Lift Tek's new plant

Lift Technologies, a global supplier of front-end equipment for forklifts and rough-terrain forklifts, has opened a new manufacturing plant in Indaiatuba, Brazil. The location is approximately 90 minutes from Sao Paulo and near many of the major forklift OEMs operating in Brazil. The 2,000 sqm plant is a new facility which is equipped with welding robots, a bending press, a waterjet burn table and a powder coat paint system. Modular tooling allows for flexibility in the manufacture of mast products. The plant is building complete masts and other front-end equipment for the materials handling industry as well as other weldments and components required in the local marketplace that will utilise the plant's expertise. "Lift Tek Brazil is manufacturing masts stamped 'Made in Brazil'", says CEO Konrad Ostmeier. "The savings to materials handling companies operating in Brazil are significant when the sourcing of some of the major portions of the lift truck can be localised. Speed to market is also another key advantage with the new Lift Tek plant so close to many of the major players in the lift truck market." Lift Technologies' global customers have operations in Brazil, so making the commitment to service them locally with a dedicated mast manufacturing plant was a natural extension of these existing long-term business relationships. While Ostmeier acknowledges conditions are currently challenging in the local marketplace, he also notes that "the long-term growth potential is significant once the market turns". Lift Technologies is part of the Calvi group of companies. Calvi, based in Merate, Italy, is a leading manufacturer of specialty steel profile sections used in the materials handling industry as well as a broad spectrum of other applications.