As many as three dozen teams may compete in the 16th annual US Open Forklift Rodeo & Safety Expo on 29-30 October under sponsorship of the Springfield/Clark County Safety Council and Forkliftaction.com.
"Several companies are entering multiple teams" and additional entrants are expected to file forms to compete in Springfield, says Richard E Higgins, longtime event director. Higgins is a senior safety trainer and territory manager in the Springfield branch of Forklift Training Systems.
Kraft Foods Inc has entered five teams from operations in Jacksonville and Orlando, Florida; Manassas, Virginia; and Streetsboro and Coshocton, Ohio.
MillerCoors LLC has entered two teams from operations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Trenton, Ohio.
Five weeks in advance of the event, other official entrants, in alphabetical order, include:
Blue Line Foodservice Distribution, facility in Farmington Hills, Michigan
Cascade Corp, plant in Springfield
Concrete Sealants Inc, facility in Tipp City, Ohio
Dole Food Co Inc, fresh vegetables operation in Springfield
Honda of America Manufacturing Inc, assembly plant in Marysville, Ohio
Keystone Foods/M&M Restaurant Supply, location in Springfield
Konecranes Inc, facility in Springfield
KTH Parts Industries Inc, site in Saint Paris, Ohio
Material Distribution Services, site in Covington, Kentucky
NEX Transport Inc, site in East Liberty, Ohio
Sweet Manufacturing Co, facility in Springfield
Whirlpool Corp, facility in St Joseph, Michigan
Eric Zumbrin of KTH Parts Industries won both the overall rodeo championship and the masters division at the 2009 US Open Forklift Rodeo in Springfield.
Higgins was instrumental in 1995 in starting a local Springfield forklift rodeo that now functions as the US Open.