Chinese market paramount for Linde
XIAMEN, China

Linde-Xiamen Forklift Truck Co Ltd has changed its name to Linde (China) Forklift Truck Corp Ltd, as part of Linde Group’s strategy to expand its reach in the Chinese market.

Simultaneously, the old logo with the word Linde in blue has been replaced with a new logo, bearing the brand name in white against a red background.

Linde (China) general manager Heinrich Winzl told a press conference the group’s strategy was to build Linde (China) into Asia’s largest production and sales base for materials handling equipment.

Winzl said the word “Xiamen” in the company name could easily cause people to think Linde was only present in Xiamen region, Fujian.

“It does not suit Linde Group’s plan for the Chinese market therefore [the] group decided to change its company name to reflect its ambition to increase investment and expand in China,” he said.

“Linde Group attaches great importance to Linde (China)’s new name and new logo. It shows that [the] group values the Chinese market and pays attention to it, as it is strategically paramount for Linde’s global strategy.”

Linde (China) marketing director Antoine Chazelle compared the logo change to that of Lenovo, an information technology company based in New York, USA, saying Lenovo‘s strategy was to penetrate the global market while Linde’s aim was to fortify its foothold and rapidly expand in China.

Linde has increased forklift sales in China from around 100 units in 1998 to 6,000 units in 2004, with an annual growth of more than 25 per cent since 1998. In 2004, Linde achieved a 30 per cent market share in the Chinese high-end forklift market.

Its sales and service network in China now has 32 branches and 12 dealers.

California agency postpones hearing again
SACRAMENTO, CA, United States

by US correspondent Roger Renstrom
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has indefinitely postponed its consideration of a rulemaking proposal for off-road large spark ignition (LSI) engines, including those powering some forklifts.

“Additional time is necessary to resolve remaining stakeholder issues,” the regulatory agency said in a statement this week. Numerous forklift rental dealers in California have reacted negatively to aspects of the CARB proposal, and their lobbying may have been a factor in the agency going through the issue again.

The postponement of a planned October 20-21 hearing “will also provide CARB staff an opportunity to harmonise the LSI test procedures with those published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in June 2005”, Sacramento-based CARB said.

The state agency’s pending proposal deals with emission standards for used forklifts other than those that entered the Californian market during a 2001-2004 phase-in and more recently under LSI engine standards for new forklifts (Forkliftaction.com News #225).

United sets goal for Australia
PERTH, Australia

Perth-based forklift distributor and dealer United Equipment plans to open branches in all Australian states.

United, formed through the merger of WA Fork Trucks, NT Fork Trucks, WAGMAC and WA Access Equipment, began trading on September 1. The company is headquartered in Perth, Western Australia (Forkliftaction.com News #227).

The merger and rebranding followed AMP Capital Investors acquiring a majority shareholding in WA Fork Trucks. Greg Smith, AMP Capital Investors’ head of private equity, said in a statement: “The group is now greater than the sum of its original parts and we are gearing up to consolidate its new Australia-wide presence.”

WA Fork Trucks founder Laurie Puddy now heads United as executive chairman.

“The challenge is to leverage our west coast expertise in the newly acquired east coast operation, extract synergies from across the business and boost market share,” Puddy said.

The company, which has branches in three Australian states and one territory - Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and the Northern Territory - handles sales, service, rentals and finance (where needed) of its product range.

United will sell a full range of Nissan forklifts, SMV container handlers and reach stackers, Merlo telehandlers and a range of aerial work platforms.

Marketplace notes

We always knew the Forkliftaction.com Marketplace would be a hit with the big lift; the hard-to-find forklifts. If the 60,000lb Svetruck cannot be found in your area then the Marketplace would be your answer – it allows you to search for your equipment in different countries: Germany, Argentina, Canada, US, etc.

However, the most impressive statistics are coming from local demand for the more modest machines. Here is a sample of the enquiries we have received.

I am USA (L.A. California) & in need of a Clark CGC32. Can you give me the hours of operation currently on the unit.
California, USA

We are looking for as small reliable walkie pallet lifter/mover for short distance load/unload on flat cement surface. All makes/models considered.
Australia

Please advise if this unit (Raymond R40TT) is still available? Price including charger and batteries?
Ontario, Canada

Forkliftaction.com is now getting hundreds of thousands of views by such customers. The Marketplace team has invested a lot of time in getting the Marketplace listed high up in Google and other search engine results. Does your company have a ShopFront? Are you getting your share of the 61,876 ShopFront hits that Marketplace has generated so far?

Our team is dedicated to setting you up for Marketplace enquiries. Email us at marketplace@forkliftaction.com for assistance.

Have a great week!
The Marketplace team - marketplace@forkliftaction.com – Phone: +61 7 3369 9090 – Fax: +61 7 3369 9096.

Bolzoni moves closer to Chinese
PIACENZA, Italy

Italian forklift attachment maker Bolzoni Auramo, which has just opened a subsidiary and plant in Shanghai, China, has high hopes for the Chinese market.

The new company, Bolzoni Auramo (Shanghai) Forklift Truck Attachment Co Ltd, is a joint venture with the Tiger group, a Bolzoni distributor in China since 1998.

Bolzoni will produce the hook-on sideshifter range in Shanghai for the Chinese market and plans to increase its production range at the plant. For now, the rest of the range is imported from Europe.

Carlo Fallarini, Bolzoni sales & marketing director, said paper roll clamps and bale clamps were the most important attachments in the Chinese market.

“The plans are not yet complete. We are analysing those two product families and [production] could start in 2006. We could have exports to other Asian markets,” he said.

“Our choice to manufacture in China is a strategic decision because we want to be closer to the market and our customer needs,” he said.

Fallarini said that, at the end of August, the Chinese market consisted of 42,000 counterbalanced forklifts with a growth of 13 per cent over the same period of 2004.

He said there had been year-on-year double digit growth in the Chinese market of more than 30 per cent for the past few years.

“In 2004, there were 59,000 units, 44,000 units in 2003, 33,000 units in 2002 and 20,000 units in 2001.”

Poisonous forklift injures 17 people
WICHITA, KS, United States

A forklift was left running inside Burnham Composites Inc last week, resulting in 10 people visiting the Wesley Medical Centre for carbon monoxide poisoning.

The Wichita Eagle reported seven others, who complained of nausea and headaches, were treated at the scene.

Two of the hospitalised employees were in serious condition while the other eight were sent to hospital as a precaution. Firefighters said some had been vomiting at the parking lot.

Fire Marshal Ed Bricknell said the forklift was left running, but no doors were open and the rubber flaps in front of a garage door did not let enough gas out.

The forklift was taken to a mechanic to be checked, Burnham company president Todd Dugan said.

Nissan Forklift introduces TX Platinum series
MARENGO, IL, United States

Nissan Forklift has introduced the newest member of the Platinum line of forklifts – the next generation of three-wheel electric forklifts, the TX Platinum series.

The TX series forklifts, available in 3,000lb (1361kg), 3,500lb (1588kg) and 4,000lb (1814kg) capacities, feature a 100 per cent AC-powered system.

Brushless, dual-drive motors and hydraulic pump motors reduce the number of serviceable parts while regenerative braking, automatic deceleration and on-demand power steering promote energy efficiency, Nissan said in a statement.

Sales for Nissan’s SPN series centre control pallet truck and SGN 200 tow tractor, which were launched to the market in July, were doing “very well”, according to Nissan marketing manager Dixie Connor.

Rocla and Tieto cooperate
JÄRVENPÄÄ, Finland

Rocla and TietoEnator are working together to provide paper mill and printing house solutions.

Their first joint delivery will be to SanomaWSOY’s printing house Hämeen Paino, in Forssa, an hour’s drive from Helsinki.

The Hämeen Paino package consists of a Rocla automated guided vehicles system and TietoEnator’s warehouse management system with maintenance services.

Rocla Robotruck Oy managing director Markus Alholm said the aim of the joint co-operation was to create common business opportunities for both companies.

Sakari Ruotsalainen, senior vice president of TietoEnator Forest, said: “This co-operative model offers us an opportunity to expand business in the forest cluster to customers of the traditional forest industry.

“Together with Rocla, we will develop a product for international markets, fulfilling the warehouse management needs of printing houses, paper mills and downstream paper operations,” Ruotsalainen said.

TietoEnator, a Scandinavian IT company, claims to be the world’s leading independent IT systems provider to the forest industry through its production & logistics business area.

Caterpillar focuses on sustainability
PEORIA, IL, United States

Caterpillar Inc has been selected as a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the fifth consecutive year.

The 2,500 largest companies in the Dow Jones Global Index were assessed in three areas of sustainable development: economic, environmental and social performance. Caterpillar was among 309 companies selected to be listed on the DJSI World.

SAM Group, an independent asset management company that conducted research for DJSI World, said Caterpillar showed product stewardship by “integrating environmental aspects into product development”.

Early in 2005, Caterpillar committed to reduce the intensity of its global greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2010.

Terex delays restatement
WESTPORT, CT, United States

A week after announcing it would complete its financial restatements soon, Terex Corp now says it needs more time to complete the filing of its financial reports with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) (Forkliftaction.com News #227).

Terex said in a statement that it planned to review additional items in its financial statements for completeness and accuracy.

Company chairman and CEO Ronald M DeFeo was disappointed by the delay.

“But, given the prior disclosure and following a voluntary meeting with the SEC, we have chosen to review some historical items not included in our prior scope of work,” he said.

Terex would not provide details of the additional items being reviewed but said they were “items in the financial statements not included in the previously announced investigation” with a particular emphasis on the years 2002 and before.

The restatement process and additional review would not impact the company’s current cash position nor its opinion of its future income forecasts, the company said.

Terex will request a further extension from its bank lending group to complete the review.

Internet ad revenues for US on high
NEW YORK, NY, United States

New York-based Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have released figures showing internet advertising revenues in the US for the first six months of 2005 were around USD5.8 billion, a 26 per cent jump from the first half of 2004.

Internet advertising revenues for the second quarter of 2005 totalled USD2.985 billion, also a 26 per cent increase over the same period for 2004.

David Silverman, a PwC partner, said the growth in overall revenue indicated marketers may be shifting more of their advertising budgets to online advertising.

“This is a natural development as research shows more consumers are spending a larger percentage of their media time online, while the flow of advertising dollars follows,” Silverman said.

Search ads made up 40 per cent of internet advertising revenues for the first half of 2005, the same as in 2004, but revenue totals for search ads increased 27 per cent from USD1.8 billion to USD2.3 billion. Display ads made up 20 per cent and classifieds 18 per cent.

The Advertising Revenue Report, conducted by the New Media Group of PwC, was started by IAB in 1996. Online advertising revenue data from websites, commercial online services, free email providers and other companies are surveyed and a full report is issued twice yearly. The report can be downloaded from www.iab.net next week.

IAB, founded in 1996, sells more than 86 per cent of online advertising in the US. It represents more than 200 interactive companies that support the sale of online advertising.

SMV makes breakthrough in Latin America
MARKARYD, Sweden

SMV Konecranes has delivered three new generation reach stackers to customers in Venezuela this month.

Intershipping CA, a shipping and maritime organisation operating in the northern ports of Venezuela; Grupo Hersan, a transport company based in Puerto Cabello; and Lemont Estibas CA, which provides equipment rental services in Puerto Cabello, are the customers.

SMV Lifttrucks managing director KG Salomonsson said the orders for three machines in Venezuela were a breakthrough for the company.

“All markets are very important for us but this is an excellent example of us gaining market share, as we have had only had one or two machine orders in Venezuela before,” he said.

Five more units are planned to be delivered to customers in Venezuela this year. Rentacarga CA, a first-time customer, has ordered four reach stackers from SMV.

CeMAT 2005 – A highlight for the international logistics sector

At the beginning of August, CeMAT topped 900 exhibitors, and is now entering into the final stages of preparation for October. With about 45% of the show’s exhibitors coming from abroad, CeMAT is the world’s leading marketing and knowledge-sharing platform for intralogistics. The trade fair will be officially opened by the premiere of the German state of Lower Saxony, Mr. Christian Wulff.

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

Bolzoni Auramo open a new manufacturing facility in China

The Chinese forklift truck market has been posting double digit growth in the last few years and is approaching the European market volume. The potential of the Chinese market has motivated Bolzoni Auramo to invest in China, opening a new subsidiary and a manufacturing plant in the Shanghai area.

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

Buckle up or get fired.
"We recently started using seatbelts that will not allow operation unless they are buckled. We also let them know that if they buckle it and then sit on it that they will be fired. We are now getting 100% at most of our sites after the first week."
david_h, United States

Curious about Sanderson
"There is a Sanderson SB45 forktruck (2wd) at a local farm and it is regularly used to shift bales. I have brochures for Sanderson RTFLs but not the SB45. Can anyone tell me more about this vehicle? Date produced, load capacity, engine stats? "
Gavin,

Give this guy a hand!
"I'm responsible for a fleet of material handling equipment. I am interested in what's available to track equipment for preventative maintenance purposes. Does anyone know what's availalble?"
Dave_C, United States

Solid vs Pneumatic
"I would agree in most part to life of machine parts, but solid tyres do have their own attributes (depending on the work environment). How often the truck is used will also have a bearing on the type of tyre as solids have a longer life span."
charlie, United Kingdom

1. ICHCA Luncheon - South Australia
West lakes SA, Australia
6th October 2005

2. CeMAT 2005
Hannover, Germany
11th to 15th October 2005

3. Transport-a-Logistica
Brno, CZ Republic, Czech Republic
3rd to 7th October 2005

4. Intermodal Transport & Logistics 2005
Bilboa, Spain
8th to 10th November 2005

1. Technician - Full time
NORTH FLORIDA, SOUTH GEORGIA, United States

2. Electric Forklift Technician - Full time
Oklahoma City, United States

3. Product Marketing Manager - Full time
Covington, Georgia, United States

4. Service Technicians - Full time
Eastern States- Metro areas, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne., Australia

5. Forklift Technicians - Full time
Salinas, Union City - California, United States

6. Forklift Technicians - Full time
Settle, WA, United States

7. Territory Sales Rep - Full time
Indianapolis, United States

1. Mechanic - Full time
Any where, United States

2. Sales Mgr. / Regional Mgr - Full time
Southern California Base, United States

3. Service Technician - Full time
Field, Australia

1. CeMAT 2005 – A highlight for the international logistics sector

2. Bolzoni Auramo open a new manufacturing facility in China