AUSA is confident of capitalising on renewed growth in the Japanese economy after a strong showing on the Japanese exhibition circuit this year.

TOYO, AUSA's distributor in Japan, has received solid interest in AUSA's four-wheel-drive CE 7 forklift.

AUSA export manager Claudio Hoyos said despite the large number of manufacturers in Japan, the Spanish company was "surprising all" with its results.

Mr Hoyos said rental companies and distributors had "shown a keen interest" in the forklift, and in AUSA's street sweeping machine. In response, AUSA's local personnel had embarked on an intense demonstration tour of the country.

TOYO general manager Ken Ohno said he was confident AUSA's Japanese presence would grow. The company's vehicles "have features better than those of even the best machines on the market in Japan".