A rare PEG electric three-wheeler

Alex Moreno, Rocla France country manager, is on the lookout for a Still Esslingen SE10, a Still R09 and an R50. No, Moreno is not indulging in industrial espionage. He's simply keen to add to his growing fleet of forklifts, which at last count had reached 457.

Like many in the industry, Moreno collects model forklifts, a passion which began with his first job for a Hyster dealer in 1990.

Besides the 1/25 scale Stills on his wish list, Moreno is also on the hunt for old Toyota models, a green 7FBE15, the two new orange Doosan models and a Jungheinrich ERE.

Moreno's Fenwick Major

These will join some rare models like a Fenwick Major, Clark C500 and seven of the 10 limited edition 1990 Myron pewter series.

"I am still looking for three," he says, explaining that the Geveke company offered a set of 10 items to their customers and today they are very rare.

Other treasures include a PEG electric three-wheeler, one of only 200 made of the products of the French company which disappeared more than two decades ago. With a price tag of EUR120, this is Moreno's most expensive model.

Moreno is very vocal about his hobby and mentions it to everyone he meets.
"When I meet someone, immediately I tell him that I am a collector. So I have lot of contacts - friends, competitors, retired salesmen," he says.

The hard-to-find Clark C500

This network ensures plenty of offers of free models, but the Forkliftaction.com forum has also been an invaluable source, allowing him to swap and trade with collectors around Europe and from Japan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and the USA.

While some people dismiss his obsession as a childish pastime, Moreno says things change when he starts explaining his collection.

"When I talk about my passion, all my knowlege about the forklift companies' histories, and they see pictures or the models at home, it becomes different. Afterwards, they talk about my collection and try to get some new models for me. It is very funny," he says.

Anyone interested in finding out more about Moreno's collection or able to help him source rare models will find him on the Forkliftaction.com Forums.