Linde not talking merger with BOC
FRANKFURT, Germany

Linde’s chief executive has been quoted as saying the German industrial gases and forklifts group is not in merger talks with British gas manufacturer BOC.

According to Reuters News, Wolfgang Reitzle told German business monthly Manager Magazin that Linde and BOC did have talks but only because of their strategic partnership in engineering.

“BOC has a higher market capitalisation than us. If I were to serve up Linde on a silver platter, would I then be a successful manager?” he said.

Rumours of a Linde and BOC merger have surfaced from time to time and Linde shares climbed last month on renewed speculation that it could be bought or broken up by rivals (Forkliftaction.com News #222).

Reitzle said he did not see any point in selling the forklift division and just focusing on gases, a favourite speculation of analysts and investors.

“We would still only be number five in gases. Linde … would shrink to a size where it would be possible to swallow it like an easily digestible morsel,” he said.

Komatsu Forklift USA replaces Kalmar AC brand
ATLANTA, GA, United States

Komatsu Forklift USA Inc (KFI) has replaced the Kalmar AC forklift brand with a new brand; Tusk Lift Trucks.

Marketing coordinator Brandy Gruber told Forkliftaction.com News that the Kalmar AC brand, which would be phased out in a few months, belonged to Kalmar AC, a wholly owned subsidiary of KFI.

“In 1988, Kalmar Industries bought AC Material Handling (formerly Allis-Chalmers) to establish a distribution network in North America. In 1993, Komatsu began manufacturing Kalmar AC trucks for Kalmar Industries,” she said.

“[Then] in 1999, Kalmar Industries decided to pull out of the North American market except for very large trucks. KFI bought Kalmar AC from Kalmar Industries and ran it as a separate distribution network, manufacturing the brand in Covington, Georgia,” Gruber said.

A Forkliftaction.com News source said KFI had promised Kalmar Industries it would stop using the Kalmar name by March 2006.  

Atlanta-based “ideation corporation” BrightHouse was asked to develop the new brand name.

“Through their research they found significant potential for the new brand to own positioning in the marketplace as the ‘smart buy’,” Gruber said.

Eric Kobori, KFI’s vice president of marketing, said Tusk forklifts were 'smart buys' as they were built for forklift buyers who understood that the real cost of owning a forklift was more than just the acquisition price.

Forklift sales 17 per cent higher in 2004
NEWTON, MA, United States

Forklift sales worldwide were stronger in 2004 than 2003, says Modern Materials Handling magazine’s report on the world’s top 20 forklift suppliers.

The top five on the list (Toyota, Linde, Jungheinrich, Nacco Industries and Mitsubishi/Caterpillar) collectively increased sales by USD1.75 billion last year.

Toyota maintained its number one ranking with a USD660 million increase in revenue to USD4.89 billion. Meanwhile Linde increased revenue by 16.3 per cent, or USD631 million to USD4.49 billion, maintaining second place.

Jungheinrich was third ranked with USD2.07 billion in total revenue, Nacco Industries was fourth at USD1.9 billion and Mitsubishi/Cat edged out last year’s fifth rank holder, Crown, with USD1.3 billion.

To be eligible for the survey, companies must manufacture and sell forklifts in at least one of the Industrial Truck Association’s seven classes of forklifts. Rankings are based on revenue for each company’s fiscal year.

Modern reported that forklift orders increased 17 per cent to more than 704,000 units in 2004, compared to around 600,000 units in 2003, according to figures from World Industrial Truck Statistics, a global alliance of industrial truck associations.

Forklift orders soared 39 per cent in Africa, 22 per cent in Oceania, 16 per cent in Asia and 13 per cent in the Americas. For the second consecutive year, Europe posted the smallest increase, a three per cent jump from the previous year’s orders.

Marketplace notes

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Barloworld's good service clinches deal
VIANEN, Netherlands

Barloworld Internal Transport’s good service set it apart from rivals for a 22 Hyster forklift delivery to DAF Trucks.

DAF Trucks manager Frank De Haas said the order for 22 electric and LPG counterbalanced forklifts, with lift capacities ranging from 2.5 tons to 4 tons, was made after several lease contracts ended.

“I would not say there are no differences between the various products and brands on the market but, in general, all trucks look fairly similar to one another,” De Haas said.

“For us, therefore, the decisive factor in making our choice is quality of service. Because we have had such a close working relationship over such a long period of time, Barloworld Internal Transport knows exactly what is going on here and what needs to happen.

“We have excellent contacts, dedicated Barloworld mechanics, they supply excellent trucks and we are doing good business together,” he said.

The Hyster forklifts will be used in the press hall and the engine factory for assembly and waste disposal. Most of the forklifts were delivered with Griptech sideshifters and fork-adjusters.

Barloworld has been supplying forklifts to DAF Trucks since 1993.

Impco wins exclusive Heli contract
CERRITOS, CA, United States

Impco Technologies has started supplying emissions-certified LPG engines to Anhui Heli Forklift Truck Group Corp, based in Hefei, China.

The contract sees Impco exclusively supply complete CARB/EPA emissions-certified engines to Heli through to December 2006 for global distribution in the company’s forklifts.

Heli will be able to meet stringent emission standards required to sell its forklifts in the US and Asia with the emission-certified engines, an Impco statement said.

“Impco’s emission-certified engine provides a turnkey solution for OEMs, such as Heli, allowing them to meet stringent emissions requirements without having to invest in advanced engineering and testing,” the statement said.

Heli is the largest forklift manufacturer in China and the only forklift OEM in China to have its stock publicly traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Its annual sales reached USD321.6 million last year.

Telehandler remote control frees manpower
OWATONNA, MN, United States

A man on a work platform attached to a telehandler can now do the job of two, thanks to Mustang Manufacturing Inc’s radio remote boom control.

The option that is available on Mustang telehandler models 742, 944 and 1155, can be used on several telehandler attachments but would mainly be used inside work platforms, said Doug Snorek, Mustang’s marketing manager.

The telehandler boom can be raised, lowered, extended and retracted using a remote control pendant. Operators can also use it to stop and start the engine.

“By equipping a worker on the platform with this system, he will no longer need an operator in the cab to get him into position,” Snorek said. “He can move the boom to other areas of the structure he’s working on or lower himself when it is finished.”

When used with a truss boom, the operator responsible for placing a truss can jump out of the cab and finish placing the load from a remote area with better visibility.

Mustang expects a 10 per cent installation rate of the option, which will be marketed in the Americas and Mexico.

Briefs

JCB earns OSHA SHARP award
SAVANNAH, GA, United States
JCB Inc’s North American headquarters, in Savannah, Georgia, is one of five companies in Georgia to earn membership of a US Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) program.

The Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) was created by OSHA to give incentives to employers that promote safety and health at work. SHARP-certified companies are exempt from OSHA inspections for a year.

Airtrax reaches New Zealand
HAMMONTON, NJ, United States
Airtrax has announced Lakeland Plant Hire as its first Sidewinder omni-directional forklift dealer in New Zealand.

Lakeland is due to receive the first of 14 omni-directional forklifts this month. The Rotorua-based company is a direct importer of construction, industrial and heavy work vehicles.

Cold storage company buys Atlet trucks
OXON, United Kingdom
Cold storage and distribution company Langdons has bought seven Atlet Presto PLP- powered pallet transporters to handle its increasing business.

The pallet trucks handle up to 15,000 pallets each week at the Taunton distribution centre in Somerset, UK, which supplies to catering companies and food manufacturers.

Forklifts used in smash and steal
SYDNEY, Australia

Sydney thieves have been busy using forklifts to steal automated teller machines (ATMs) during ram-raids.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported Sydney police were suggesting banks and teller machine operators install tracking devices and dye bombs to combat the thefts that have  incurred losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

ATM thieves have been using four-wheel-drive vehicles and forklifts to smash into buildings and carry the machines off.

Detective superintendent Ken McKay said he believed his team was pursuing criminals with experience in vehicle theft and armed robbery.

“It is concerning to all of us that vehicles could be driven inside buildings to commit these offences,” he said.

McKay made the comment last week after the 19th ATM in two months was stolen during a ram-raid in which a forklift and a four-wheel-drive vehicle were used to steal an ATM from a shopping centre.

New tool reduces emissions for port equipment
JACKSONVILLE, FL, United States

Industrial Power Systems Inc (IPS) has introduced a variable speed generator (VSG) controller, which it says is a cost-effective tool to curtail port equipment’s harmful air emissions.

It can be applied to cargo handling equipment powered by engine generator sets, like ship-to-shore cranes, rubber-tyred-gantry cranes and the new diesel electric straddle carriers.

“The ultimate goal is to completely eliminate the discharge of harmful substances into the atmosphere, but that will take years,” IPS president Bill Young said.

He said the VSG controller was designed to reduce harmful air emissions by up to 40 per cent, cut fuel use by 40 per cent and cut engine noise by as much as 50 per cent.

IPS said the concepts guiding development of the VSG controller had been around for 25 years.

“The US military has used [the product’s concept] for quiet generators on submarines, ship and shore power feeders and the scientific community has used it for power source flexibility,” said Mike Massingill, an IPS spokesperson.

“Many of these earlier devices were unreliable, required special alternators or permanent magnetics, and were not as flexible or software modifiable as ours,” he said.

IPS developed the product design with Youtility Inc and began marketing it in mid-June after receiving a full patent. Located in Jacksonville, Florida, IPS develops and installs medium-to-low voltage electrical systems and marine industrial switch gear for electrical utilities, cement plants, petrochemical plants, and generator controls for cruise liners, tankers, US naval vessels, and container vessels.

New Transmission Catalog
Walton Hills

The 2005 Remanufactured Transmission Catalog includes pricing for dozens of transmission styles and their torque converters.  The contents of rebuild kits and gasket kits appear near each type of transmission.  This 60+ page catalog is easy to use, and is available at no charge to repair facilities and material handling dealers only.

Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures.

Komatsu new AX50/BX50 Series trucks offer Reduced 0peration Cost

TOKYO, JAPAN, Komatsu Forklift Co., Ltd. has introduced new family of Internal combustion engine trucks ranging from 1ton through 3.5ton capacity that optimize operational capabilities and increase safety and economical performances for various conditions. (Please note that this new series have not been introduced to North American market yet.)

Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures.

Consultant v sales person
by Stuart Jacover - Exide Technologies, Illinois, United States

Stuart believes that adding value for a customer will transform the sales process from a low-price-wins-all quote to a "value proposal".

Read more

If you seek training, you will find it.
"True but that is only half the picture ... Training is not a backyard affair any longer, professional instruction is available to those who seek it, too long have we had the situation where the employer does nothing but says "Shee'l be rite mate"."
DANGEROUS, Australia

Know thy tynes!
"I am trying to find what percentage of wear is allowable at the heel of a tyne before it has to be replaced. Any help would be appreciated."
Leatherpot, Australia

Please help this forklift newbie!
"I just purchased my first forklift, a Komatsu FG14-12, in Victoria, Australia. Petrol only, Toyota P4 engine, manual. How can I found out the age of the fork? Also, is there anywhere I could access operator and repair manuals easily? "
stevo, Australia

"I want to know your experience."
"Has anyone ever experienced a problem with this particular forklift company regarding warranty coverage? Them not covering? Not returning calls? Rude and/or threatening? etc? Please respond."
charlie_m, United States

1. 3rd European 3PL Summit 2005
London, United Kingdom
26th and 27th October 2005

2. MHIA Annual Meeting
Palm Beach, FL, United States
24th to 28th September 2005

1. “Boss” sideloading forklift
Sharajh, United Arab Emirates
Closing: 15 September 2005
Contract: Mr Mahmood email

1. Hardware Systems Engineer - Full time
Greene, United States

2. Senior Marketing Manager - Full time
Richmond, VA, United States

3. Trainer - Full time
Richmond, VA, United States

4. Sales Professionals - Full time
Richmond, VA, United States

5. Forklift Design Engineer - Full time
Marysville, Kansas, United States

6. Fleet Manager/Tech - Full time
Carlilse, PA, United States

7. Field Service Technician - Full time
Dallas, United States

8. Equipment Sales - Full time
Houston, United States

9. CSS (aftermarket) sales - Full time
Houston, United States

10. MECHANIC - Full time
Houston, United States

11. Mechanical Engineer - Full time
Greene, United States

12. Service Manager - Full time
Birmingham, AL, United States

1. MAINTENANCE OF FORKLIFT/ MANAGER -FLT. MAINTENANCE - Full time
Mumbai, India

1. New Transmission Catalog

2. Komatsu new AX50/BX50 Series trucks offer Reduced 0peration Cost