Dear reader,
WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM,
MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE.
This is issue #83 - 14 November
2002 of the weekly newsletter for industry
professionals.
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Advertising with Forkliftaction.com has been
successful for many companies. Whether it is a fleet of
surplus forklifts that needs to be sold quickly, or a
long-term marketing campaign, Forkliftaction.com can tailor a
package to suit your budget and requirements.
This years
Argentinean economic crisis presented many difficulties for
business. Forklift dealer Vialven SA, stuck with a forklift
shipment it could not sell locally, turned to
Forkliftaction.com to find buyers offshore.
"Immediately I
thought about using Forkliftaction.com's reach to access
potential customers worldwide. We advertised these forklifts,
and immediately began receiving inquiries from interested
parties in many parts of the world," said operations manager
Ignacio Lastiri.
"Thank you, Forkliftaction.com for the
excellent service you provide to the forklift business around
the world."
For more information, contact Penryn Maddrell
on pm-marketing@forkliftaction.com.
Welcome
to our newest members, including those from the following
companies: Portman Equipment Company in the USA, IBL
Construction & Material Handling in Mauritius, JLG
International in the Netherlands, GES Insulations in Greece,
Big Bus Company in Australia, Movicargo in Portugal, Linde
Heavy Trucks in the United Kingdom and PT Nusa Pillar
Sejahtera in Indonesia.
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1.
CASCADE, BOEING OFFER SETTLEMENT IN PORTLAND
CONTAMINATION DISPUTE 
FAIRVIEW, United States
Cascade Corp
and Boeing Co have agreed to pay USD6.2 million to the
City of Portland, Oregon, to settle litigation arising
from groundwater contamination
allegations.
Portland had sought USD20.5 million
in damages in the US District Court, and Cascade and
Boeing offered a USD1 million settlement at the start of
the trial, which began on October 21. The joint
settlement, which is pending council approval, was
announced on November 6.
The dispute centred
around Cascade and Boeings Portland plants, which used
trichloroethylene to degrease industrial products. The
factories dumped chemical solvent onto the ground, which
had been permitted in the past.
Contamination of
groundwater under the properties was detected in 1986,
and became a critical issue during a drought in 1992.
Cascade and Boeing have spent USD50 million implementing
a rehabilitation plan over the last five
years.
The city, claiming lost water sales and
related expenses, sued Cascade and Boeing in 1999,
originally claiming up to USD32.5 million before the
claim was finalised. Cascade, which produces forklift
attachments, forks and accessories, said its portion of
the settlement was USD3.6 million. Insurance policies
covered a small portion of Cascades liability, a
statement said.
"Cascade's clean-up efforts to
date have been very successful, and we are well on track
to meet the long-range schedule established in
cooperation with the [state Department of Environmental
Quality] for a complete and successful remediation,"
Cascade president Robert Warren said.
- Cascade website -
2.
RECORD PROFITS FOR FINNING
VANCOUVER, Canada
Finning
International has reported record profits for the third
quarter ended September 30.
Finning had a profit
of CAD35.6 million (USD22.6 million) on sales of
CAD790.9 million (USD501.1 million), compared to a
profit of CD29.9 million (USD18.9 million) on sales of
CD799.7 million (USD506.7 million) for the third quarter
of 2001.
Finning president Doug Whitehead said
the result was consistent with company
forecasts.
We were expecting revenues for the
year to be flat to slightly down, following a record
year in 2001 and an uncertain economic outlook for 2002,
but we would nonetheless deliver slightly higher
earnings, he said.
Mr Whitehead said the tower
crane business of Finnings Hewden Stuart subsidiary in
Scotland was sold to construction firm PC Harrington
Contractors Ltd in October. Hewden Stuart, which Finning
acquired in 2001, focuses on equipment
rental.
The Hewden Stuart unit acquired a
majority of the remaining assets of Maxxiom Ltd of
England on September 10 for CAD44 million (USD27.9
million). The purchase, which added 7200 units to Hewden
Stuarts fleet, followed the June 2001 purchase of
Maxxioms 640-unit fleet of forklifts and
telehandlers.
Finning sells, rents, finances and
supports Caterpillar equipment and engines, along with
complementary machinery, in Western Canada, the United
Kingdom and Chile.
- Finning website -
3.
GRIM OUTLOOK FOR THAI FORKLIFT INDUSTRY
BANGKOK, Thailand
The Thai
materials handling industry has not recovered from the
1997 financial crisis which crippled demand by 15
percent to 20 percent.
Caterpillar Thailand
managing director FC Ding Almazan told
Forkliftaction.com News that industry sales had dropped
from 6000 units in 1996 to only 800 units so far this
year. The industry was adopting a wait and see
attitude for 2003.
Caterpillar's materials
handling equipment sales had dropped from 2000 units in
1996 to about 300 units this year.
Negative
factors like a potential war in Iraq and meagre
government spending could further dampen the industry,
Mr Almazan said.
To complement Caterpillar's
revenues on forklifts and other materials handling
equipment, the company had expanded its rental stores in
Thailand and other Asian countries. Targets for the
outlets were small construction contractors.
4.
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interruption while maximising your risk
management;
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company approach, with special emphasis placed on
pedestrian safety;
~ We service the whole
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and assist with compliance issues;
FOR MORE
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email banyansa@chariot.net.au
or visit the S.A.F.E website: www.forkliftsafety.com.au.
5.
**FORK TALK** SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED FOR ANNUAL FORK LIFT
TRUCK AWARDS
LASHAM, United Kingdom
The Fork Lift
Truck Association (FLTA) has announced its shortlist for
the 2003 Archies, the annual awards for
excellence.
In the safety category, Atlets S3
stability support system, Lindes direct-drive
hydrostatic transmission as featured on the 39X, and
Toyotas manual handling campaign were
shortlisted.
In the environment category, BT
Rolatrucs water-based hydraulic system, Lindes
environment-friendly 39X, Nissans new Tri-Cat emissions
reduction system and Stills R60 Compact got those
companies into the finals.
Only two companies
made the ergonomics shortlist, Jungheinrichs ECE order
picker, nominated for its one-handed steering wheel, and
Stills SD Double-Decker, which offers an adjustment
range to suit up to 95 percent of all
physiques.
Innovation was the most fiercely
contested category. Atlets S3 stability support system
featured again, as did Lindes 39X for its new
suspension isolation system. The Still Optispeed speed
limiter and Toyotas Power Keep function also made it to
the finals.
FLTA chairman Brian Warbrick said the
nominees deserved credit for reaching the
finals.
They demonstrate our industrys
continuing drive to achieve excellence. Whoever steps
onto the stage at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on
February 8 to collect their Archie will be a worthy
winner, he said.
Fork Talk is a new
Forkliftaction.com News service available to non-profit
forklift and related industry bodies around the world.
If you would like to have your associations news
included in this column, email
news@forkliftaction.com.
- FLTA website -
6.
LOGIS-TECH 2002 A BIG HIT
CHIBA, Japan
Almost 300 exhibitors
displayed their wares at this years Logis-Tech Tokyo
2002 show, with the materials handling industry well
represented.
The October 15 to October 19 event
was held at the Makuhari Messe, a 45-minute train ride
from Tokyo. It was staged by the Japan Society of
Industrial Machinery Manufacturers, the Japan Industrial
Vehicles Association, the Japan Pallet Association, the
Japan Material Handling Association, the Japan Institute
of Logistics Systems and the Japan Management
Association.
Linde, Komatsu, Mitsubishi, Nichiyu,
Nissan, Sumitomo, Tailift, TCM and Toyota represented
the forklift industry, and Cascade and Kaup completed
the materials handling showcase.
7.
AWARD PAID OFF WITH FORKLIFT-LOAD OF
PENNIES
TRAVERSE CITY, United States
A man
who lost a small-claims lawsuit has had the last laugh
in paying the award.
Matthew Mokanyk used 185,387
pennies, boxed and shrink-wrapped, to pay a USD1853.87
award. Deliverers used a forklift to unload the 1036
pound (470 kilograms) pallet-load of pennies to
Powerhouse Gym owner Norm Schaub this week, an NBC
report said.
The award stems from a
landlord-tenant dispute Mr Mokanyks surveying company
had with Mr Schaub.
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