Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks UK's new general manager Terry Foreman

This year's Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) Lifetime Achievement Award winner will head Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks' new company.

Terry Foreman, 58, has been appointed general manager of Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks UK, which will be based at Swallowfield, Reading, UK.

The company was established to support and manage development of Mitsubishi's UK dealer network. (Forkliftaction.com News #203).

Foreman was managing director of Linde Material Handling South East, based in Surrey, UK, before announcing his retirement after a 35-year career in the industry.

When asked how Mitsubishi managed to persuade Foreman to quit retirement, a company spokesman said Foreman had long admired the Mitsubishi product and could not resist the challenge to develop a more efficient UK operation.

For his first 27 years in the industry, Foreman worked with Hyster Europe where he was eventually sales & marketing director.

He developed the company's distribution channels throughout Europe and had a leading role in opening Middle East and African markets.

After Hyster, he was managing director with Boss UK, Jungheinrich UK and Linde Material Handling South East.

Foreman was active in the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA), serving a term as president. He also initiated discussions between BITA and FLTA, which led to the co-operation that now exists between the two. He served terms as president of the British Materials Handling Federation (BMHF) and vice president of the Fédération Européenne de la Manutention (FEM).

FLTA president Brian Warbrick said of Foreman at the annual awards for excellence: "We suspect this keen walker and sportsman is far too fit and active to resist the temptation of further involvement in the industry ... whichever companies or organisations gain the benefit of his future input will be fortunate indeed."