Walkie specialist Big Joe Manufacturing Co, of Des Plaines, Illinois, has introduced electronic power steering on a new Power-Drive counterbalanced (PDC-E) series of forklifts.

It's a move the company says is possibly an industry first.

Big Joe Manufacturing decided two years ago to add electronic power steering and developed the technology in-house, in collaboration with key transmission and drive motor vendors.

"We determined the technology was viable" and that it could help walkie operators more efficiently manage heavy loads in small spaces, Andrew Cameron, Big Joe Manufacturing president, said. Beta testing began in August at several customer locations.

The technology was "relatively front running in this sector and type of truck" and a contrast from manual steering, Cameron said. He was unaware of any other standard production walkie counterbalanced forklifts with electronic power steering.

Big Joe fabricates, welds and assembles forklifts in Wisconsin Dells, with additional assembly at a Madison national parts distribution centre that opened in 2004. Big Joe's line of more than 250 models addresses walkie materials handling tasks with the PDC-E and other counterbalanced forklifts, in-between handling units, pallet trucks, reach trucks, stock selectors and straddle trucks.

The line includes units that are manually propelled and others that use Big Joe's proprietary Power-Drive propelling technology.

Other Big Joe counterbalanced forklift models, all with Power-Drive technology, are the PDC, with lifting capabilities of 1,500-4,000 pounds (675-1,800kg) and the PDCM, which has lifting capabilities of 2,000-2,500 pounds (900-1,125kg).