JLG Industries Inc has begun producing Sky Trak telehandlers at its facility in McConnellsburg.

JLG is moving the manufacturing operation from the OmniQuip facility in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

The first Sky Trak unit assembled in McConnellsburg was a Legacy Model 6036 telehandler with a lift capacity of 6,000 pounds (2.7 tonnes) and a maximum lift height of 36 feet (11 metres).

JLG acquired OmniQuip from Textron Inc on August 1, completed the last Sky Trak machine in Port Washington on September 17 and started production in McConnellsburg ahead of schedule on September 25.

"In less than two months, we have successfully completed the groundwork for additional assembly lines in our McConnellsburg facility," said Peter Bonafede, senior vice president of manufacturing.

"This puts us in a prime position to complete the transfer of telehandler production, including Sky Trak, Lull and military-specific models, from the Port Washington facility by the end of January 2004."

JLG chairman Bill Lasky said moving the operations would increase the McConnellsburg site's capacity utilisation to 63% from 50%. Initially, JLG anticipated the integration process would take 14 months.