Forklift parts company Systems Material Handling (SMH) has opened a "university" to equip existing staff and train new members working in materials handling dealerships.

SMH vice president of sales and marketing Dirk von Holt came up with the idea after frequent visits to customers.

Marketing manager Jeannette Robinson says von Holt realised there was a lack of specific training for the materials handling industry.

"Dealerships needed a resource that not only offers additional training to existing staff but (also) to train new employees entering the industry."

The school, named "SMH University", is more like a training centre where students attend seminars at SMH facilities in Kansas and Illinois and are given certificates of completion at the end of each course.

Seminars are led by SMH employees and industry members with "many years of experience", Robinson says.

She adds that the school conducts one to two seminars a month and can cater for 1,000 students a year. Classes are held at the new SMH corporate headquarters in Olathe, Kansas built two years ago and at the training facilities of its Illinois office (Forkliftaction.com News #244)

The first program on "Electric Truck Training" that included forklift technicians from six companies was held over four days in September in Kansas. All of the technicians who attended graduated from the course, Robinson says.

SMH currently has three different programs targeted at forklift technicians, parts counter staff, parts managers, service managers, and sales managers.

The SMH University programs are:

* Electric Truck Training
Session 1: Industrial Electronics for Electric Vehicles
Session 2: Motor Controls in General & SCR Controls for Electric Vehicles
Session 3: "Hands-on" Troubleshooting SCR & Transistor Motor Controls
Session 4: AC Transistor Control Systems & Troubleshooting

* Spectrum Series II Fuel Management
Explanation of new legislation and regulations governing engine emissions as adopted by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board.
Includes hand-on training on system components, operation and tools.
Attendees are shown diagnostics and display screens and plug into a live running spectrum engine as part of a hands-on session.

* Train the Trainer
Training on how to train other employees and customers more efficiently.
Includes in-depth training on SMH's IRMN 5.1 online parts ordering program.