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Send
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 |  |  | | |  Happy holidays from Forkliftaction.com!
Where did the year go?
For Forkliftaction.com, this year has been our biggest yet. Member numbers are growing faster than ever, and more and more people are referring to our website every day.
Our website is only successful because of the enthusiastic and continued support of you, our members. Thank you for helping us stay the world’s best materials handling address!
This is the last edition of Forkliftaction.com News for 2004. Look out for a special edition on January 1. We will return to our weekly schedule on January 13. Happy holidays! |
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**Exclusive** Daewoo ends year on a high
SEOUL, Korea, South
Daewoo’s factory shipments to the global market have increased by 15 per cent from 15,500 units to 17,500 units this year.
In the South Korean market, the company managed to maintain more than 50 per cent market share and achieved sales of more than 5,000 forklifts. This was a slight decrease from last year, blamed on a market slow-down.
Sales in overseas markets totalled 12,500 forklifts, a 25 per cent increase from last year.
Daewoo, in a statement to Forkliftaction.com News, said it had increased sales in the USA and western Europe by 10 to 20 per cent. The company also reported major improvements in the emerging markets of Russia, the Middle East and China.
“We have set up a new production base in China in this year and it has already produced and sold 1500 units. We also have had successful cooperation with Crown, selling over 1,200 units in Oceania,” the company said.
Daewoo is targeting a 14 per cent increase in sales next year, with 5500 units sold in the South Korean market and 14,500 units in overseas markets.
It also planned to introduce “completely new electric models” next year.
“We are sure that the new electric models will be interesting to customers who favour electric trucks and are sensitive about environmental-friendliness,” the company said.
Forkliftaction.com News will publish a special end-of-year report, including commentary from world leaders in the forklift and materials handling equipment market, on January 1. |  |
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SMH acquires Tiger Reach Industrial Products
OLATHE, KS, United States
Systems Material Handling Co (SMH) has acquired Tiger Reach Industrial Products of Anaheim, California, a distributor of imported forklift parts including Bosch, NGK, and GMB.
SMH would not reveal the purchase price, but said it would incorporate the Tiger Reach business and present it as part of SMH’s expanded line of products offered on its online Information Resource Management Network (IRMN) as well as in future editions of its TotalSource Master Catalog.
SMH domestic sales manager Cathy Diaz said Tiger Reach specialised in starters, alternators, filters and fuel systems.
“We are pleased to have acquired this product line and will continue to serve the former forklift dealers of Tiger Reach for their aftermarket forklift parts needs,” she said.
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Growth projected for US market
CLEVELAND, OH, United States
The US materials handling equipment market will increase 4.3 per cent each year through 2008, to USD20.4 billion, according to a new study by The Freedonia Group.
The report, “Material Handling Equipment & Systems”, says demand will be generated by technological innovations, which will result in equipment and services that are more productive, efficient, simpler and safer.
This was especially so for automated segments of the business, such as materials handling robots, automated guided vehicles and high-end services, the report said.
While conventional materials handling equipment would continue to make up the majority of the market, the most dynamic growth would be in the automated segment.
The report says the automated segment will see a 4.8 per cent annual growth, compared to the 4.2 per cent annual growth for conventional material handling equipment.
Demand for conventional materials handling equipment would reach USD14.4 billion in 2008. Forklifts and industrial lifts would exceed conveying equipment, hoists, cranes and monorails in market growth through to 2008.
Material Handling Equipment & Systems is available from The Freedonia Group. Visit www.freedoniagroup.com. | |
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STS order boosts Kalmar’s books
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands
Kalmar has received an order for five super post-Panamax ship-to-shore (STS) cranes from MSC Home Terminal, Antwerp, in addition to 10 cranes ordered last year.
The new order, due for delivery in 2006, was made in anticipation of future volume growth.
This latest order brings the number of STS cranes ordered from Kalmar to 33. Among the orders are eight cranes for PSA Antwerp, six for P&O Ports’ Antwerp Gateway, two for Rotterdam Shortsea Terminals and two for the Port of Guadeloupe.
Kalmar president Christer Granskog said the company’s order book was “looking impressive”.
“In order to be able to deliver this extremely high order backlog in a short timeframe our partnership with Hollandia – the Dutch steel structure manufacturer – is essential,” he said.
“It gives us the necessary upwards flexibility to meet this exceptionally high level of demand, but also gives us flexibility to adapt our capacity when the market returns to more normal levels.”
MSC Home Terminal is a joint venture between Mediterranean Shipping Company and Hesse-Noord Natie NV, a subsidiary of the PSA Group.
The first of the company’s 10 STS cranes ordered last year has recently entered commercial operations. A further three are on site, in various stages of assembly. | |
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Caption competition winner crowned!
Another one of Forkliftaction.com’s popular caption competitions has come and gone and after tallying up the votes, MichaelP from Nacco, USA, is the winner with his fantastic caption:
“Sideshift LEFT!!! No, YOUR Left!”
Well done, MichaelP!
Thanks to everyone who submitted their entries to this competition and to our friends at Ky Luc Co in Vietnam for supplying the photograph.
Special thanks also to those who contributed their nominations for the funniest caption.
Forkliftaction.com’s caption competition will return in the new year. If you have any funny forklift-related photographs, please send them to news@forkliftaction.com.
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ADVERTISEMENT
Attachment Wanted
We require a tyre handler attachment, with or without the associated forklift. The attachment must be capable of handling wheels/tyres to suit Caterpillar 789 and Euclid R190 dump trucks. Tyre diameter 3.4 metres (134 inches) and weight approximately 5000kgs (11,000 pounds).
Contact Dan Gearing
Ph: +61-7-3262-7461
Mobile: +61-421-698-689
Fax: +61-7-3256-1071
E-mail: dan@globequip.biz
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Mustang’s unveils new telescopic handlers
OWATONNA, MN, United States
Mustang Manufacturing Co has added two new telescopic handlers to its Value Series.
The new Mustang 642, which is replacing the 638, has an increased lift height from 38 feet (11.5 metres) to 42 feet (12.8 metres).
The 844, a new model, has a rated lift capacity of 8,000 pounds (3.62 tonnes) and a lift height of 44 feet (13.4 metres).
Both new models share boom designs with the larger Mustang Deluxe telehandler series.
Other new advances include pilot-operated joystick controls, a new tilt cylinder and an optional Work Platform System (WPS).
Mustang marketing manager Doug Snorek said the two-joystick design was optimised using computer simulation to improve ergonomics.
“We have upgraded our joystick operation to be like our popular 634 model,” he said.
“The Mustang 642 and 844 pilot-operated controls have one joystick for boom control, and another for frame levelling and attachment control.
“The previous model had three hydraulic controls, one for each of these functions.”
The new tilt cylinder would increase productivity, Snorek said. The patented WPS would enable the safe use of a personnel work platform attached to the forks. | |
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Forkliftaction.com confirms ProMat attendance!
CHICAGO, IL, United States
Forkliftaction.com’s Rodger Lamb (pictured online) will be representing our company at ProMat in Chicago, January 10-13.
He may be contacted through the kind folks at the CeMAT Hannover booth, number4735, or you may see him walking the aisles in Forkliftaction.com’s distinctive orange and black uniform. Some exhibitors and visitors will have met Rodger at IMHX in the UK and NA2004 in Cleveland this year.
Don’t hesitate to stop him and ask any questions you have about the Forkliftaction.com portal and its opportunities for your business, including our soon-to-be-released Marketplace, the online used equipment classifieds service. Or leave your card at the CeMAT booth and Rodger will give you a call.
If you would like to arrange a meeting, you can contact Rodger directly on his cell (mobile) phone: +61-419-535635, or by emailing rlamb@forkliftaction.com.
Rodger will also be staying in the Chicago area after ProMat to learn more about the materials handling industry in the area and to keep in contact with our US business associates.
Click the headline above to see a picture of Rodger online. | |
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In brief...
Steel prices affect Belgium
BRUSSELS, Belgium
Belgian forklift importers are including the rising cost of steel in their prices, says SIGMA, the representative body for Belgian forklift importers.
The first nine months of 2004 saw steel prices increase by 55 to 77 per cent.
Before this, SIGMA members and forklift manufacturers had accounted for the effects of rising costs in their long-term contracts.
But the contracts only gave notice of an average increase of four to six per cent annually, on top of inflation.
A SIGMA bulletin said: “The whole sector is influenced by this global phenomenon. There is little to no manoeuvring space for individual companies to go against it.”
Airtrax appoints Canadian distributor
HAMMONTON, NJ, United States
Airtrax has appointed The Vision Company as its exclusive Canadian distributor.
Under the terms of the five-year agreement, The Vision Company must buy at least 250 Airtrax units in 2005 to retain exclusive rights. The deal begins on January 1, 2005.
Airtrax chief executive Peter Amico said the partnership would give the company immediate access to the Canadian market.
“We believe this is another significant step towards building our global distribution network and the internationalisation of our sales process,” he said.
Child killed by forklift
ALEXANDRIA, LA, United States
An 18-month-old boy has died after a forklift accident at a warehouse in Alexandria, Los Angeles.
The Alexandria Daily Town Talk newspaper reported the child was left in an office but wandered into the warehouse unnoticed.
Police said the forklift driver claimed he did not see the boy. | |
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Movers & Shakers
Airtrax has appointed Fil Filipov to its board of directors, effective December 7.
Filipov has more than 35 years of international management expertise. He spent nearly 10 years as president and chief executive of Terex Cranes Worldwide. He was also the managing director of Clark Material Handling Co, which was acquired by his company, FiLCO GmbH of Germany.
He is now the chairman of the Supervisory Board of Tatra, a Czech company producing off-highway trucks.
Rental Service Corporation (RSC) has appointed Tom Zorn as chief executive. He succeeds Freek Nijdam, who will remain chairman of the legal operations. In his new position, Zorn will be a member of parent company Atlas Copco’s group management.
Petri Alava has been appointed Rocla Oyj’s vice-president of corporate planning, effective January 1. Alava has been managing director of Rocla Robotruck Oyj since January 1, 2001.
Markus Alholm, formerly managing director at Lexel Electric in Germany, has been appointed managing director of Rocla Robotruck Oyj, effective January 1.
Caterpillar Inc vice-president and Caterpillar Financial president James Beard will retire on March 1. Cat Financial executive vice-president Kent Adams will succeed Beard as vice-president of the Financial Products division, which includes Cat Financial, Caterpillar Insurance Services Corp, Caterpillar Redistribution Services Inc and Caterpillar Power Ventures Corp.
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Forklift causes blackout
BOZEMAN, MT, United States
Nearly 400 homes and businesses were disrupted when the tynes of a forklift, being hauled by a truck, snagged eight powerlines in Belgrade, Montana, USA, this week.
The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported the forklift was being hauled by Kenyon Noble’s truck between Bozeman and Belgrade on December 20 when the forklift’s tynes started ripping down powerlines.
NorthWestern Energy Co spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch said the tynes weren’t secured and were “up in the air”. She said the forklift snapped a pole when it took down the eighth powerline.
Kenyon Noble’s human resources and safety director Jenifer Dedman said no one was hurt in the accident, but the power outage caused many offices to close early.
“We shut down at about 4pm because it was so dark in there,” said Debe Youngberg, executive director of Belgrade Chamber of Commerce.
Youngberg said the power failure also affected restaurants preparing for dinner guests.
“Chefs came running out of The Mint, they were right in the middle of their afternoon shifts,” she said.
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| In the Discussion Forums | Interesting...
"I have found the same thing here, Hysters Toyotas and Nissans all at the same location, only the Toyota's overheat. All forklifts have quirks, Toyota's seems to be heat management."
Scout, Canada
Here, here!
"There should be more Sherry B.s. Being an electric technician can be very rewarding, both personally and financially. A GOOD electric technician or an "all-round" technician can make $25++ per hour"
charlie_j, United States
Which do you prefer?
"The Daewoo is a strong reliable machine but can come with many different engines, make sure it has a GM engine or the Hercules.
Hyster can also come wityh 2 engines a GM & a Mazda - you want the GM because it,s more powerfull. i would go with the Hyster"
frankie_w, Canada
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| Fast Facts | 1. Kone Cargotec, the cargo-handling business of KONE Corp, has agreed to buy MacGREGOR International AB for EUR186 million.
2. JP Morgan says Linde’s stock performance will be adversely affected in the short term by rising steel prices, “softening demand” for forklifts and Linde’s exposure to “stagnating” European economies.
3. Davis Derby has launched a new Smart Card system, which integrates customers’ existing Smart Card applications, including cashless vending, time/attendance recording and building access control.
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