A Tianjin forklift.

TJ Forklift Corporation is likely to be the first Tian Jin forklift importer in Europe, says company spokesman Ronald Opdam.

Next month, the first Tian Jin two-ton diesel forklift will arrive in Almere, the Netherlands, from China.

"We will assess and test the forklift to see if it fulfils our requirements and expectations," Opdam said. "Then there could be a phase in which modifications are applied to make the forklift suitable for the European market.

"But nothing is official yet," he said.

The company is so confident of the quality of the forklifts that its website already features the entire range of Tian Jin forklifts for possible distribution. The website features the tagline: "European quality - Chinese price."

Opdam said Tian Jin forklifts were popular with the Chinese army, which ordered 100 units last year.