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 |  |  | | |  The Caption Competition Is Back!
Forkliftaction.com’s caption competition, one of the most popular initiatives among members, returns this week to the Forkliftaction.com Discussion Forums.
Click here to get started. Have a look at the funny photo, supplied by Ky Luc Company in Vietnam, put on your thinking cap and post your funny caption using the forum.
How funny can YOU be?
The funniest caption will be judged by you, the readers, and will be announced in the forum and in the newsletter.
Have fun!
CORRECTION: An article in Forkliftaction.com News #179 contained incorrect information about the activities of Enersys Australia and First National Battery Pty Ltd. The corrected article can be seen here. Forkliftaction.com News apologises for the error. |
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SPECIAL FEATURE: Machinery Storage & Transportation
For many forklift end-users, buying a machine is a fairly straightforward process: contact a dealer, negotiate a price, arrange financing and receive the goods. For dealers and manufacturers, there are many more steps in the process, not the least of which is product delivery. This month DAMIEN TOMLINSON looks at the transportation and storage of materials handling machinery. This week his first feature highlights the transportation of forklifts – how new machines get from A to B. The second part of this special report, to be published on November 18, will provide expert commentary and practical tips on how to store materials handling equipment. Read more |  |
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Doosan is preferred bidder for Daewoo Heavy
SEOUL, Korea, South
The South Korean Public Fund Oversight Committee (PFOC) has chosen Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co Ltd as its preferred bidder for a 51 per cent controlling stake in Daewoo Heavy Industries & Machinery Co.
The committee told Xinhua News it planned to conclude sale talks within a month. If the talks collapse, talks would begin with Hyosung Corporation, the second highest bidder.
The PFOC said Korea Asset Management Corp (KAMCO), which is arranging the sale of the machinery maker, would give Doosan Heavy exclusive rights to engage in talks with KAMCO for one month over the terms of the sale of the company.
The PFOC is reported as saying: “We selected Doosan Heavy as the preferred bidder after assessing prices and other bidding terms proposed by seven bidders”.
Bidding prices were not revealed.
Daewoo Heavy reported sales of 2.3 trln won (USD2 billion) in sales in 2003, and accounts for 42 per cent of the South Korean heavy equipment market. Daewoo Heavy separated from former Daewoo Heavy Industries Co Ltd in 2000 following the collapse of the Daewoo Group.
Sources at Daewoo would not comment on the bidding process.
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Still acquires Stocka
STOCKAMÖLLAN, Sweden
German company Still GmbH has taken over 100 per cent of Swedish company Stocka Industries AB, one of the world’s oldest niche materials handling equipment makers.
The company will become a Swedish subsidiary of Still and will be based in Stockamöllan, north of Malmö in southern Sweden.
Stocka has been a Still dealer since 1997, and Still bought a 25 per cent minority stake in the company in 2001. Stocka manufactures Scancab cabins for Still’s electric R 60 forklift.
Stocka last year reported turnover of about EUR12.3 million (USD15.7 million), of which Still products account for 35 per cent.
General manager Göran Sjöberg will lead the new subsidiary company, and a Still statement said the Stocka acquisition was “a strategic step with excellent business opportunities”. Stocka’s clients include such companies as Volvo Truck, Saab Automobile, Tetra Pak and IKEA.
Stocka Industries was founded in 1906. By 1918, manufacturing of the first hand pallet trucks began and in 1950 the program was extended to forklift trucks.
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JCB fits over 2000 Plantguard immobilisers
DEANSGATE, United Kingdom
JCB has now sold more than 2000 machines incorporating its Plantguard Immobilser – introduced in 2003 to clamp down on the multimillion-dollar annual theft of materials handling machines.
The sales milestone coincides with the launch of JCB’s ‘Plant Security’ logo which can now be fitted to machines which meet the Plant Theft Action Group’s (PTAG) recommendations on combating plant theft. The introduction of the logo was one of the key matters discussed at the Vehicle Crime Conference 2004 , which was held at JCB’s World Headquarters last week.
When the new logo is used at specific plant sites it demonstrates that the recommended security measures are in place. It is a further step towards the prevention of theft which now costs the UK an estimated GBP100m (USD184 million) each year.
PTAG chairman Kevin Clancy said: “We were delighted when JCB put our recommendations into practice and developed the Plantguard Immobiliser. Its value is clearly demonstrated by the number of plant users who have already specified it on their new machines. These products, along with the adoption of deterrents such as the Plant Security logo, are essential if the industry is to combat the ongoing problem of plant theft.”
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ITA raises bar with high-profile meeting
MIAMI, FL, United States
Forkliftaction.com News reporter in the US, Roger Renstrom, reports on the 2004 annual meeting of the Industrial Truck Association (ITA). Roger reports that delegates were in agreement that the meeting had reached new plateaus in breadth and depth of information.
“We’ve never had a program like this before,” said Dirk von Holt, ITA president. “The bar has been raised significantly.” More than 280 delegates from nine countries attended the meeting, held October 23-26 in Miami.
John Henshaw, US assistant secretary of labour for occupational safety and health, gave the keynote address, and, among others, Su En Yi, managing director of the China Industrial Truck Association (CITA), participated in a discussion about the lift truck market in China.
Benoit Passard, vice president of marketing and communication for Kalmar Industries AB of Stockholm, Sweden, made a presentation on behalf of the recently formed Port Equipment Manufacturers Association (PEMA).
An October survey of ITA regular members projected 2004 industry growth of more than 17 per cent in the US, Canada and Mexico. The largest percentage increases were forecast for narrow aisle trucks and hand trucks, both using electric motors.
Within the US market, Mr von Holt projected annual growth averaging 6 per cent over the next six years and leading to the sale of 225,000 trucks by 2010. “The next peak will be higher than the last,” he said. The industry sold 191,000 units in the US in 2000 and is bouncing back from the 2002 low of 132,000 trucks.
Mr von Holt noted the importance of emerging technologies such as alternative fuels, hydraulic-free operations and nanotechnology and miniaturisation. Fuel cell powered lift trucks may arrive in two to five years, according to 40 per cent of the ITA supplier group members responding to a survey.
Mr Von Holt said he’d altered his perspective on the lift truck industry. He said that years ago, “I personally thought … that forklift trucks are a mature industry, but that has changed. As long as there is a pallet or a similar handling device, our industry has a lot of room for growth.”
Mr von Holt heads Jungheinrich Lift Truck and Multiton MIC Corp/Jungheinrich, both of Richmond, Virginia.
Growth is occurring in Europe with Germany driving “this positive trend together with France”, said Ambrogio Bollini, representing the Industrial Truck Division of the European Federation of Materials Handling (FEM). “Italy is facing some small recovery signs right now while the UK was really never deeply affected of any negative trend, perhaps because of not adopting the euro as currency.”
Mr Bollini, of Cesab Carrelli Elevatori of Bologna, Italy projected 2005 European industrial truck growth of about 8 per cent with higher rates of growth likely in countries with emerging economies and basic industrial and construction needs rather than “sophisticated logistic developments”, said Mr Bollini.
He noted FEM’s new structure as an incorporated non-profit association and cited “the continuous enlargement of the European community” as a driver for the status change.
Industrial truck sales in Japan increased 11 per cent from January through June, reported Takeo Shibuya, head of the Japan Industrial Vehicles Association (JIVA). An updated study projects slower growth in 2004’s second half with a year-to-year increase of 9 per cent versus 2003. Mr Shibuya is associated with Komatsu Forklift of Tokyo, Japan.
“This meeting was a living testimony to the times,” said William Montwieler, executive director of Washington, DC-based ITA. “Although there are various segments, there is only one worldwide market, and attendees here in Florida had a good look at it.”
- ITA website - | |
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**Exclusive**: From the ashes… Clark Europe v.2.0
DUISBURG, Germany
More than a year since it was shut down and its assets sold to FiLCO GmbH, Clark Europe is back in Germany, with fresh plans for growth and a renewed focus.
The company, formerly based in Mulheim, reopened on September 1 under the stewardship of managing director Egon Strehl. Strehl was formerly responsible for Clark Europe’s spare parts, and bankrolled by its South Korean parent, Young An Hat Co.
In an exclusive interview with Forkliftaction.com News Strehl said the goal of the new business was to “improve the old Clark”, with a focus on establishing a strong dealer network.
“Young An has a very realistic approach to our profitability targets. At this stage, every new forklift sold is a positive for us,” he said. “We hope to rapidly grow the network through quality dealers, and expect to sell between 2000-2300 forklifts next year.”
Strehl, who served Clark Europe for 20 years, joined Intrupa in the Netherlands following the insolvency, where he focused on providing Clark parts to European customers for 10 months. He also served with Toyota as a spare parts manager in Europe before he was approached with Clark’s plan in July.
“It was a turbulent time when the company was in trouble, but I was lucky enough to be able to work with some exciting companies and suffer little disruption,” he said.
Now that the company’s back in Europe, the number one priority was to build up the stock of trucks and spare parts to enhance the service and support provided to European customers.
Priority two for the new business, says Strehl, was to build a network of 12 exclusive dealerships around Germany.
“Germany is the focus at first, as the country was all but deserted by the old dealers when the company closed before,” he said.
Clark Europe would receive its forklift stock from Changwon, Korea, and had struck an agreement with a Spanish producer of electric forklifts, from 1.6-3.5 ton capacities , for re-badging and distribution as Clark models.
Strehl hopes to sell 5000 forklifts a year, the level Clark Europe previously reached, by 2010.
“The important message for the industry is that we’re back in business, and looking for quality dealers to grow our business,” he said.
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Mitsubishi Heavy incurs loss
TOKYO, Japan
The earnings of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd fell in the six months to September 30 as a stronger yen and rising steel prices put pressure on its profits.
The firm, which manufactures heavy machinery and equipment, including forklifts, said its interim group net loss widened to JPY21.53 billion (USD202.7 million) from JPY10.47 billion (USD98.6 million) at the same time last year.
On an operational level, the company recorded a JPY4.1 billion (USD38.6 million) loss, reversing last year’s profit of JPY10.51 billion (USD98.9 million). This was attributed to a stronger yen against the US dollar, as well as rising steel prices, all of which offset the firm’s sales.
For the full-year through to March 2005, Mitsubishi Heavy expected to book a JPY22.0 billion (USD207 million) net profit, according to a Dow Jones report.
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TNT takes award for forklift safety
MELBOURNE, Australia
The winner of Victoria, Australia’s Workplace Health & Safety Committee of the Year Award was TNT Express (Laverton site) for its focus on advanced occupational health and safety training and its review of depot forklift operations.
All companies and individuals who excelled in creating safer workplaces were recognised at the 2004 WorkSafe awards ceremony in Melbourne last month.
The awards were presented at a gala dinner hosted by WorkCover minister Rob Hulls and WorkSafe Victoria executive director John Merritt, an AAP report said.
Harry Lumanovski from Pilkington Australia’s Dandenong site and Tony Hicks from Murray Goulburn’s Cobram site were both awarded Health & Safety Representative of the Year awards.
Mr Hulls said the awards recognised “people with vision” who were prepared to “challenge assumptions”.
“It is all about recognising people and acknowledging that, no matter what the field or endeavour, progress only occurs through people who believe things can be done better,” Hulls said.
The WorkSafe Awards were launched 16 years ago to recognise individuals and companies creating safer working environments.
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No standard wedding for warehouse pair
CRANBURY, NJ, United States
The wedding altar was made of pallets stacked together, covered in white construction paper and packaging tape. To cap it all, the crooning of the wedding singer was accompanied by the steady beeping of a forklift.
Such was the wedding of Elizabeth Livingston and Luis Rosas, both employees of Alco Industries, in the company’s warehouse in Cranbury last week.
The couple had planned to get married next year in a church, but when Luis, a National Guardsman, was ordered to leave for an 18-month tour of Iraq, the couple decided to get married in a civil ceremony at city hall. But, according to the local Star-Ledger newspaper, their co-workers thought they deserved a more memorable celebration.
So, Alco employees got busy turning the shipping bay of the warehouse into an impromptu wedding hall. Singer Kenny Simmons, formerly with The Commodores, also came free – he happens to be the warehouse’s shipping manager.
“Every girl wants to have the dream wedding,” Elizabeth said. “This is as good as any dream wedding, because this has actually happened.”
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Expomanejo 2005 - Get involved!
Here is YOUR opportunity to participate in THE materials handling show of MEXICO in March 2005.The event will take place in Mexico City's brand new Santa Fe Exhibition Hall, covering 116,000 sq.ft (10,800sqm), of which 36,464 sq.ft. (3,392sqm) will be dedicated exclusively to exhibition booths.
For more info, visit our WEBsite - www.expomanejo.org.mx or email jpvazquez@expomanejp.org.mx. |  |
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Reach Stackers Priced To Clear
1998-1999 Terex TFC45 (Qty 3) & TFCH55 (Qty 1) Reach Stackers for sale:
• Stacks 5 high
• 20-40 spreader
• Cummins diesel engine
• Clark transmission,
• 5000-10000 hours
• FOB Jessup, Georgia, USA
• See photo
For more information, contact Jan Rodrigues at Leavitt Machinery & Rentals Inc.
For more information, contact Jan Rodrigues at Leavitt Machinery & Rentals Inc. | |
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Lisman Vorkheftrucks BV expands
Lisman Vorkheftrucks, Europe’s number 1 wholesaler of used forklifts and access equipment, is adding a second building to its existing 12,000 square meter facility.
The additional stockspace allows Lisman to not only increase their volume of stock but also their variety. Access equipment such as scissor lifts and telescopic and articulated booms are a more and more substantial element of Lisman’s product range. Also rough terrain forklifts and telescopics are a more dominant category of Lisman’s stock.
The new building will open next spring, so customers will be able to go forklift shopping in the old or the new warehouse. Lisman customers will have the best choice of a range of high quality used forkllifts and other equipment.
Lisman offers all its customers a warm welcome. Check our website (www.lisman.nl) or contact us on +31 30 68 84 884.
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R&R: Welcome Back Raz Jamal!
R&R Forklift is the newest forklift parts wholesaler in Canada. We supply parts to a range of end-users and dealers across Canada.
We would like to welcome Raz Jamal back to his previously-leased building. When Raz sold Jamsons Industrial to his partner, he moved to Cambridge and is now officially back at ‘63 McIntyre Place Unit 7’.
R&R Forklift offers the Canadian market the most competitive prices on aftermarket forklift parts and OEM brands including Linde, Hyster and Toyota.
Check out our website, where you can browse our wide parts selection.
For more information, click here to see our feature listing, or visit www.rrforklift.com
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ADVERTISEMENT
Full Container Forklift Wanted Late Model Used Machine
• Prefer Hyster
• Must be fork tyne machine
• Fitted with 20-40 tyne mounted toplift spreader
• Lift 3 high x 9’6” containers under twistlocks
• Any location welcome
Please send full specifications, photos, hours worked and contact details including phone numbers to:
Email: dan@globequip.biz
Fax: 61 7 3262 5855
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EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS LEVERAGE THE INTERNET
OAK BROOK, IL, United States
The internet is having a strong impact on the way the equipment distribution industry conducts business, according to Associated Equipment Distributors, Inc.
Manufacturers can easily upgrade their websites to allow the centralising of dealer resources and to provide current resource information securely on the internet.
Some key advantages according to AED:
• Keep dealer information organised and up-to-date;
• Eliminate time on the phone or fax machine sending or getting dealer information;
• Cut costs for printing and shipping sales and marketing information for dealers; and
• Save valuable hours on a wide range of tasks, thanks to an easy-to-use, point-and-click interface.
Within an optimised system, dealers can log in and access a number of value-added content areas around the clock. In addition to being able to update their own dealer profile, they can also retrieve service publications, service alerts, sales programs, sales materials, company news or even file warranty registrations and claims or part inquiries.
AED Web Services offers a module-based, custom web application that can help companies organise information distribution to dealers. Modules can be fully customised to meet specific business needs. Many of the modules include an administration and maintenance section designed to be modified and maintained by you the user, giving you the control to keep your content fresh.
“We help you review your dealer resource needs to customise a solution for your business. Once your needs are identified, you choose which modules are appropriate for your dealer resource operation,” says Rich Rosell, AED’s manager of internet services. “When it is implemented resources will always be available to you and your dealers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
For further information, give Rich a call at 800-388-0650 or send an email to rar@aednet.org or visit the AED Web Services homepage.
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1. NEW!!! DURASHIELD *OUTDOOR STORAGE* COVERS For Lift Trucks With RUST INTERCEPT Inhibitor
Just like our quality TUFF TRUK bags used for shipping protection, DURASHIELD *Outdoor Storage* Bags Will Keep Safe And Preserve Your Lift Trucks, Long-Term, Up To One Year!
DURASHIELD industrial shrinkwrap products come with a rust inhibitor as well as a UV inhibitor additive. These inhibitors prevent corrosion and the sun’s ultraviolet rays from damaging your equipment. Protect your rental fleet, used & refurbished trade-ins as well as new lift trucks that must be stored outdoors due to lack of warehouse space.
In addition to outdoor protection, our shrink bags are ideal for export shipping of new and used lift trucks. Salt...
CT PACKAGINGSYSTEMS, INC.
Phone: 1+ (203) 250-1100, In USA 1+800-421-7225
Fax: 1+ (203) 250-7700
Email: peter@ctpackagingsystems.com
Visit: www.shrinkfast.com/forklift
Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. | |
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