Freddy Brown

Forklift pioneer Freddy Brown passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 16, with his wife at his side, after fighting a brave battle against Alzheimer's disease.

Brown is best known as the founder of Translift.

He pioneered the design and manufacturing of man-rising narrow-aisle forklifts before moving on to design the current Bendi range.

Brown built the company into a global leader which was awarded the Queen's Award for Innovation in 1993.

Freddy retired from the business in 2008, and his son, Simon Brown, continues to lead Translift.

Messages of condolence on the company's Facebook page recall Bendi's early years and Brown's innovation.

"He was a pioneer and will be sadly missed," says one friend, while another describes Brown as "a great man lost to such a terrible disease".

Forkliftaction News recounted Brown's achievements in a profile published in 2009.