A unit of electronic speed controller firm Zapi SpA is moving to larger quarters in Garner, North Carolina, 22 miles (35 km) from its previous location in Cary.

The company has a major presence in the market for battery-powered forklifts.

The Zapi Inc full-service sales and support unit for the North American market leased 19,700 square feet (1,773 sqm) of space in the White Oak Business Park in Garner and expects by 1 June to relocate from a Cary facility occupying about one-half as much space.

Both Garner and Cary are in the Raleigh metropolitan area.

Chris Murphy has served as Zapi Inc president since September 2007 and was North American sales manager from 2005-2007. He joined Zapi in 2001.

Zapi Inc distributes Zapi, Zivan and Best Motor products in North America, manages warranty and repair work from North Carolina and can provide value-added subassembly functions to combine a motor controller with other electrical components into a mounted panel.

Giannino Zanichelli founded Zapi SpA in Poviglio, Italy in 1975. The firm became a significant provider in Europe of control systems for electronic vehicles and, in 1998, established Zapi Inc for the North American market.