A number of significant forklift companies are expected to sign up as sponsors of the US Open Forklift Rodeo & Safety Expo.

Organiser Dick Higgins of The Higgins Group has confirmed that Springfield/Clark County Safety Council, Forkliftaction.com, KMH Systems/Yale and his own company have signed up as 'Gold Nugget' sponsors.

Cascade Corp is a 'Silver Spur' sponsor, while Keytroller, EnerSys, Reiter Dairy and Sweet Manufacturing of Springfield are confirmed as 'Tin Star' supporters.

Already eight teams have signed up for the event, and Higgins is getting significant enquiries each week.

Confirmed participants at this stage include DSW Shoes from Columbus, Ohio; Pepsi Cola (winner of the Chesapeake Region Forklift Rodeo); local firms Sweet Mfg and Kreider Corp; Kraft Foods Global, from Jacksonville, Florida; and SafeMov/Invergo from Lisbon Portugal.

The 2009 US Open Rodeo will be held at the Clark County Fairgrounds on October 30 and 31 and more information can be found on the event website.