It's probably not that love is in the air, but there seems to be lots of 'mating' in the forklift market at the moment. This week we again report on some acquisitions in various markets, while we are also aware of some smaller corporate buy-outs either under way or about to happen. It seems that the prospect of tough times ahead together with some good-value purchase opportunities are driving the forklift industry the way of airlines, automotive manufacturing and a range of other industries - towards rationalisation. While competition is a great thing, there's a lot to be said for the critical mass that comes from consolidation - and especially with the Chinese manufacturers flexing their muscle, smaller players need to think carefully about their future.