With the end of the year almost upon us, it's a good time to think back over the past 12 months - and plan for the next 12. A special report in the first edition of Forkliftaction.com news in 2008 will examine some of the hot issues for today and tomorrow. Interviews with industry leaders are currently under way, but we'd like to cast the net wider. Feel free to contribute to this preview of the challenges and opportunities for 2008 by sharing your predictions. We look forward to reading your comments in the Forum.
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I had dealings with a guy from Canada, his first name was Jerry. He was representing Lift Dynamics throughout the US through his own business and I was a dealer. A heck of a guy, lost touch when Lift Dynamics went to making military hardware instead of forklifts. Just wondering if you or anyone else on this site knows him and if he is still in business?
You are right. Actually the largest in Canada. When it came to training, they were not progressive. Different departments kept to their own. It seemed that nobody assisted anyone. Left amicably though. Clients called me up at home. Didn't care whom I worked for. They just wanted me. They offered to provide all the support I needed. And have been doing so for 7 years.
Taking for granted that you worked for some dealerships, why did you decide to go out on your own?
That is all I need to know. Just wanted to get an idea as to what forklift action you're in to. My sig says it all...a **** good trainer, offering the most intense and creative training, at very affordable pricing. Yes, I run my own business, and it has one employee...ME!
If I tell you that my identity will become known to my coworkers, which I don't want to happen. I will tell you this, I have been in the forklift industry for about 15 to 20 years which is about 1/2 my life. I had my own business, worked for some small businesses and worked for some very big businesses. I have done everything from parts, taxes, accounting, new and used sales, shop tech and road tech, management and even branch manager at one of the smaller businesses that I worked. I currently am working as a road tech for a multiple dealership. I enjoy the forklift industry and I'm not sure that I would be happier doing anything else.
Question for Batman...
What do you do in the forklift industry?
Dan m, Canada does have oil, and lots and lots of it. Unfortunately, it is what is called "Sandy Oil" which means the oil is mixed with a whole bunch of sand. Compared to regular light sweet crude Canadian sandy oil sells for about 1/3 of the price, great! Guess what? The oil companies don't want to touch it because it takes more money to refine. Here is the bottom line: The entire world wants stuff cheap, and powerful, wealthy people and corporations want more money and power. We can buy sandy oil for $35 per barrel but after refining it still costs about $3.50 at the tank and the refiners don't make as much money. Sandy oil will never be a sought after commodity until after the entire world goes to war over light sweet crude. O, almost forgot, there is also that big ball in the sky that produces FREE energy but nobody wants to take the time and money to figure out a good way to capture and convert it.
i think the problem is exactly that. the people we elect pay absolutley no attention to what the people want. they all have their own agenda which is corruption based. who ever gives the most money wins. Canada has been the best partner to us. unfortunatly we have leaders that don't have a clue. they would rather court a government that does nothing to stop the exodus of their people.
I found it odd, or maybe I shouldn't, that Bush has been dancing with the Mexicans throughout his entire term in office. The first time he was elected, he courted Fox, and not the Prime Minister of Canada. This was highly unusual as the PM of Canada has always been the first head of state to meet with the new president.
Bush has allowed, and even considering to legalize, Mexican immigrants jumping the fence into the US. I know many Americans are conerned about this, but one does not have to be a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Bush was governor of Texas (borders the Mexican border), has a ranch in Crawford Texas, near the Mexican border, and allows member of Mexican gangs to infiltrate, illegally, the American borders. It appears that Bush has a soft spot for the Mexicans, or should I say, Mexican oil, to go against the will of the American people.
Canada is just a country to the north. Nevermind that we are the US's largest traing partner, and largest supplier of natural gas and oil. However, we do have oil, and lots of it. And it really surprises me that he is not courting the Canadian government as eagerly as he does with the Mexicans. (any Mexicans on this site, don't get me wrong. You have a beautiful country with beautiful beaches/palm trees, sandy beaches, oh wait, I was just looking out my window and dreamin', sorry).
All I'm saying is that if Clinton, or Guiliani gets in, they probably won't court the Mexican government as eagerly as Mr. Bush. So if some project connects Mexico City through Kansas to Winnipeg, I believe that is what Bush would want in his legacy.
Okay, back to shovelling snow.........
This message is for all of those readers that don't belive our borders are open and will remain so. Batman you should look up information on the Interstae 69 project. This is very real and already funded. I would like to point out 2 other issues to verify this is happening. In October of 2006 the mexican government awarded a contract to build the largest port facility in North America just north of Gaudalajara. Pardon the spelling. Kansas city southern railway also purchased all the Mexican railroads in that same month. If you look at the I-69 project it makes perfect sense why this occured. Kansas City will be the intermodal hub. Look at the partnership agreements signed in the last 12 months for the other railroads. Norfolk Southern, CSX, and Union Pacific to be exact. Even the oralcle of Omaha has bought it to this ideaology with increased stakes in the rail industry. Global economy. Globalism. You have to look no further than your nighlty news programs for confirmation. Eairlier this year former Mexican president Fox was on several news talk shows speaking of the process already in place to make us The United States of CanMexico. I am not sure if this can be stopped or if it should be. We have to look no furhter than Washington to point fingers and it really boils down to informing yourself if you want to make a change. Vote and don't let the media tell you what the issues of concern should be. Immigration is just one factor in the equation. Large corporations the major factors. Who really controls the policies of our government. "Of the People by the People".
i also believe that this country is headed in the wrong direction. with all the legislation to take more and more rights away from us and the governments need to protect us from ourselves, we have become what we have fought against since the 1700's. A socialist country heading towards communism. as far as amesty for illegals, i'm sure the government looks at it this way. if the give amnesty to all 13 million here illegally they will have 13 million more people paying into Social Security and 13 million paying taxes to fund the "take over the world" philosophy that we have decided to adopt.
I am so inspired by the stuff some of you have written. It is so true, that if you believe in something, you need to start petittioning your government. Have a say, and vote or it will only get worse. People need to give back to the community to.
Hot topic.
ann h, I can tell you this, Crown is very strong in the US. The only reason I want to see a Crown IC truck is to complicate the situation for the Crown dealers who have multiple dealerships. I'm not sure when Crown will introduce an IC truck but talking to some Crown dealers I think next year is not a stretch. We'll have to wait and see what happens.
Batman,
What do you know about the Crown's IC product and the dealership structure in the US... what's happening there? Can you give more information?
Thanks.
batman you are partially right. Voting will help a bit but what also needs to be done is to communicate to your represetnative and senators your views on key issues. This can be done quite easy via the internet via e-mails.
If you believe strongly about any thing never give up.
I've been reading reviews on this site and notice that most people on this site pretty much feel the same way. America/Canada is messed up and needs to be fixed, so how do we get retarded judges and politicians in office all the time. We need to get out and vote. I see too many people who have the same ideas as me just forget about voting because they feel it is of no use anymore. The country is wrecked and their is nothing I can do about it. We need to talk to as many people as possible and get them to vote so we can start to turn the tide on the downfall of our great nations. Only then will this spiral downward turn around.
The reason why we don't have enough qualified technicians, or plumbers, or electricians or auto mechanics is because the North Amrican psyche is based on hi-tech. Everyone is into computers, software telecommunications and other electrnic gadgetry. So the kids are enrolling into the electronics field and not into the blue collar jobs. Again, we are getting away from the blue collar jobs, and aiming for the office/white collar positions. The manufacturing jobs have disappeared, again because of WALMART, and kids to day would rather tap at the keyboard then do hands-on work. The Chinese have no problems getting thier hands dirty where North American kids want to stay squeaky clean. And if it is not hi-tech, then it is the financial areas. Go out and get those MBAs, and then wait a week to get your Porsche serviced at the dealership.
Just finished a 12 hour day training 8 individuals. 6 have never driven a forklift, and the other two were okay. I don't know too many trainers working until 8PM on a Saturday, and going back on the Sunday to tutor the six. And most people in todays economic climate are more intersted in partying instead of doing what is necessary to educate others, who may be less fortunate, in order to better their lifestyle. Everybody is out for themselves, and very concerned with their vacations and free time away from work. With that type of attitude, no wonder this continent is going into the dumps.
The major problem with the education system today is that you can't fire a teacher if they can't do their job. If a teacher is horrible at their job they just keep teaching. Why? The teacher's union is one of the strongest unions in the US. The teachers keep getting more and more with absolutely no accountability. Don't get me wrong, I want the best teachers for my children, but if they can't do their job please fire them. Just about any other person in the world that does not do their job correctly gets fired. There was a time and place for unions but today they are tearing down the US and are just shelters for the lazy and stupid.
China may be making forklifts cheaper but they still need fixing. Untill their price is so low that they are throwaway models, someone still has to fix them. Maybe our education system needs a major shakeup. We don't have enough qualified techs. now. I don't see many new young people that have the basic education to even begin as an apprentice. Most young people today do not have the skill sets or the work ethics to become skilled technicians. I hate that term. We still are mechanics on lift trucks. It is a machine that requires mechanical repairs from time to time. Thus MECHANIC.
Anyway. What is being done to improve the education in the US and Canada? What can be done? The average graduate from high school doesn't know basic physical science. Why? The schools today can't even be trusted to teach accurate history. They don't bother to teach that water expands when frozen, etc., etc.
We are being flim flamed by a bunch of jerks calling themselves scientists, that the earth is going to end because of mans influence with gobal warming. I agree with our Canadian friends to the north. When I can swim in my pool year round. I might think they have something. Otherwize why spend the eneryg worrying about something that isn't going to happen. Don't forget these people have all gone thru the present school system. I think something is twisted in the education system.
I have nothing against teachers. My folks were both teachers, and they cringed at the way the system had turned in the last 25 years.
Fix the education system, or let China take over everything. We can become the third world, poor, uneducated and exploited country many of our leaders want us to be.
mtnmn, I don't know where you get your information but there is no PPS agreement and definately no "super highway" linking Mexico to Canada. There are alot of Bush bashers out there but most of them lack facts to back up their claims. If you have actual facts to back up this info please share them.
I will tell you this: There has not been a president, democrat or republican that is willing to do anything about the illegal immigration problem. Why? 13 million illegal immigrants means 13 million votes. Yes, that's right, Clinton signed a bill allowing people to vote without showing proof that they are legal citizens. On the other hand Bush wants to grant amnesty to all illegals living in the US. Both parties want votes, plain and simple but I don't think anybody would create a super highway linking all three countries.
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