INSIDE FORKLIFTACTION.COM
| Forkliftaction.com publishes this weekly e-newsletter that is read by more than 80,000 industry professionals. If you would like to receive the newsletter in your inbox, please write to info@forkliftaction.com. Each month, more than 725 people sign up to receive the Forkliftaction.com newsletter and to access the other business resources on our web portal. Take a quick tour of our web portal to find out more. |
NEWS STORIES
TMHU takes on ProLift
IRVINE, CA, United States | Toyota Material Handling USA Inc (TMHU) has bought one of its award-winning forklift dealerships to facilitate its succession planning.
TMHU said in a statement that ProLift Industrial Equipment Co LLC had one of the most extensive track records of success of all Toyota dealerships. Prolift is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and has branches in Evansville and Indianapolis, Indiana; Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio; Lexington, Kentucky; and Elkins, West Virginia. ProLift has won Toyota’s President’s Award and its predecessor, the Quality Dealer Award, 14 times since 1990.
Asked if ProLift had approached TMHU for assistance with succession planning, TMHU said in a statement to Forkliftaction.com News:
“Toyota encourages its dealers to plan appropriately for succession and, in areas where that isn’t possible, we attempt to identify existing or new dealers to successfully represent the Toyota brand.
“After all other avenues have been exhausted, Toyota will consider purchasing a dealership to ensure Toyota’s continued strong representation and support to customers.”
ProLift Industrial Equipment president Bill Skinner said:
“The transition will be seamless and our customers will see business operating as usual.”
The new company, Toyota Material Handling Midwest Inc, will do business at ProLift Industrial Equipment’s facilities, with no change in staff or support.
Toyota has 69 authorised dealers covering 188 locations in the US.
The acquisition price was not disclosed.
Brief history of ProLift Industrial Equipment:
1978 Bill Skinner establishes business renting surplus forklifts, relying on Dixie Warehouse & Cartage Co for financial backing and equipment to rent.
1980 ProLift appointed dealer for Allis-Chalmers and Taylor Machine Works.
1983 ProLift becomes Toyota dealer.
1998 Bill Skinner and five minority owners, Bob Ritz, Anne Ewing, Dave Graffy, Gary Stephan and Ron Kinslow, grow the company to more than USD50 million in annual revenue with six locations in three states and 220 associates.
1999 Bill Skinner buys majority ownership in ProLift from Dixie Warehouse, which bankrolled the dealership in 1978.
2007 TMHU buys ProLift. ProLift has grown to seven locations in four states with 335 associates. Revenues have nearly doubled. |
Crown first with fleet management
NEW BREMEN, OH, United States | Crown Equipment Corp claims it is the first forklift manufacturer to design and build a fleet management system.
The Ohio-based forklift manufacturer has just launched InfoLink, a wireless fleet management tool. Crown told Forkliftaction.com News in a statement that other forklift manufacturers had partnered with third party providers to offer customers fleet management systems.
Crown senior vice president Jim Moran said customers lacked a “convenient, accurate way” to capture data to make informed decisions.
“To deliver the operational cost savings customers desire, we need to develop technology that provides them information to manage their systems as efficiently as possible,” he said.
InfoLink comprises an on-board operator interface that wirelessly communicates forklift data to a central server using the networks most warehouses already have.
Through InfoLink, warehouse managers compile data on forklifts’ operating hours, control access to forklifts, ensure operators conduct safety inspections, manage planned maintenance programs and track when and where forklifts have collided.
“Customers want to know if their fleet is the right size and if each forklift is being used in the most efficient way,” Moran said.
“Comparing data across facilities enables customers to receive information that provides them with a competitive edge.”
Moran said Crown’s expertise in forklifts and its established dealer network gave it an advantage over other fleet management system providers.
“Our industry experience played a key role in addressing customer and market-specific needs. For example, it helped us identify the most effective placement of a sensor and its sensitivity level for individual applications.
“Providing service support on a national basis can be difficult for pure software providers. Our established dealer network is a value-add for InfoLink customers,” he said.
A Crown statement said InfoLink would pay for itself in 14-18 months. |
For Sale: Clark Components and Spare Parts – also Carraro Axles
ADVERTISEMENT | A very large package of New Clark Forklift Spare Parts including frames, counterweights, mast assemblies, carriages, steer axles and hundreds of original OEM production smaller parts originally purchased from the Manufacturer's Germany location for models CMP 40/50 is offerred for sale. Now warehoused in Texas U.S.A.
Package(s) by negotiation. Listing by part number and quantity available on request.
Please send your enquiry and/or expression of interest to William (Bill) Lowry at wlowry@lowryindlift.com
Also for sale, CARRARO AXLE, brand new, model number 126554, 73 pcs, Toronto, Ontario, Ideal for parts. Best Offer contact Tim Wheeler at TimWheeler@liftking.com |
JIVA: A flat year for Japan
TOKYO, Japan | The Japanese Industrial Vehicles Association (JIVA) forecasts Japan’s forklift market to be flat this year.
That is despite growth in forklift sales for all classes in 2006.
According to figures from World Industrial Truck Statistics, a global alliance of industrial truck associations, a total of 88,419 forklifts were sold in Japan in 2006.
There were 20,839 electric counterbalanced forklifts sold, a nine per cent jump from 2005, 18,129 electric narrow aisle forklifts, a 9.4 per cent increase, 4,824 electric pedestrian forklifts, a 5.2 per cent jump, and 44,627 internal combustion counterbalanced forklifts, a three per cent increase.
JIVA senior manager Ken’ichiro Takase said total sales showed positive growth in the fourth consecutive year, based on strong investment in Japan’s private sector.
Growth in “demand for electric forklifts was stronger than for IC forklifts. This could be caused by increased environmental friendliness in customers.
“[But] we estimate the 2007 Japanese market will be almost flat,” he said. JIVA’s forecast was based on a “consensus of members’ estimates”. |
Liebherr introduces telehandlers
BULLE, Switzerland | Liebherr, manufacturer of a unique curved boom reach stacker, has entered a new product segment with the launch of four telehandlers.
The TL 435-10, TL 435-13, TL 445-10 and TL 442-13 telehandlers, already available for hire in German-speaking countries, would be introduced at Liebherr’s first international expo, Bauma 2007, in Munich, Germany in April, a Liebherr statement said.
The machines have lifting heights of 10 metres or 13 metres and maximum lifting capacities of 3.5 tonnes and 4.5 tonnes. They are equipped with turbocharged four cylinder in-line engines with outputs of 80kW/109hp.
Liebherr product manager Georg Dobler told Power Source, volume 1, 2007, a John Deere Power Systems newsletter the new telehandlers fit the company’s construction machinery range “perfectly”.
“We are looking to expand the range based on customer feedback on the first four models and we will be introducing handlers with Tier3/Stage III A engines at Bauma,” he said.
The telehandlers were launched at Nordbau 2006 and Galabau 2006, two construction shows in Germany.
All four new machines are currently powered by John Deere’s Tier 2/Stage II Power Tech 4045T engines. |
For Sale – 20,000lb Telehandlers
ADVERTISEMENT | - 2006 LK200R s/n LT1204 “Demonstator Model” Telehandler 20,000lbs 24ft Lift Cummins B5.9 6 Cyl Diesel Engine 20hrs $225,000. USD.
- 1992 Lull Dynalugger Telehandler 20,000lbs 24ft Lift Lightly Used. Very Clean Cummins B5.9 6Cyl. Diesel Engine Low Hours $50,000 USD.
Contact Tim Wheeler at TimWheeler@LIFTKING.com
|
Forklifts tap into Nuvera hydrogen
CAMBRIDGE, MA, United States | Nuvera Fuel Cells Inc has installed its first hydrogen generation system for fuel cell applications at its partner East Penn Manufacturing Company Inc’s Topton, Pennsylvania, distribution centre.
Nuvera Fuel Cells and East Penn agreed to develop a hybrid battery and fuel cell electric power source for forklifts and other off-road industrial vehicles in January 2005 (Forkliftaction.com News #191).
Hydrogen generated by the PowerTap system will power a fleet of fuel cell-powered forklifts. The system has been implemented as part of a field test of the new ReadyPower unit, which combines Nuvera’s fuel cell technology and East Penn’s advanced lead-acid battery design.
PowerTap global market leader Charles Myers said PowerTap was designed with the objective of producing on-site hydrogen in the most cost-effective way for delivery to the fleet of forklifts.
“This hydrogen source is economically attractive and a viable source of alternative energy for warehouses and distribution centres today.”
PowerTap’s PTG-50 generation module produces hydrogen from natural gas at a rate of 2.4kg/hour. Nuvera’s proprietary technology, using pressure swing absorption technology and providing hydrogen at a minimum purity of 99.995 per cent, is at the core of the PTG-50. |
| Briefs | Plastic packaging to increase
CLEVELAND, OH, United States
A Freedonia Group study of 18 selected markets says plastic is expected to increase its share of the packaging materials market to 53 per cent in 2010.
Plastic currently has less than a 50 per cent share of the packaging materials market in the 18 markets.
Plastic packaging growth would result from its competitive cost and performance advantages, the study said.
New attachment gives telehandler a lift
McCONNELLSBURG, PA, United States
JLG Industries Inc has introduced a new personnel work platform to be used with its JLG, Gradall, Lull and SkyTrak telehandlers.
The 32 square foot (2.97 square metre) platform, which has a 1,000lb (453.6kg) capacity, holds two people, a JLG statement said. It has a swing gate entry with a removable front panel for entry and exit, steel mesh flooring and eight lanyard attachment points.
Workers can be lifted as high as 55 feet on rough terrain sites, the statement said.
Konecranes Lifttrucks delivers milestone forklift
MARKARYD, Sweden
Konecranes Lifttrucks AB has delivered its 2,000th forklift, a 22 tonne forklift, to Swedish building products supplier Moelven Byggmodul.
Konecranes Lifttrucks managing director KG Salomonsson said Moelven Group was a long-time customer.
“[It] pleases us this machine was sold through our Swedish distributor BT Svenska AB, our best performing distributor in 2006.”
Germany orders 27 Edrive straddle carriers
STOCKHOLM, Sweden
Kalmar Industries has received orders for 27 of its seventh-generation straddle carriers from German terminal operators.
MSC Gate Bremerhaven GmbH & Co KG and North Sea Terminal Bremerhaven (NTB) GmbH & Co have ordered 10 and seven ESC440 W units respectively. HHLA’s Container Terminal Burchardkai GmbH (CTB), at the Port of Hamburg, ordered 10 ESC350 W units.
The orders, with undisclosed values, will be delivered by the northern summer of 2007. |
LOGISTEX is the only one fair of this kind in Poland
ADVERTISEMENT | Kolporter EXPO invites to the Logistics, Warehousing and Transport Exhibition LOGISTEX 2007, on 24-26 April 2007, EXPO Hall, Lodz – Poland.
Products and services will be offered by: - logistics companies, transport firms,
- producers of warehousing, transport equipment and machines,
- providers of transport, storage, and forwarding services,
- logistic and distribution centres,
- IT and telecommunications companies.
For more information please contact:
Ms Wioletta Błońska
phone +4832 78 87 506 fax +4832 78 87 503
e-mail: logistex@kolporter.com.pl, www.logistex.pl
|
Forklift carries split house before divorce
BERLIN, Germany | A forklift was used to pick up half a house after a German man decided to settle his imminent divorce by chainsawing the family home in two.
Reuters New reported police said the 43-year-old trained mason measured the single-storey house, which was about eight metres long and six metres wide, before chainsawing through the wooden roof and walls.
The police spokesman said: “The man said he was just taking his due but I don’t think his wife was too pleased.”
|
Fully integrated RFID forklift now on sale
MELBOURNE, VIC, Australia | Peacock Bros, Intermec Inc, Alpha Warehouse Solutions and Cascade Australia have completed construction of what the partners say is Australia’s first fully integrated radio frequency identification (RFID) forklift.
Intermec supplied the RFID equipment; Peacock Bros was responsible for installation, software, customisation and assembly; Alpha provided the forklift; and Cascade supplied the backrests.
Craig McKenzie, Peacock Bros marketing coordinator, said the RFID units would retail for about AUD20,000, including programming, and could be fitted to new forklifts pre-delivery or to “any normal forklift”.
“It is based on a prototype developed by Intermec Inc (Forkliftaction.com News http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.asp?nwid=3850). It has wireless internet and Bluetooth capabilities or data can be uploaded through batching; a physical update,” he said.
The RFID readers and antennas were pre-mounted in backrests and hard-wired to CV30 computer terminals in forklift cabins. The readers captured information on RFID Gen 2-tagged boxes, pallets and products.
The computer terminal was wirelessly connected to central inventory and management systems to enable data sharing between warehouse floors and main office computers.
McKenzie said preliminary tests showed the system could process RFID-tagged items three times faster than conventional barcoded systems.
The fully integrated RFID forklift was “the missing link” in RFID technology because it meant drivers did not have to leave forklift cabins to scan boxes by hand.
“You don’t even need to have line of sight with the barcodes. It can read codes even if they are hidden in a stack of boxes and can identify multiple tags. The beam you get on a hand-held scanner is nothing like the beam you get on this unit,” he said.
Middleware software meant the RFID units could translate forklifts’ native computer language to warehouse systems, so it was not necessary to upgrade full computer systems.
The RFID forklift will be on show at the Wireless World exhibition in Sydney this month and the Matex exhibition, in Melbourne, in May.
McKenzie said Peacock Bros had several major transport companies interested in the technology, but no sales had been made yet. |
RFID showcased in Sydney warehouse
SYDNEY, NSW | IT services company LogicaCMG has transformed its Lane Cove, Sydney, warehouse into an RFID Innovation Warehouse to showcase RFID technology and LogicaCMG’s services.
Craig Lennard, LogicaCMG industry distribution and transport managing director, said the warehouse had been RFID enabled with forklift, hand-held and fixed-mount readers to demonstrate the benefits of RFID technology.
The warehouse gave LogicaCMG the opportunity to market itself as an end-to-end IT solutions provider and raise awareness of its services to attract clients.
Lennard said the warehouse was similar to LogicaCMG’s Netherlands warehouse and was established in partnership with GS1 Australia, Sybase, Intermec Inc and Alien.
GS1 allocated numbers and bar codes, and IT technology companies Sybase, Intermec Inc and Alien Technology provided RFID equipment and software.
Demonstration scenarios included automatic consignment receipting and label production; end-to-end location tracking; automated tracking and validation with third-party suppliers; and hand-held asset tag administration and identification.
Lennard would not say how much the warehouse upgrade cost, but said “several large Australian retailers” had already arranged to visit the warehouse. |
WorkChoices “biggest threat since asbestos”
MELBOURNE, VIC, Australia | WorkChoices poses the “biggest threat to the safety of Australian workers since asbestos”, says Kevin Jones, Safety Institute of Australia, Victorian vice president.
He said stress-related injuries were rising because of the “flexibility” of WorkChoices that allowed workers to forgo leave entitlements and work longer hours.
“WorkChoices is opening a Pandora’s box of new health problems stemming from stress and high workloads. It’s the greatest threat to workers’ health since asbestos because it harms people from all walks of life in such an insidious way; millions of Australians will suffer its potentially devastating effects,” he said.
Jones had no data to support his claim that stress and fatigue-related injuries were rising, but said that was because insufficient research had been done.
“WorkChoices has only been in 12 months, but industrial relations reforms have been happening for years. [SIA] believes the linkage” between stress-related injuries and workers’ compensation claims “is there”, he said.
A spokesperson for Federal Employment & Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey rejected Jones’s comments. “Asbestos killed a bunch of people ... the suggestion that WorkChoices is akin to that is puerile.”
He said companies should not encourage employees to work when they were tired because fatigue posed an obvious workplace risk.
Occupational health & safety (OHS) had “nothing to do with WorkChoices legislation” because it was not governed by federal laws. “It’s very hard to have a sensible debate with anyone who makes a statement that is so stupid. Obviously a 38-hour week is protected under WorkChoices and, regardless of that, OHS is run by the states,” he said. |
| Briefs | Manitou partnership provides finance
SYDNEY, Australia
Manitou Australia has partnered with Capital Finance to provide finance packages for its clients under the brand Manitou Finance.
Manitou Finance will support Manitou Australia’s independent dealer network, which includes more than 30 dealers in the agriculture and industry sectors.
Tieman Industries restructures management
MELBOURNE, VIC, Australia
Tieman Industries, an Australian materials handling and dock safety product manufacturer, has restructured its executive management group.
Founder Neil Tieman is chairman and directors Colin and Dale Tieman are now joint managing directors.
Marcel Wynn, general manager, sales & service, and Jack Parr, general manager, operations, are new appointments. |
| Sample of used equipment for sale: | Search 9104 listings in the Marketplace |
| OM |
D30 |
2008 |
China |
USD 6500 |
Details |
| OM |
D30 |
2006 |
China |
USD 6500 |
Details |
| Hyster |
H32.00F |
- |
Australia |
AUD 269500 |
Details |
| Kalmar |
DCD80-6 |
2002 |
Poland |
EUR 0 |
Details |
| RMF Maxein |
KSL85D |
> 25 years |
Poland |
EUR 0 |
Details |
| Toyota |
52-8FDF25 |
2008 |
Belgium |
EUR 0 |
Details |
| Komatsu |
FD30T-16 |
2006 |
Malaysia |
0 |
Details |
| Linde |
H320D-DEMO |
2010 |
Australia |
EUR 0 |
Details |
| Toyota |
7FB20 |
2001 |
Malaysia |
0 |
Details |
| Fantuzzi |
CS45ks |
2003 |
Canada |
USD 110000 |
Details |
| CVS-Ferrari |
F378.5 |
2003 |
Germany |
EUR 130000 |
Details |
| Linde |
E20L386 |
2008 |
Germany |
EUR 16900 |
Details |
| Caterpillar |
EP25KPAC |
2006 |
Netherlands |
EUR 0 |
Details |
| Jungheinrich |
KE16-66 |
2004 |
Czech Republic |
EUR 4800 |
Details |
and thousands more...
Click here to include your used forklifts, stackers, telehandlers, container handlers, attachments etc.
|
LOCAL STORIES
Fully integrated RFID forklift now on sale
MELBOURNE, VIC, Australia | Peacock Bros, Intermec Inc, Alpha Warehouse Solutions and Cascade Australia have completed construction of what the partners say is Australia’s first fully integrated radio frequency identification (RFID) forklift.
Intermec supplied the RFID equipment; Peacock Bros was responsible for installation, software, customisation and assembly; Alpha provided the forklift; and Cascade supplied the backrests.
Craig McKenzie, Peacock Bros marketing coordinator, said the RFID units would retail for about AUD20,000, including programming, and could be fitted to new forklifts pre-delivery or to “any normal forklift”.
“It is based on a prototype developed by Intermec Inc (Forkliftaction.com News http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.asp?nwid=3850). It has wireless internet and Bluetooth capabilities or data can be uploaded through batching; a physical update,” he said.
The RFID readers and antennas were pre-mounted in backrests and hard-wired to CV30 computer terminals in forklift cabins. The readers captured information on RFID Gen 2-tagged boxes, pallets and products.
The computer terminal was wirelessly connected to central inventory and management systems to enable data sharing between warehouse floors and main office computers.
McKenzie said preliminary tests showed the system could process RFID-tagged items three times faster than conventional barcoded systems.
The fully integrated RFID forklift was “the missing link” in RFID technology because it meant drivers did not have to leave forklift cabins to scan boxes by hand.
“You don’t even need to have line of sight with the barcodes. It can read codes even if they are hidden in a stack of boxes and can identify multiple tags. The beam you get on a hand-held scanner is nothing like the beam you get on this unit,” he said.
Middleware software meant the RFID units could translate forklifts’ native computer language to warehouse systems, so it was not necessary to upgrade full computer systems.
The RFID forklift will be on show at the Wireless World exhibition in Sydney this month and the Matex exhibition, in Melbourne, in May.
McKenzie said Peacock Bros had several major transport companies interested in the technology, but no sales had been made yet. |
RFID showcased in Sydney warehouse
SYDNEY, NSW | IT services company LogicaCMG has transformed its Lane Cove, Sydney, warehouse into an RFID Innovation Warehouse to showcase RFID technology and LogicaCMG’s services.
Craig Lennard, LogicaCMG industry distribution and transport managing director, said the warehouse had been RFID enabled with forklift, hand-held and fixed-mount readers to demonstrate the benefits of RFID technology.
The warehouse gave LogicaCMG the opportunity to market itself as an end-to-end IT solutions provider and raise awareness of its services to attract clients.
Lennard said the warehouse was similar to LogicaCMG’s Netherlands warehouse and was established in partnership with GS1 Australia, Sybase, Intermec Inc and Alien.
GS1 allocated numbers and bar codes, and IT technology companies Sybase, Intermec Inc and Alien Technology provided RFID equipment and software.
Demonstration scenarios included automatic consignment receipting and label production; end-to-end location tracking; automated tracking and validation with third-party suppliers; and hand-held asset tag administration and identification.
Lennard would not say how much the warehouse upgrade cost, but said “several large Australian retailers” had already arranged to visit the warehouse. |
WorkChoices “biggest threat since asbestos”
MELBOURNE, VIC, Australia | WorkChoices poses the “biggest threat to the safety of Australian workers since asbestos”, says Kevin Jones, Safety Institute of Australia, Victorian vice president.
He said stress-related injuries were rising because of the “flexibility” of WorkChoices that allowed workers to forgo leave entitlements and work longer hours.
“WorkChoices is opening a Pandora’s box of new health problems stemming from stress and high workloads. It’s the greatest threat to workers’ health since asbestos because it harms people from all walks of life in such an insidious way; millions of Australians will suffer its potentially devastating effects,” he said.
Jones had no data to support his claim that stress and fatigue-related injuries were rising, but said that was because insufficient research had been done.
“WorkChoices has only been in 12 months, but industrial relations reforms have been happening for years. [SIA] believes the linkage” between stress-related injuries and workers’ compensation claims “is there”, he said.
A spokesperson for Federal Employment & Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey rejected Jones’s comments. “Asbestos killed a bunch of people ... the suggestion that WorkChoices is akin to that is puerile.”
He said companies should not encourage employees to work when they were tired because fatigue posed an obvious workplace risk.
Occupational health & safety (OHS) had “nothing to do with WorkChoices legislation” because it was not governed by federal laws. “It’s very hard to have a sensible debate with anyone who makes a statement that is so stupid. Obviously a 38-hour week is protected under WorkChoices and, regardless of that, OHS is run by the states,” he said. |
| Briefs | Manitou partnership provides finance
SYDNEY, Australia
Manitou Australia has partnered with Capital Finance to provide finance packages for its clients under the brand Manitou Finance.
Manitou Finance will support Manitou Australia’s independent dealer network, which includes more than 30 dealers in the agriculture and industry sectors.
Tieman Industries restructures management
MELBOURNE, VIC, Australia
Tieman Industries, an Australian materials handling and dock safety product manufacturer, has restructured its executive management group.
Founder Neil Tieman is chairman and directors Colin and Dale Tieman are now joint managing directors.
Marcel Wynn, general manager, sales & service, and Jack Parr, general manager, operations, are new appointments. |
MEDIA RELEASES
PRODUCT WATCH
SAFETY FIRST
INDUSTRY PROFILE
|
|
