfect opportunity for those companies who have long cried out for just such a loading/unloading solution for their customers. “Not only will this generate extra revenue for any potential dealers, it will give companies another avenue to contact their customers” said Josh Fagan. Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. | FSIP is committed to QualityFlight Systems Industrial Products ("FSIP"), a manufacturer and re-manufacturer of electric vehicle controls and systems, is proud to announce ISO 9001:2000 certification. ISO 9001:2000 is an internationally recognized standard for ‘quality management’ that measures an organization’s ability to fulfill customer’s quality requirements and on-going continuous improvement efforts. Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. | |
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| Driver ID The Driver ID is a key pad entry system to forklifts. Whilst key pad entry is not unique to the market the Driver ID is unique as it prompts the first driver that keys on at the start of a shift to complete and log a full start up safety check. The Driver ID goes through the check list and the driver answers “YES” or “NO” to each question, should all the answers be “YES” the Driver ID will allow the forklift to be started. Click here for more information on this product, including pictures. |
 | Company: Woodward
Illinois-based Woodward serves global power generation, transportation, process industries and aerospace markets from locations worldwide. Woodward is the world's largest independent designer, manufacturer, and service provider of energy control solutions for aircraft engines, industrial engines and turbines, power generation, and process automation equipment.
Click here for the full text of this Industry Profile feature.
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| Jobs | 1. Service Technician - Full timeAtlanta Georgia Area, United States 2. Warehouse Products Field Sales Specialist - Full timeEastern U.S., United States 3. Sales Representative - Full timeAugusta, Georgia, United States 4. Senior Account Manager - Full timeHouston, TX, United States 5. Service Training Specialist - Full timeColumbus, IN, United States 6. Senior National Accounts Manager - Full timeNationwide, United States 7. Field Service Technician - Full timeBinghamton, NY Area, United States 8. Field Service Technician - Full timeTiconderoga, United States 9. Sales - Full timeBrockton, United States 10. Rental & Remarketing Coordinator - Full timeIrvine, CA, United States |
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Editorial Calendar |
January
Explosion proof forklifts
February
Forklifts in the logging and timber industry
March
Industrial batteries and chargers
April
The forklift market in China
May
Reach stackers
June
Forklift tyres, wheels and castors
July
The German forklift industry
August
Container attachments
September
Truck mounted forklifts
October
Engines and drive trains
November
The forklift market in Canada
December
End of year review
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