Send this newsletter to an associate   Print version   Dear reader, WELCOME TO FORKLIFTACTION.COM, MATERIALS HANDLING ONLINE. This is issue #214 - 23 June 2005 of the weekly newsletter for industry professionals. “Linde AG receives an award for being outstanding!” INSIDE FORKLIFTACTION.COM SPECIAL REPORT: The Russian Materials Handling Industry NEWS • RAM Spreaders launches “world-first” spreader • MMD Equipment ends forklift business • Marketplace notes • Linde AG receives outstanding technology award • New Clark Forklift plant opens in Brazil • Movers & Shakers • KCI Konecranes wins order for 30 cranes from APM • Briefs • Forklift used to swipe coffee FORK TALK: WorkSafe: Unsafe forklift use can lead to blood on the floor MEDIA RELEASES 1. TVH group Thermote & Vanhalst publishes a unique book: 100 YEARS FORKLIFT TRUCKS IN 200 PGS. 2. Meclift introduces Variable Reach Truck ML 1612R Send this newsletter to an associate   Forkliftaction.com News’s popular caption competition is in its final week before judging starts. If you have not viewed the photo, which needs your original caption, click here. Email your funniest, wittiest captions to caption@forkliftaction.com. Since the split of the former Soviet Union, the Russian materials handling industry has gone through many changes. We hope you will enjoy this month's special report.   The Russian Materials Handling Industry Covering an area of 17,075,400 square km (6,595,600 square miles), Russia is the largest country in the world with the eighth largest population, following China, India, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Christine Liew reports.   Read more RAM Spreaders launches “world-first” spreader ANTWERP, Belgium RAM Spreaders launched what it claims is the world’s first all-electric spreader with separating twin-lift capabilities at the Terminals Operation Conference & Exhibition 2005 in Antwerp last week. The new RAM 3900 series combines the operational, cost and reliability advantages of all-electric technology with  RAM Spreaders’ “CenterSpread” design, the company said in a statement. The spreaders can handle two 20ft or a single 20ft, 40ft or 45ft container, with up to 65 tonne capacity in twin-lift mode. The operator can adjust the gap between containers by any dimension up to 1,600mm. Robert Mills, executive director, RAM Spreaders, said the 3900 series represented a significant step forward for the industry in electricity-powered spreaders and expected it to become a common sight in ports and terminals in the near future.. “They provide a lower weight, easy-to-maintain, environmentally friendly alternative to established spreader designs,” Mills said. New features include electric powered flippers that provide the same holding torque and backdrive capability as hydraulic drives. The telescopic system with “CenterSpread” for separating fully loaded 20ft containers employs a standard chain drive design with a heavy duty electric drive. RAM Spreaders is an international brand name for container handling spreaders, owned by NSL Engineering Pte Ltd, headquartered in Singapore. MMD Equipment ends forklift business SWEDESBORO, NJ, United States Mitsui Machinery Distribution (MMD) has ended its marketing and distribution agreement with TCM Corporation. According to Rental Equipment Register magazine, MMD, which also operated under the name TCM America, had distributed TCM forklifts in 26 US states and the District of Columbia for the past 30 years. TCM forklifts will now be distributed by TCM Distribution USA (TDU), a wholly-owned affiliate company of TCM USA Holdings. MMD president Ron Johnson said TCM had been a great strategic partner for the company. “But MMD Equipment has experienced dramatic growth with its construction equipment lines over the past few years and we have made a business decision to concentrate solely on construction equipment products, which we feel represent our future,” he said. MMD and TDU will cooperate closely to ensure a smooth transition. TDU will base its operations within MMD for the next six months until it can move into new, permanent headquarters in Bridgeport, NJ. Marketplace notes The global accessibility of the Marketplace has brought to light some big differences in terminology used around the world. It is interesting to learn these variations in terminology and we are continuously improving our Marketplace to cater to a world wide audience. The different tyre types used on forklifts regularly cause confusion for dealers posting new listings. Here is how we classify the types: ‘Pneumatic / Puncture proof’: we group the ‘pneumatic’ / ‘air filled’ tyres together with the ‘solid rubber’ / ‘puncture proof’ / ‘filled’ tyres. These two profiles are interchangeable on forklifts: after purchasing a unit the buyer can easily change the tyres if needed. ‘Cushion (Press on)’: low profile warehouse type machine tyres. Other terms are ‘super elastic’ / ‘press on’ / ‘solids’. Specific information about your unit’s tyres, local terminology or comments on the remaining tread can be included in the ‘More Information’ space. Is the Marketplace new to you? Submit your units with this form and we will set you up with your stock list and dealer access. A dealer entry package includes all dealer benefits and is free for a no obligation trial. Have a great week! The Marketplace team. Contact us on marketplace@forkliftaction.com – Phone: +61 7 3369 9090 – Fax: +61 7 3369 9096. Linde AG receives outstanding technology award WIESBADEN, Germany Linde AG has received an award in Dϋsseldorf, Germany, for its successful technology management in materials handling, the company said in a statement. The Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT) and a “top-class” industrial committee identified five leading companies in the field. The jury judged around 280 international companies on their selection and development of technology processes and organisation of risk and knowledge management. Linde’s materials handling business segment impressed the jury with its use of cross-brand synergies in component development and its “efficient product creation process”. Linde executive board member Hubertus Krossa said the award confirmed the company’s multi-brand strategy. “It shows that, despite having individual brand identities, Linde, Still and Om Pimespo are able to achieve efficiency gains through cooperation against the competition,” Krossa said. Linde AG’s turnover for the 2004 fiscal year was EUR9 billion (USD10.9 billion). Its materials handling business segment, which produces Linde, Still and OM Pimespo forklifts, manufactured and sold 120,000 forklifts last year. Meanwhile, a Linde AG spokesperson has denied new media reports of merger talks between Linde and UK rival BOC Group. The reports suggested Linde’s industrial gas division would merge with BOC and Linde would spin off its forklift division into an independent company. The Linde spokesperson told German daily Handelsblatt on June 15 that the reports were pure speculation. New Clark Forklift plant opens in Brazil VALINHOS, Brazil Dabo Material Handling Equipment Brasil SA, part of the Korean Young An Group, has opened a 2,000 square metre plant in Valinhos, Sao Paulo. Young An, which bought the Clark Forklift trademark from Clark Material Handling Company in 2003, plans to invest up to USD500,000 at the new plant (Forkliftaction.com News #92). Also in the pipeline were plans to start a forklift assembly in the new Brazilian plant and to increase investments in plants in Korea, the US, Mexico, Spain, Germany and China, Dabo said in a statement.. According to Dabo, Clark held a 14 per cent share of the Brazilian internal combustion engine forklift market in 2004. For 2005, Clark set a goal to achieve a 20 per cent market share, which it reached in the first quarter of this year. Clark accounts for 35 per cent of the Young An business and the group aims to invest USD50 million in the forklift business  in 2005. The Young An Group has annual sales of USD1.5 billion and employs 10,500 people in its plants worldwide. Movers & Shakers Pinguely-Haulotte has appointed Patrice Métairie as the group’s customer service manager. Métairie, an engineer, joined the Haulotte Group in 1995 as purchasing manager and then moved on to manage the Creusot factory for five years. Oram Material Handling Systems has appointed Tom Schueddig director of service operations. He is responsible for the company’s Kansas City, Topeka and Sedalia-based service operations. FKI Logistex has appointed Glen Chambers as regional director and Paul Swietlinksi as business development manager of the Canadian operations of its North American Manufacturing Systems unit. Chambers will focus on expanding the company’s strategic position as a materials handling integrator in the Canadian marketplace while Swietlinksi will concentrate on strengthening ties with existing customers in Canada. KCI Konecranes wins order for 30 cranes from APM HYVINKÄÄ, Finland KCI Konecranes has obtained sales in the US and UK for cranes with its new rail mounted gantry (RMG) technology, the company said in a June 14 statement. The company received an order for 30 RMG container handling cranes for delivery to a Portsmouth, Virginia, USA, terminal, beginning in October 2006. The value of the order is estimated at USD72.8 million. The order includes an option for an additional 30 cranes. Maersk Inc placed the order on behalf of APM Terminals North America Inc, which is building the USD450 million state-of-the-art container terminal on the Elizabeth River, Portsmouth. The project is the largest single private investment in container terminals in the United States, according to an April 2004 APM announcement. Dredging began last year, and construction should end in 2007. Maersk and APM Terminals are affiliated with AP Moller-Maersk Group, of Copenhagen, Denmark. Each crane will have a lifting capacity of 40 tonnes, a lifting height of one over five containers and a span of 25.4 metres. The RMGs use Konecranes’ patented active load control technology now in use on the firm’s range of rubber tyred gantry (RTG) cranes. Initial customer Roadways Container Logistics Ltd has ordered two of the new cranes for its new Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal in the British Midlands, UK, Konecranes said on June 8. The value is estimated at USD4.8 million. Roadways Container Logistics, a subsidiary of Royal P&O Nedlloyd NV, plans to use the cranes to transfer containers between rail cars and road vehicles and signed a two-year maintenance contract with KCI Konecranes. Each crane can span 28 metres and lift up to 40 tonnes one over three containers high. Roadways Container Logistics is the UK’s largest container distributor. Konecranes’ RMG technology incorporates automated features, superior load control, a rotating trolley for positioning efficiency and remote diagnostics maximising uptime in operations, the company said. Briefs Gehl Co to join Russell 3000 Index WEST BEND, WI, United States Telescopic handler manufacturer Gehl Company will join the Russell 3000 Index when the Russell Investment Group reconstitutes its family of 23 US indexes on June 24. Company chairman and CEO William D Gehl said inclusion in the index recognised the “positive growth” the company had accomplished over the past few years. Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for investment strategies. Flexible bulk packaging demand expected to reach USD7 billion CLEVELAND, OH, United States US demand for flexible bulk packaging is forecast to increase 3.4 per cent annually to USD7 billion in 2009, creating a market for 6.2 billion pounds (2.8 billion kg) of raw materials, according to a new study by The Freedonia Group. The report, Flexible Bulk Packaging, says, the fastest growth is anticipated for film wrap and flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC). FIBC demand is expected to increase 5.6 per cent annually through to 2009, with growth attributed to increased manufacturing activity. Flexible Bulk Packaging is available from The Freedonia Group. Visit www.freedoniagroup.com. Forklift used to swipe coffee BRISBANE, Australia A forklift was instrumental in the theft of more than AUD80,000 (USD62,264) of coffee from a Brisbane depot last month. The Courier-Mail newspaper reported thieves broke into McColls Transport, at Richlands, in south-west Brisbane, and used a forklift to unload Nestle coffee products from one truck to another. The stolen coffee, which included Gold Blend sachets and bottles of Nestle coffee, were loaded onto a 1990 Isuzu truck. Police said the empty truck was found six days later in a street at Mount Tamborine, in the Gold Coast hinterland. Anyone who may have seen the truck, which has West Australian licence plates IBC 178, is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on + 61-1800 333 000. Send this newsletter to an associate   WORKSAFE: UNSAFE FORKLIFT USE CAN LEAD TO BLOOD ON THE FLOOR MELBOURNE, Australia WorkSafe is urging forklift users to review safety practices after a company was convicted and fined AUD10,000 (USD7,783) for not maintaining a safe working environment. A safety inspector saw a Bonney Produce Pty Ltd employee scrape paint from the façade of the company building while working from a personnel cage resting on wooden pallets tied to a forklift’s mast and tynes. No one was in the forklift operator’s seat. WorkSafe’s transport & storage division director Ross Pilkington said he was disappointed prosecution action was necessary after years of campaigning to improve forklift safety. “Forklifts are among the most common machines in Victorian workplaces. They also account for a considerable number of deaths and serious injuries each year. “Around 12 per cent of deaths arising from forklift use are a result of people working from makeshift platforms or working on the tynes while they’re raised,” he said. In the Bonney Produce case, no one was injured but the worker could have been killed or injured had the pallets and cage fallen with the worker on board, WorkSafe said in a statement. WorkSafe Victoria has produced an information pack to prevent forklift accidents. Email publications@workcover.vic.gov.au to get a free pack. Other material on safety topics can be downloaded at www.workcover.vic.gov.au. WorkSafe is a state-government safety entity in Victoria, Australia.   1. TVH group Thermote & Vanhalst publishes a unique book: 100 YEARS FORKLIFT TRUCKS IN 200 PGS. WAREGEM, Belgium New premises, a new story. The families Thermote and Vanhalst consider this to be a milestone in the evolution of the company and don't want to let the moment pass without some special attention. The publication of the book “100 years forklift trucks” has a remarkable symbolical value: the history of the forklift truck closely linked to the future of the company. Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. 2. Meclift introduces Variable Reach Truck ML 1612R Oy Meclift Ltd, a Finnish manufacturer of Variable Reach Trucks and Side Reach Stackers,  has launched its latest model of Variable Reach Trucks, ML 1612R. The first deliveries are for container stuffing applications in Italy and South Africa. The truck will be demonstrated also in CeMAT 2005, 11-15 October 2005 in Hannover, Germany. Further information: Oy Meclift Ltd, www.meclift.fi Veijo Miihkinen Tel. +358 20 743 1120 Fax +358 20 743 1121 Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. IN THE DISCUSSION FORUMS UPCOMING EVENTS JOB VACANCIES RESUMES FAST FACTS In the Discussion Forums Forklift lemon law. Does it exist? "Is there a lift truck lemon law? Anyone have any experience in breaking a lease? Not looking for a magic wand to clear it up, but any past experiences would be interesting to hear about. " NTOLERANCE, United States Get involved in forklift research! "Our company is currently doing research on forklift emissions. Is anyone aware of an existing published database of various forklift models emission analysis? Any leads would be appreciated." todd_b, Australia In my humble opinion ... "I have dealt with both the Mitsubishi and Hyster tier II forklifts and have seen much less problems with the Mitsubishi. The Hyster and Yale product have had a lot of LP issues." nsane, United States Lend this guy a hand. "We just resealed an SF steering orbitrol and now it turns on its own. Does anybody know how to "time" the orbitrol?" richard_, United States FORKLIFTACTION.COM Discussion Forums >> Upcoming Events 1. MATEXPO 2005 Kortrijk, Belgium 7th to 11th September 2005 2. MHL 2005 Greenelane, Auckland, New Zealand 19th and 20th October 2005 3. The Safety Show 2005 Sydney, Australia 26th to 28th October 2005 4. Maximizing Warehouse Space: The Key to Productivity Princeton NJ, United States 20th and 21st July 2005 5. Seminar for users of explosion proof equipment. London Heathrow, United Kingdom 5th July 2005 FORKLIFTACTION.COM Events >> Jobs 1. Product Support Engineer Specialist - Full time Irvine, CA, United States 2. Spare Parts & Customer Service Roles - Full time Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane, Australia FORKLIFTACTION.COM Jobs >> Resumes 1. Sales - Full time Toronto, Canada 2. MAINTENANCE ENGINEER - Full time ANY WHERE, United States FORKLIFTACTION.COM Resumes >> Fast Facts 1. TVH group Thermote & Vanhalst publishes a unique book: 100 YEARS FORKLIFT TRUCKS IN 200 PGS. 2. Meclift introduces Variable Reach Truck ML 1612R 3. Palfinger has acquired UK-based Ratcliff Tail Lifts Ltd, a company which has a third of the UK tail lift market. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval by the Austrian antitrust authority. 4. A free seminar on health and safety for users of explosion proof equipment will be held at Thistle London Heathrow on July 5. Visit www.pyroban.com FORKLIFTACTION.COM News >>   To tailor your newsletter preferences, click here to access your member account online. Should you no longer wish to receive news from Forkliftaction.com, please click here to cancel your subscription. Forkliftaction.com News is published by Forkliftaction.com PO Box 1439, Milton QLD 4064, Australia – info@forkliftaction.com.