An artist's impression of the Wuxi plant.

Italian forklift attachment maker Bolzoni Group is investing USD25 million in a new plant in Wuxi, China.

Company spokesman Carlo Fallarini tells Forkliftaction.com News that the Wuxi plant is "not directly related to the joint venture with Huaxin, but is instead a totally Bolzoni-driven project".

"The new plant will incorporate the existing Bolzoni Auramo plant in Shanghai," Fallarini explains. "The Chinese market is the world's biggest forklift market and the attachment market has huge potential for the future. Wuxi is a perfect location for a forklift attachment manufacturing plant."

Bolzoni entered the Chinese forklift attachment market in 2005 with Bolzoni Auramo (Shanghai) Forklift Truck Attachment Co Ltd, a joint venture with its Chinese distributor, Tiger Group. This year, it formed a second joint venture to give it a foothold in the Chinese forks market. Bolzoni Huaxin, a joint venture with Hebei Jing County Huaxin Forks Co Ltd, will have a 10,000 sqm (107,639 sqft.) plant operational in 2012 (Forkliftaction.com News #509).

Wuxi is about 160 km (99 mi.) from the main industrial area of Shanghai. It has lower land and construction costs compared to the Shanghai area. It also has well-educated technicians, favourable logistics and the presence of good suppliers.

The construction of the 14,000 sqm (150,695 sqft.) plant on a 45,000 sqm (484,376 sqft.) site started on 20 September. The Wuxi forklift attachment company, led by Emanuele Scotti, who has worked for the group since 2003, will employ 150 people.

Fallarini says the new plant will produce a wide range of products, and "especially top sellers in China like sideshifters, fork positioners, bale clamps, roll clamps, push-pulls".

Like the Shanghai plant, the new Wuxi plant will serve all Asian markets and, in some specific cases, other global markets.