Heavy-duty equipment producer Hoist Liftruck Manufacturing Inc is focusing on production to meet accelerated delivery requests.

"We have a record backlog for big trucks", primarily for the energy, steel and automotive markets, says Marty Flaska, president.

"The business was dead three years ago, came back in 2010, doubled in 2011" and continues to grow, Flaska reports. He is wary of how Hoist will cope if demand from "construction starts to go again". Hoist does not disclose sales numbers.

Flaska notes that "delivery is out as much as a year" for a domestic competitor's 33,000 lb. (14,850 kg) -capacity pneumatic-tyred forklift. "That is the reality of what is happening" in the market.

Hoist has received a boost in market visibility, and management has shared perspectives on economic viability through a positive local media report.

Hoist Liftruck reinforced its "Pride in the USA" image as a manufacturer of equipment utilising the output of domestic US suppliers in a report on the CBS affiliate WBBM Newsradio outlet in Chicago on 27 February.

Hoist, in the Chicago suburb of Bedford Park, manufactures heavy-duty forklifts that range in lifting capacity from 15,000 lb. (6,750 kg) to more than 115,000 lb. (51,750 kg).

During February, Hoist completed delivery of four compact pneumatic-tyred model P360s, one each to Fort Sill, Fort Irwin, Fort Chaffee and Fort Sam Houston. Hoist was fulfilling a USD670,000 US Department of Defence contract for the western region of the US Army Reserve's mission and installation and contracting command in Seaside, California. A P360 has a basic 36,000 lb. (16,200 kg) capacity, AxleTech planetary drive axle and low-profile counterweight positioning.

Hoist has about 200 employees including eight in US field locations. In certain situations, Hoist ships kits of disassembled trucks to domestic and some foreign locations and has its staff assemble the forklift components at a customer's site.

Privately owned Hoist occupies 200,000 sqft. (18,000 sqm) but owns 28 acres with structures totaling 700,000 sqft. (63,000 sqm). "Most is rented" to other businesses, Flaska says.