Dear reader,
WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM,
MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE.
This is issue #155 - 29 April
2004 of the weekly newsletter for industry
professionals.
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1.
LONG LOAD SOLUTIONS: PART TWO - CURRENT
DEVELOPMENTS 
NEW YORK, NY, United States
If
you're one of the thousands of forklift professionals
who read Forkliftaction.com's first feature on long-load
solutions (Forkliftaction.com News #153), you'll
know the side-loading forklift is not a new development
in the materials handling world. While such companies as
Taylor, Raymond, Hubtex, Kalmar, Linde, Baumann and
Irion are household names for their "traditional"
side-loading forklifts, it's the new wave of robust,
paradigm-breaking, multi-directional side-loaders that
has the materials handling market, and forklift buyers,
talking.
2.
JAPAN FORKLIFT TRUCK EXPORTS UP 22.3% IN
MARCH
TOKYO, Japan
Japan exported 3,671
forklifts in March, up 22.3% year-on-year, according to
a survey by the Japan Industrial Vehicles Association
(JIVA).
Diesel-engine machine exports totalled
1,872 and gasoline-powered units came to 928. Domestic
forklift sales increased 9.9% to 8,081 units, of which
2,401 units were diesel-engined and 3,485 units were
electric. A total of 11,024 forklifts were manufactured
in Japan, up 10.3%, according to the Japanese News
Digest.
Exports of Japanese forklifts totalled
35,811 units in 2003, up 14.1% on 2002. Domestic
forklift sales were 68,449 units in 2003, up 3.9%.
- JIVA website -
3.
TICA AIMS FOR BIGGER SLICE OF AUSSIE PIE
SYDNEY, Australia
Toyota Industries
Corporation Australia (TICA) is aiming for a 30% share
of the Australian forklift market in the next five
years.
According to Australian Industrial Truck
Association (AITA) sales figures, Toyota was Australia's
number one counterbalance forklift supplier for 2003,
with sales of 1,900 units. That gave Toyota the
counterbalance market lead for a record 17th consecutive
year.
TICA executive vice-president Steve Harper
said Toyota's forecasted growth was based on its
products and a strong dealer network.
"Clients
are demanding solutions that meet modern materials
handling needs, ensuring the highest levels of safety,
reliability, performance and productivity," he
said.
The first Toyota forklift was manufactured
in 1956 and sales in Australia began in 1968.
Australia's total forklift sales have now passed 38,000
machines a year.
Toyota Motor Corporation
Australia sold its industrial equipment business to
Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) in June
2003.
As a result of the sale, TICA was
established to distribute and sell TICO equipment.
Toyota forklifts are now manufactured in Japan, the USA,
France and China.
- TICA website
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4.
**ADVERTISEMENT** TRANS PAN PACIFIC 2004 KOREA
EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE
Following the successful Trans Pan
Pacific 2003 Australia Exhibition & Conference (180
delegates from 17 countries) hosted by Port of Melbourne
Corporation, the 2nd Trans Pan Pacific Korea Exhibition
& Conference takes place in Busan, Korea on June
29-30 at the Paradise Hotel & Casino Busan - one of
only two Korean 5-star hotels in The Leading Hotels
of The World.
A two-day exhibition will present
30 ports, container terminals, container handling
equipment manufacturers, intermodal transport services
providers and event sponsors.
For details contact
Jane Loh on jane@transportevents.com, by phone on
+60-3-8023-5352, or visit www.transportevents.com.
5.
SAFETY FIRST: DAVID HOOVER
NEWARK, OH, United States
One of the
most challenging issues companies face with forklift
safety is the safe operation checklist. Contrary to
popular belief, OSHA does not require the checks
to be made in writing and has stated that on its
website. Even so, from a functional and legal
standpoint, it is wise to document everything, including
these inspections. How can you prove you are doing them
if there is nothing in your files?
6.
**FORK TALK** FORKLIFT INDUSTRY ADOPTS CODE OF
CONDUCT
CANBERRA, Australia
The Australian
Industrial Truck Association (AITA), Australia's peak
forklift industry body, has adopted a code of
conduct.
AITA president Paul Bennett, of BT
Lifttrucks Pty Ltd, said adopting the code was part of a
long-term program to lift safety awareness in the
forklift industry and among users of materials handling
equipment.
"Adoption and observance of the code
of conduct will enhance responsibility by all AITA
members for safe practice and demonstrate to our
customers that the industry is serious about safety," he
said.
AITA has worked with occupational health
and safety authorities, particularly Worksafe Victoria,
in developing safer attitudes and practices. AITA member
participation at safety seminars and programs had been
strong, Mr Bennett said.
Mr Bennett was
re-elected as president at the AITA's annual general
meeting. Brian Hoare (Crown Equipment Pty Ltd) was
elected deputy president and Mark Fritzen (NACCO
Materials Handling Group) continues as chairman of the
AITA's engineering committee.
7.
TOYOTA RECOGNISES TOP DEALERS
IRVINE, CA, United States
Toyota
Material Handling USA Inc (TMHU) has crowned the 2003
winners of its President's Award for excellence in
operations and service.
TMHU acknowledged the
winners at its spring regional dealer advisory council
meeting in Dallas, Texas.
The 2003 winners
are:
Vann Williford, of Atlantic Coast Toyotalift,
High Point, NC
Al Rawson, of Atlas Toyota Material
Handling, Schiller Park, IL
Pat Stemper, of Badger
Material Handling, New Berlin, WI
Kal Anglewicz, of
DMH Toyota-Lift, Holland, OH
Jeff Fischer, of
Florida Lift Systems Inc, Orlando, FL
Stuart
Thompson, of Garrison Service Company, Nashville,
TN
Brian Hull, of Hull Lift Truck Inc, Elkhart,
IN
Kevin Horak, of Hupp ToyotaLift, Cedar Rapids,
IA
Don Herman, of LIFT Inc, Lancaster, PA
Mary
Madland, of Madland Toyota-Lift Inc, Bakersfield,
CA
Bill Skinner, of ProLift Industrial Equipment
Co, LLC, Louisville, KY
Jim Shoppa, of Shoppa's
Material Handling Ltd, Fort Worth, TX
Steve Thorne,
of Southeast Industrial Equipment Inc, Charlotte,
NC
Joe Quinto, of Toyota-Lift of Los Angeles, Santa
Fe Springs, CA
Richard Andres, of Toyota Material
Handling Northern California, Hayward, CA
Scott
Plummer, of WD Mathews Machinery Co, Auburn, ME
- Toyota website -
8.
**ADVERTISEMENT** NEXEN: MANUFACTURING PARTNERS
WANTED
Nexen is now looking for partners to
manufacture future models, following the success of the
Nexen brand since its launch,. The company is planning a
seven or eight-tonne machine and also a rough-terrain
forklift.
IMHX 2004 was Nexen's first major
exhibition, and the company and its products were met
with great enthusiasm.
Director Pam Oakes said: "We
are very pleased with the enquiries we received, not
only from the UK, but a lot of overseas companies
interested in becoming dealers."
FOR MORE
INFORMATION:
Phone: +44 1502 532211
Fax: +44 1502
508273
Email: info@nexengroup.co.uk
Website: www.nexengroup.co.uk
9.
SOUTH OF THE BORDER: ROLF SLOBOTZKY
MEXICO CITY, Mexico
At a convention,
I presented a questionnaire to forklift dealers, the
results of which were designed to determine the
"perfect" forklift dealer.
According to responses
from attendees, the following are the attributes of the
Utopian forklift dealer:
Sells, rents and leases
new forklifts
Sells and rents used forklifts
Provides preventive maintenance
Repairs in his own
and at customers' facilities
Repairs electrics and
ICE forklifts
Sells new engines
Repairs or
overhauls engines
Sells parts over the counter
Delivers parts to end users
Sells accessories
Sells and rents hand pallet trucks
Sells and rents
electric walkies
Sells tyres
Has a hydraulic
press for tyre mounting
Sells LPG conversion
kits
Provides an exchange program for electronic
cards
Sells industrial batteries and chargers
Sells attachments
Installs and repairs
attachments
Sells pallets
Sells forks
Provides operator training
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Contact Rolf -
10.
BE-FLEET ENHANCES ONLINE SYSTEM
DALLAS, TX, United States
BE-Fleet
has introduced new functions to enhance its web-based
fleet management system.
The system tracks
materials handling equipment and rolling stock's total
cost of ownership and operation, including utilisation,
preventive maintenance, tyres and repairs. The upgrades
allow web-based dispatching and recording of calls and
integration into accounts-payable systems. Vendors can
now collect invoices on service repairs to plant rolling
stock.
The fleet management system is unique in
the industry, providing paperless tracking, invoicing,
and dispatching, working with multiple locations and
service vendors, BE-Fleet said. BE-Fleet has
private-branded its fleet programs for customers to
allow seamless integration with their
processes.
Briggs Equipment, a subsidiary of
Sammons Corporation, formed BE-Fleet in April
2003.
BE-Fleet is also developing a new data
collection device to capture data on materials handling
equipment usage. The device can report hour meter
readings, send emails if collisions occur, and report
other metrics such as low oil pressure, low battery
water, and low engine coolant. The product, marketed as
Equipstar, will be available in 2005 for less than
USD500 and a monthly fee.
- Equipstar website -
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11.
PUT LONG LOADS IN THEIR PLACE, INDOORS AND OUT, WITH THE
4D MULTILOADER
BOLTON, Canada
Omega Lift Manufacturing has launched
its most versatile forklift: the 4D
MultiLoader.
The Omega Lift 4D Multiloader is a
four-way all-wheel drive, all-wheel steer, all-wheel
brake forklift that combiones a four-way reach truck, a
regular forklift and a sideloader.
The 4D
MultiLoader comes in capacities of 8,000/ 10,000/ and
12,000 pounds, with a Perkins diesel, GM gas, or GM LPG
engine. Many masts are available, and load bed sizes
range from 36 to 60 inches. Super elastic tires are
standard.
More information?
In the US, call
1-800-927-0385
In South America, call
1-800-927-0385
In Canada, call
1-866-857-6456
Website: www.omegalift4dml.com
Click here for the full text of this
release, including pictures.
12.
LASER FLOOR GRINDING SPEEDS IKEA
DELIVERIES
The Concrete Grinding Group has
brought significant efficiency increases at an Ikea
distribution centre in Spain.
The 75,000sqm building
includes a 20,000sqm area should have been laid to DIN
15185 floor flatness standards, but a profileograph
survey found the floor did not meet the
standard.
Using two LaserGrinder machines, Concrete
Grinding formed 380mm-wide wheel tracks in each of the
24 126-metre-long aisles. Vacuums on the machines
minimised dust so the warehouse operate
normally.
For more information,
contact:
Concrete Grinding Group
Tel: 01484
600085
Fax: 01484 600095
Email: info@concrete-grinding.com
Web: www.concrete-grinding.com
Click here for the full text of this
release, including pictures.
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17.
8,000LB FORKLIFT
State Of California, United
States
Closing: 06 May 2004 2:00pm - Contract: SOL
#53171
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