WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM, MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE.
This is issue #45 - 21 February 2002 of your personal newsletter.
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The independent, global newsletter for industry professionals.
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News story #3 this week details materials-handling company Airtrax's latest market win. The US Navy contract is a high-profile deal for Airtrax, which could lead to more government contracts. The picture accompanying this story shows the remarkable ATX-3000 Sidewinder. Click on the picture on the home page www.forkliftaction.com for an enlarged look at this exciting machine.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
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1.TEREX FILLS MARINES ORDER FOR RUGGED FORKLIFT
2.ICTSI TO BUILD MANILA CONTAINER PARK
3.AIRTRAX AND GENERAL DYNAMICS WIN NAVAL CONTRACT
4.**ADVERTISEMENT** STOCK SURPLUS SPARKS DRASTIC PRICE CUTS
5.NACCO DENIES SYDNEY MOVE
6.CAT LAUNCHES SMART FORKLIFTS
1.TEREX FILLS MARINES ORDER FOR RUGGED FORKLIFT
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WESTPORT, United States Terex Corp will start shipping a military version of its TX51-19 telehandler to the US Marine Corps this year, as part of a 573-unit, USD30 million contract won in July 2000.
Full production of the rugged TX51-19M began last October, and all machines should be delivered by year-end, Terex project manager Howard Lyndon told Yahoo News.
Terex submitted a TX51-19M in June 2000, a TX51-19 modified at the TerexLift facility in Italy, and a contract for 573 vehicles was signed in July. For more than a year, the Marines put four of the vehicles through rigorous testing, moving more than 300,000 tonnes of material.
Terex raised the TX51-19's frame, engine mount and operator cab to achieve the necessary water-fording height, and fitted larger, all-terrain wheels and tyres. The original Perkins 700 Series, 63-horsepower engine was upgraded to 80-horsepower. Modifications increased weight from 4.3 tonnes to 6.1 tonnes.
Further modifications were made during testing, including eliminating hydraulic leaks, reducing complexity, cost and assembly time and increasing dependability, serviceability, and circuit life.
"The Marines were looking for a replacement to a mast-type forklift they had used for more than 10 years," Mr Lyndon said. "The machine was not meeting reliability requirements, and they were in the market for a new machine."
Website: http://www.terex.com
http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.asp?nwid=298
2.ICTSI TO BUILD MANILA CONTAINER PARK
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MANILA, Philippines International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) is investing 150 million pesos (USD2.9 million) to build an empty container depot and buy Kalmar container handlers.
ICTSI spokesman Narlene Soriano said the company had already ordered the Kalmar equipment, which includes a sidelifter. Other equipment includes prime movers and trailers.
Ms Soriano said the depot would be built at the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) ahead of an anticipated increase in demand for empty container storage as the Philippine economy recovers. When completed in June, the depot will have room for 9184 TEUs, stacked eight high.
MICT general manager Francis Andrews said productivity at the MICT had already improved, increasing from 23.98 moves an hour last November to 26.26 moves an hour in December.
Image courtesy of: http://www.freeimages.co.uk
http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.asp?nwid=299
3.AIRTRAX AND GENERAL DYNAMICS WIN NAVAL CONTRACT
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HAMMONTON, United States Materials handling company Airtrax Inc has won a development contract from the US Office of Naval Research under the navy's future naval capabilities program.
The contract, with base and option periods, is worth about USD3.3 million, of which Airtrax expects to receive USD755,000.
Airtrax will partner with General Dynamics Armament Systems to develop a concept for an omni-directional, materials-handling robot that can move cargo from around ships with minimal human oversight. Airtrax's omni-directional vehicle technology is the platform for the system.
Airtrax defence services division vice-president and director Barney Harris said "this brings Airtrax another step closer to supplying the navy with omni-directional shipboard materials-handling products".
Airtrax is already developing materials-handling machines that incorporate omni-directional technology. The company is in final development of its ATX series omni-directional forklifts.
To visit website: http://www.airtrax.com
http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.asp?nwid=300
4.**ADVERTISEMENT** STOCK SURPLUS SPARKS DRASTIC PRICE CUTS
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BRISBANE, Australia To go directly to our discount price list: http://www. forkliftaction.com/sponsor/QFS/QFSpage.htm
QFS Australia, which has the widest range of forklift spare parts in the southern hemisphere, has drastically reduced its prices, due to over-stocking in some lines.
QFS, one of the world's leading parts suppliers, specialises in parts for major Japanese brands, including Nissan, Komatsu, TCM, Toyota and Mitsubishi, and Hyster/Yale. QFS is a significant exporter of parts, with customers worldwide including Intrupa, TVH, Komatsu, Nacco and Sumitomo, among others.
This is a great opportunity to save money on OEM and after-market forklift spares.
Click here to go directly to the QFS price list: http://www.forkliftaction.com/sponsor/QFS/QFSpage.htm
http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.asp?nwid=301
5.NACCO DENIES SYDNEY MOVE
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MAYFIELD HEIGHTS, United States Nacco Industries has rejected reports that its materials handling division will move its south-east Asian headquarters from Sydney, Australia, to Shanghai, China.
Nacco investor relations manager Ira Gamm said Nacco Materials Handling Group planned to increase its investment in Shanghai, but "there was never any mention or agreement by Nacco officials to move its regional headquarters".
Nacco chief executive Alfred Rankin and other company officials met government officials in Shanghai this month, but the future of the Sydney operation was not discussed, Ms Gamm said.
Website: http://www.nacco.com
http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.asp?nwid=302
6.CAT LAUNCHES SMART FORKLIFTS
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HOUSTON, United States Cat Lift Trucks has introduced a new range of 1.5-tonne to three-tonne capacity cushion-tyre electric forklifts, with Cat's regenerative braking system and transistorised drive controller.
The hydraulic system of the EC15K - EC30K models uses a valve which improves battery shift life through flow control and an inlet compensator which returns unused hydraulic fluid at lower pressure.
Regenerative braking is standard in this forklift family, and is automatically engaged when the accelerator pedal is released, reducing maintenance and increasing efficiency, Cat Lift Truck said in a statement.
An optional LCD display shows battery state of charge, error codes and truck status, and can be used to change forklift performance and report the time and date of faults.
http://www.forkliftaction.com/news/newsdisplay.asp?nwid=303
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