Dear reader,
WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM,
MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE.
This is issue #133 - 10 November
2003 of the weekly newsletter for industry
professionals.
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This week Forkliftaction.com
has revised specifications in the Equipment Catalogue for Hoist and Kalmar
forklifts, and attachments manufactured by Meyer. If you deal
with these brands, please check our entries and contact Rodger
Lamb if changes are required.
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1.
JUNGHEINRICH TO CLOSE MIC SA 
HAMBURG, Germany
Jungheinrich AG
intends to close its troubled MIC SA division in France
next year, potentially affecting 375
employees.
MIC SA, which makes hand pallet
trucks, had been affected by the "increasing dominance"
of Asian competitors.
"The fundamental changes in
the world market for hand pallet trucks have led to
declining levels of incoming orders and to losses at MIC
SA as a result of the increasing dominance of Asian
producers with the associated enormous pressure on
prices," Jungheinrich's third quarter report
said.
"The worsened and still worsening parameter
conditions in the market and the financial position of
MIC SA mean it is no longer possible to continue
operation of the company without taking further
substantial financial resources (from) the
group."
In the report, released last week,
Jungheinrich said it "stood its ground" in the third
quarter despite difficult economic conditions. It
reported improved returns on sales and higher net
income.
The company achieved sales of EUR370
million (USD446 million) in the third quarter, up 2.8%
on the EUR360 million (USD414 million) posted for the
same quarter in 2002. The result put sales at EUR1.086
billion (USD1.249 billion) for the nine months to
September 30.
Incoming orders finished at EUR349
million (USD402 million), down from the EUR357 million
(USD410 million) posted last year. Net income rose 26.5%
from EUR10.2 million (USD11.9 million) to EUR12.9
million (USD15 million).
- Jungheinrich
website -
2.
MCFA GAINS WITH LEAN PRODUCTION SYSTEM
HOUSTON, TX, United
States
Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc
(MCFA) has announced major improvements at its Houston
manufacturing site, which makes Mitsubishi and Cat
forklifts.
For the 18 months ended September 30,
the "Mitsubishi Caterpillar Production System" reduced
the head count by 18%, increased capacity 36%, pared 35%
off production hours per truck and cut warranty costs by
60%. MCFA would not disclose actual figures nor
implementation costs.
"As with any idea, the
first step is to get acceptance from the people who will
use its methodologies," Joseph Hibdon, manufacturing
vice president, said. "We are past that stage and well
on our way to achieving our targets."
MCFA
adopted the operating philosophy early last year, aiming
to add customer value and cope with the weak economy.
Some MCFA employees helped establish the system, which
targets seven potential wastes: over-production,
waiting, transport, extra processing, inventory, motion
and defect. No outside suppliers were hired.
The
principal challenge was gaining confidence the system
would bring results and teaching all to use it in daily
operations. Executives and managers now routinely record
observations and data on business scorecards, and MCFA
verifies the results through payroll, quality and budget
systems.
By the end of 2004, MCFA intends to
fully implement the philosophy for manufacturing, the
company said. Implementation for MCFA administration,
distribution and strategic sourcing divisions is
planned, and the goal is to apply the system to sister
operations in Japan and Europe.
The concepts drew
on those of Henry Ford and numerous lean systems such as
Six Sigma, the theory of constraint, total productive
maintenance and total quality management.
MCFA
said it sought to transition to a demand-based pull
system from a forecast-based push system in planning for
market uncertainties.
The joint venture opened in
1992, employs more than 800 in Houston and has 105
Mitsubishi and 97 Caterpillar dealers in more than 600
locations in the USA, Canada and Latin America.
- MCFA website -
3.
**FORK TALK** THE BIGGEST SAFETY ADVANCE IN
YEARS
LONDON, United Kingdom
The UK
materials handling industry has unveiled a definitive
new national scheme for safety examination of forklifts,
a moved hailed as the industry's biggest safety advance
in many years.
Under the Lifting Operations &
Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER 98) and the
Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
(PUWER 98), thorough examination (TE) is an at least
12-monthly safety inspection for all forklifts operating
in UK.
Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CTFS), a
joint venture between the Fork Lift Truck Association
(FLTA) and the British Industrial Truck Association
(BITA), would administer the program, a statement
said.
Click here for more detailed
information. 
4.
**ADVERTISEMENT** 15-DEGREE PIVOT SWIVEL NOW AVAILABLE
FOR FORKLIFT AND UTILITY SEATS!
The Huddle Group, Ft Wayne, Indiana,
USA, has introduced a retrofitable pivot call the
"U-Turn".
Universal--Fits most seat/truck
combinations
Full 15 degree pivot
Choice--"Both Way" or "One Way" pivot
Fits between
seat and deck
Low profile--only adds 5/8" to
height
Durable, heavy duty construction
Affordable
Huddle Group also has a "Rebound"
suspension unit (for WBV and low-frequency vibration)
and a full ergonomic seat incorporating both the U-Turn
and Rebound.
Contact: Huddle Group, +1-260-470-9838,
visit our website: www.huddlegroup.com, or email rovitt@huddlegroup.com
5.
**ADVERTISEMENT** CONTAINER HANDLING FORKLIFTS REDUCED
TO CLEAR
Caterpillar V900B - 2
available
Three-high stacking capacity
20-40ft top lift
Low mount air-conditioned
cabin
Full service history
Location:
USA
Hyster H44.00 C
Four-high lifting
capacity (96)
20-40ft top lift
Air-conditioned cabin with work lights
Recent full
refurbishment
Location: Australia
~ All machines
can be shipped to your closest port
~ Click here for
photographs
Machines must be sold!!
Call
or email us to discuss pricing.
EMAIL: jelliot@globequip.biz.
PHONE:
+61-7-3256-0666
FAX: +61-7-3256-1071
6.
MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT FOR BT-HUNGARY
BUDAPEST, Hungary
BT Industries'
Hungarian distributor, BT-Hungary, has won a HUF250
million (USD1.1 million) contract to supply electric and
gas-powered forklifts to Waberer's Group, a transport
company.
The tender, the second BT-Hungary has
won this year, was called by Waberer's to improve cargo
transportation at the company's logistics
centre.
No further details of the contract were
released by either company.
- BT-Hungary website -
7.
IN BRIEF...
ESPOO, Finland
Kone has sold its
forest machines business, Partek Forest, to Komatsu Ltd,
of Japan, for EUR120 million (USD138.8 million). The
purchase does not include Partek Forest's forest cranes
business.
Partek Forest's sales for the year ended
September 30 were EUR240 million (USD279.5 million).
Partek Forest employs 1,008 people, of whom 567 are in
Sweden, 225 in Brazil and 46 in
Finland.
FORKLIFT RODEO THIS MONTH
SALT
LAKE CITY, UT, USA - The Utah Manufacturers' Association
will hold its first forklift rodeo on November 22 at
Wheeler Machinery Co. Companies are invited to send
certified forklift operators to demonstrate their
driving skills on class 4 and class 5
forklifts.
Drivers will compete in timed obstacle
courses, trailer loading and unloading and stacking and
shelving pallets. The winner will receive USD500. The
second placegetter will receive USD200. For more
information or to register, call +1-801-363-3885 or
e-mail the UMA at uma@umaweb.org.
This
event is listed in Forkliftaction.com's Event Calendar.
Click here for our event
details
8.
FORKLIFT SPARKS CITY HALL BLAZE
SEATTLE, WA, United States
A
forklift has sparked a fire on the 11th floor of
Seattle's old Municipal Building, the second time the
building has caught fire in less than a
month.
Fire fighters extinguished the November 7
blaze quickly, and no one was injured, but the cause of
the fire had not been determined, according to an
Associated Press report.
The roof of the
building, which is being demolished, caught fire on
October 14 after workers used a cutting torch.
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9.
HY-MATE SEEKS EURO DEALERS
CHESTERFIELD,
United Kingdom
Hy-Mate Distributors (UK) Ltd, which
has enjoyed major success in the UK, is looking to
establish a European distributor network.
Using a
self-powered articulating jib, the Hy-Mate attaches to a
forklift to create a platform which can transport two
men up to 5.5m above the elevated forks. The Hy-Mate can
also manoeuvre to an outreach of 3.4m, allowing access
above machinery, racking or equipment.
Hy-Mate is
keen to hear from parties who wish to investigate
becoming an official distributor.
CONTACT
DETAILS
Tel: +44 (0)870 225 5554
Fax:
+44 (0)1246 206222
Website: www.liftme.com
e-mail: sales@hy-mate.com
Click here for the full text of this
release, including pictures.
10.
BOOM YEAR FOR HU-LIFT EQUIPMENT
WUXI,
China
HU-LIFT EQUIPMENT CO LTD, a leading Chinese
material handling equipment manufacturer, has increased
sales 38%.
HU-LIFT sold 135,580 hand pallet
trucks, 8,133 lift tables, 2,959 stackers and 41,352
hoists from Jan. to Oct., 2003. HU-LIFT's new products,
including a five-tonne pallet truck, a double-action
stacker, a mini-stacker and plastic dollies, have been
selling well.
HU-LIFT will open plants for pallet
trucks (45,000 square meters) and lift tables (25,000
square meters) next Jan., increasing Pallet truck
production capacity to 20,000 units per month and 1,800
units for lift tables.
Contact:
Mr. Dennis Hu
- President
Tel: +86-510-2305086
Fax:
+86-510-2841673
E-mail: hu-lift@wst.net.cn
Website:
www.hu-lift.com
Click here for the full text of this
release, including pictures.
11.
CHINESE CO SEEKS WESTERN PARTNERS
WEXFORD,
Ireland
Quality components at lower cost? Integrated
Quality Services (IQS) is the European representative
for Season Components, a Chinese company that makes
the following:
Wiring harnesses
Steel
moulds
Electronic assemblies
Plastic injected
moulded parts
Season has 1400 employees in China,
Malaysia and Canada, and is approved to ISO9001:2000.
They currently supply companies in Europe, the USA,
Canada, Asia, and Australia. Check out their websites:
www.seasoncom.com and www.moldandmolding.com.
IQS
also provides quality consultancy, quality training, sub
contract
quality work, and lean manufacturing
consultancy services. Contact us on
+353 53 40478,
E-mail: info@integratedqualityservices.com,
Web:
www.integratedqualityservices.com.
Click here for the full text of this
release, including picture.
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