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 | | | Who is responsible for safety? It’s an intriguing question partially answered by an American jury hearing a case into a forklift-related death. Is it up to the driver to ensure his or her own safety, is it the employer’s role – or possibly the equipment retailer or manufacturer? This court case determined that the buck stops with the boss and that it’s the employer’s role to provide adequate training. Of course, the notion of adequate training opens another can of worms, but that’s something to be discussed another time. |
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Jury makes award in fatality case 
Edinburg, TX, United States | A jury has awarded USD8,898,177 to the family of a worker who was fatally struck in the head when an unsecured load and attachment slipped from a JLG-Lull 944-E42 telehandler.
A nine-man, three-woman jury in Hidalgo County reached the conclusion on 12 March following a three-week trial before Judge Rodolfo Delgado in the 93rd district court in Edinburg.
Sergio Rincon Sr, 51, died on 10 April 2009 after the incident at a gas well drilling site in Pharr, Texas. Rincon was acting as a rigger for the load, and co-worker Juan Cantu was operating the telehandler on his first day using that equipment. Previously, Cantu operated a JLG-G9 telehandler.
"This was significant because the 'boom' and 'fork-tilt' controls were in opposite places on these two," says plaintiff's attorney John G Escamilla with the Edinburg office of the Watts Guerra Craft LLP law firm. "Out of force of habit, Cantu tilted the forks using the control he had used previously on the G9, but he actually tilted the forks down. Load capacity was not an issue. The design was designed to lift up to five tons (4,500 kg)."
Bishop Lifting Products Inc made the attachment, which was supposed to slide onto the forks, be secured to the carriage with a safety cable hooked to an eyehole at the top of the attachment and lift loads using a sling connected to an eyehole at the bottom. “It was designed to aid in lifting odd-shaped loads and equipment,” Escamilla notes.
“The safety cable was not properly looped to the carriage and when the forklift operator inadvertently tilted the forks down, the load of drill collar slips weighing approximately 380 pounds (171 kg) and the attachment of about 127 pounds (57 kg) slid off the forks,” Escamilla says.
Inadvertent tilting of the forks and improper securing of the attachment were the immediate causes, he says. “If (the attachment) had been properly secured, the tilting of the forks would have made no difference. Other causes were that the product came with no manual, instructions or warnings for this risk. Rincon had not completed rigger training. Both the attachment and the forklift were new to the end-users.”
In applying responsibility, the jury assigned 47% to employer Nabors Drilling USA LP; 30% to equipment designer and manufacturer Bishop Lifting Products; 20% to well operator Shell Oil Co; and 1% each to Rincon, Cantu and Hertz Equipment Rental. Legally, the jury did not fault Cantu or Rincon.
“Essentially, the jury felt the employer did not adequately train Cantu on the new forklift or even tell him the new one had different controls,” Escamilla says. Nabors Drilling “did not train either (worker) on the proper use of the lifting device. Nabors claimed that it relied on the manufacturer to provide the information it needed to train its crews, but this manufacturer (Bishop) provided nothing. There also were no warnings on the product at all when these men first used it. It had only been on site for three weeks.”
Nabors Drilling USA of Houston, Texas is the largest subsidiary of Nabors Industries Ltd of Hamilton, Bermuda. Bishop Lifting Products is a division of BLP Group; both are based in Houston. Shell Oil in Houston is the US-based subsidiary of multinational Royal Dutch Shell plc of The Hague, the Netherlands.
In addition to Houston, Bishop Lifting Products has operations in Beaumont and Odessa, Texas; New Iberia, Louisiana; and Rock Springs, Wyoming.
While a judgment is yet to be signed, costs should be assessed against the defendants. Attorneys’ fees come out of the total award. “I truly hope that much can be learned from this needless tragedy,” Escamilla says. “I understand that Nabors and Shell have modified their practices when using forklift attachments. I can only hope that Bishop improves its warnings and provides information by way of manuals and/or instructions for its products.”
Rincon’s survivors are his widow and two adult children. |  |
| | Bell Equipment to cut more jobs
Richards Bay, South Africa | Listed forklift and heavy equipment manufacturer Bell Equipment will cut more jobs this year, the company said last week after releasing its results for the year ended 31 December 2009.
Describing last year as the toughest and most challenging in its history, Bell made a loss of ZAR272 million (USD36.9 million), despite ”aggressive steps to curb losses”.
The company reports that it is starting to see a “slow up-turn” in sales this year but “it is still too early to be certain of its sustainability” and the availability of finances provides challenges.
“We are extremely unhappy to report that we have said farewell to 1,148 Bell employees during the year under review, but this was necessary in order to ensure the group’s sustainability,” the company said.
“As we continue to right-size, we will further reduce our workforce in 2010 but hopefully this effect will be countered by re-employment of certain manufacturing employees as production increases the demand for personnel,” it said.
Major shareholder and the group’s largest creditor, John Deere, continues to provide assistance to account settlement for machines and kits it supplied. The Department of Trade and Industries has retrospectively readmitted Bell to the Motor Industry Development program, meaning additional cash inflow to the group in 2010. Bell has also applied to the Industrial Development Corporation for additional long-term financing of ZAR300 million (USD40.8 million). | |
 | | Control Your PO Process, Simplify Payables and Receive Detailed Data | FleetNet America’s system gives customers confidence. Audits on each activity include an operational audit (did the vendor perform the work that was requested) and pricing audit (did the vendor charge correctly for the work performed). FleetNet offers various methods of invoicing depending on the customers needs: fully electronic, partially electronic, summary or consolidated billing, email and printed invoice. Electronic invoicing via computer interface allows for much easier transfer of detailed data directly into the customers computer system.
For more information regarding our Material Handing Equipment Maintenance Program, please contact Ric Nelson at richardn@fleetnetamerica.com or 1-800-438-8961 ext. 2616. |  |
| | Two indicted for rigging forklift contracts
Chicago, IL, United States | A federal indictment has charged two men with mail fraud for rigging 2006 contracts to provide forklifts for two major trade shows at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention centre.
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Rudy Fratto, 66, at his Darien, Illinois home on 12 March. A US magistrate released Fratto later after he was fitted with a home monitoring device. A news release from the US attorney for the northern district of Illinois says Fratto has allegedly represented himself as a member of the “Chicago outfit”.
William A Degironemo, 66, of Inverness, Illinois was named in the indictment and also charged with lying to federal agents during the investigation.
The indictment alleges that the men arranged for Degironemo’s purported business, MidStates Equipment Rental and Sales Inc, to fraudulently receive subcontracts through trade show general contractor Greyhound Exposition Services (GES) of Las Vegas, Nevada to supply forklifts during the International Machine and Tool Show (IMTS) and the National Plastics Exposition. GES co-operated in the federal investigation.
The indictment traces financial threads and nuances of the deal back to 2001 and discusses a role of purported members of a Cleveland, Ohio organised crime family and a so-called Individual A.
Fratto and Degironemo agreed to split profits and proceeds between themselves and Individual A with Fratto suggesting “that Individual A could use his share to repay the ‘debt’ he owed” to the Cleveland group, the indictment says.
“In December 2005, without the knowledge or consent of GES, Fratto and Degironemo allegedly received from Individual A non-public pricing information that they had requested concerning a competitor’s confidential bid,” the investigators allege. Fratto and Degironemo allegedly used the confidential information in submitting a proposal in mid-January. GES awarded the forklift subcontracts to MidStates on 29 January.
FBI agents report Degironemo lying during an 18 August 2008 investigative interview, falsely stating that he “had no idea what MidStates’ competitors’ forklift pricing was prior to submitting the MidStates bid for the IMTS forklift contract”.
In seeking the business, Degironemo had asserted to GES that MidStates was a “leader in the rental material handling industry for over 20 years” and offered one of the forklift industry’s most diverse fleets. The indictment alleges that MidStates was not actively involved in the forklift business. | |
| | IPS orders third Gottwald crane for Suriname
Dϋsseldorf, Germany | Integra Port Services NV (IPS) has ordered its third HMK 260E mobile harbour crane from Gottwald Port Technology GmbH for its operations in the public terminal in the river port of Paramaribo, Suriname.
“The first two HMK 260E cranes have been a crucial component for the development of our port,” says Remy Vyzelman, IPS president.
“With combined rates of over 50 berth moves per hour, the cranes have created a very good basis to increase productivity and make the port a more efficient shipping hub,” he says.
Two HMK 260E cranes, one new and one used, already operate at the port. In May 2009, the river port, located about 30km inland from the Atlantic Ocean, commissioned its first-ever mobile harbour crane for handling containers and general cargo. IPS forecasted expansion and opted for a second crane, a factory refurbished HMK 260E. The third crane rounds up the fleet and will be used mainly to handle containers.
Similar to the first crane, the third one will be equipped with six axles. Usually, the HMK 260E features a five-axle chassis but can be fitted with a sixth axle if the quay has a restricted load-bearing capacity or if required by conditions. The crane propping system will also be adapted to the quay specifications.
Gottwald Port Technology GmbH, a subsidiary of Demag Cranes AG, manufactures harbour cranes and terminal automation technology. It has sold over 1,300 mobile harbour cranes. | |
| | Used Forklift Dealers in the news | On 29th April 2010 we will be publishing a feature on “Used Forklift Dealers”.
If you deal in used machines; if you just deal in your own locality; if you want to find new sources of wholesale machines or if you want to find more dealer clients because you are a wholesaler; if you want to expand your influence into different export markets or if you want to find an investor or perhaps sell off your business.....here is the opportunity.
This will be a “must read” feature and our news team is already working on it. Coming after a hard business year it will be a wonderful opportunity to positively showcase your specialties and services. Any promotion in this edition will gain maximum “read” by focused professionals and end user companies. The “News” will be discussed in Boardrooms all around the world and it will be a great opportunity to seek alliances.
Would you like to do a special promotion in this edition of the News?
Contact the Forkliftaction.com sales team: write to marketing@forkliftaction.com, phone +61 7 3369 9090 or fax +61 7 3369 9096. | |
| | TVH introduces “durable driving”, welcomes ambassador
Waregem, Belgium | TVH has partnered with Waregem-based ProMove to introduce “durable driving” courses for its forklift engineers and company car users.
Bram Lannoo, the course organiser, explains that “durable driving” has a positive influence on fuel consumption.
“Research figures indicate an average decrease of 10 to 22%. We are convinced that the participation in the course by our external engineers will definitely pay off,” he says.
TVH’s 50-plus external engineers in their Mercedes Sprinters account for 40% of the company’s total fuel consumption. The engineers will receive a three-hour course during working hours. The vans used for the course will be provided by Ghistelinck group. The course will then be followed by a six-month evaluation period. As an incentive, the mechanic who achieves the biggest decrease in fuel consumption will win a prize.
TVH employees who have a company car are invited to sign up for the course. If there is enough interest from other employees, TVH says it will organise an extra course for them.
Lannoo says the course fits perfectly within the framework of the Province of West Flanders’ “Durable Enterprising” charter, which TVH would like to commit to this year.
Separately, the US ambassador to Belgium, Howard W Gutman, has visited the headquarters of TVH as part of a tour to better acquaint himself with the country.
Gutman was appointed ambassador on 24 July 2009 and since then has been determined to visit all of Belgium’s 596 cities and municipalities to familiarise himself with the nation and its people.
The ambassador was received by the Thermote and Vanhalst families and guided through the global enterprise’s different departments. | |
| | Plug Power names Raymond as a distributor
Greene, NY, United States | Plug Power Inc has designated Raymond Corp as the first independent distributor and service provider for North American sale, rental and lease of Plug Power’s GenDrive-brand fuel cell units.
From a distribution standpoint, this arrangement is a first-of-its-kind agreement for the materials handling and fuel cell industries.
“Raymond’s leading AC technology (and) Plug Power’s proven GenDrive solutions will bring superior power and performance to the electric lift truck market,” says Andy Marsh, chief executive officer of publicly traded Latham, New York-based Plug Power. “By investigating and commercialising new technologies to power its durable, reliable lift trucks, Raymond is helping to offer companies a seamless solution for installing fuel cell-powered lift trucks.”
Plug Power remains active with other original equipment manufacturers of forklift trucks and is hopeful those OEMs might continue with the momentum Raymond has displayed. Raymond is an operation of the materials handling group of Toyota Industries Corp of Kariya, Japan.
As an authorised distributor and service provider, Raymond can provide parts, warranty and maintenance service on GenDrive products and, simultaneously, serve as a technology advocate in the market.
“Through this agreement, Raymond and its (North American) sales and service centre network can aid companies in the deployment of fuel-cell-powered lift trucks and provide ongoing service and support throughout the life of the trucks,” says Chuck Pascarelli, executive vice president of sales and marketing with Greene-based Raymond.
GenDrive fuel cell power units are approved for use in Raymond model 8400 pallet trucks, model 4100 and 4200 stand-up counterbalanced trucks and various model 7400 Reach-Fork trucks. Evaluation of other Raymond forklift models is under way. | |
| | ShockWatch adds forklift monitoring tool
Dallas, TX, United States | Damage-prevention specialist ShockWatch has created EquipCommand 3.0 software for use with a dashboard for management and operator monitoring of forklift status and activities. A manager can host EquipCommand on a personal workstation or server.
The dashboard “makes it easy to identify challenges as well as areas of improvement”, says Kerri Lusk-Barnes, vice president of product safety with ShockWatch in Dallas.
Work on the product idea began in February 2009. Over the last year, ShockWatch provided early versions of EquipCommand, most recently version 2.2.3, to the market and worked with multiple customers globally in detailed testing of version 3.0.
EquipCommand software replaces ShockWatch legacy platforms including ShockMate, EquipManager and UsageManager.
The version 3.0 dashboard “has been geared to provide customers with the needed tools to better analyze and manage their fleet performance,” says Daniel Hafen, ShockWatch product manager for equipment monitors. “Productivity levels have increased due to the unique workstation in which each manager is able to monitor operations.”
Economic conditions and the need to find cost savings led ShockWatch to develop software enabling “company managers to right-size their fleet, decrease forklift-related damage and find peak efficiency”, the company says. EquipCommand facilitates data collection for better fleet management, provides a clear and concise forklift report analysis, delivers tools for management to build an effective plan and has capability for a phased approach allowing for customised adjustments.
By providing analysis, evaluation and planning details, a manager can focus on the implementation of an “action plan backed with quality metrics that are proven to help achieve desired goals”, Hafen notes.
Through the onboard system, “we offer operators the ability to interface with tools (that) indicate issues related to safety and maintenance”, Hafen says. Forklift operators’ “proper use of the safety checklist will provide up-to-date information to one to their manager’s dashboard check list widgets. This puts the operators in a position to help manage their own safety, keep trucks running at the optimum levels and avoid downtime.”
In operation since 1976, ShockWatch is a unit of Dallas-based Media Recovery Inc. | |
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| | Flexis ensure speedy and efficient throughput at Bowker facilities
Tipton, United Kingdom | One of northern England’s largest independent third-party logistics (3PL) service operators, Bowker Group, has received a fleet of 12 Flexi articulated forklifts after re-evaluating materials handling operations at its three sites.
Five Flexis are in service at the Leyland and Preston facilities while two trucks are working at the Hull site.
Although the Flexis can operate in aisles as narrow as 1.8 metres (5.9 feet) wide, Bowker opted to set the aisle widths at its facilities at 2.0 metres (6.6 feet) for higher speed efficiency of throughput.
“A significant part of our business is about achieving a quick turnaround,” explains warehouse manager Stuart Greenwood. “Quite simply, we felt that by narrowing the aisles too much we would restrict the speed at which forklifts can travel [safely] between picking locations.”
After close consultation between company’s key personnel and Narrow Aisle Flexi’s warehouse planning team, 2.0 metres (6.6 feet) was agreed to be the optimum aisle width for Bowker.
John Maguire, Narrow Aisle’s sales and marketing director, says that while articulated forklift suppliers have stressed the benefits of keeping aisle widths to a minimum for many years, he believes some companies are in danger of adversely affecting the efficiency of their forklift fleet by trying to squeeze too many racking runs into any given storage cube.
“At fast-moving operations like Bowker where speed of pallet put-away and pick is essential, the speed at which a truck can safely operate in the aisle is more important than the need to narrow the aisles,” he says.
Maguire says that this is sometimes forgotten at the warehouse planning stage. He recently visited a site where the wide chassis articulated forklifts specified in the operation have no choice but to travel at less than half their top speed within the aisle because clearance was too small, leaving little margin of error on either side of the truck.
Bowker’s Flexi fleet comprises of G4 models from the Narrow Aisle range. Narrow Aisle claims the G4 is the most popular articulated truck in Europe.
At Bowker’s Leyland facility, incoming vehicles arrive at a covered goods area and Flexis are used to unload incoming trailers and deliver pallets directly to the racking. At Hull and Preston, a combination of Flexis and counterbalanced machines are used for unloading.
“The Flexis and the new warehouse layouts introduced across our sites have made a big difference to our operation,” Greenwood says.
“One of the most interesting things has been the reaction of our operators to the trucks. One driver in particular had not even seen an articulated truck before and had only ever operated reach trucks. However, within a few days of using the Flexis, he was converted and now refuses to drive anything else.”
Established in 1919, Bowker offers a range of contract distribution and dedicated and shared-user warehousing services from its facilities at Preston, Leyland and Hull. It has a diverse client base and stores and distributes anything from hazardous chemicals to foodstuffs. | |
| | | Briefs | JLG appoints Satterley
McConnellsburg, PA, United States
JLG Industries Inc has appointed Andrew Satterley as vice president of sales, marketing and customer support for the Asia Pacific region.
Satterley will be based in Singapore, where he will oversee operations in Japan, China, India, Vietnam, South Korea as well as Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and the Philippines. .
Bob Mules has also been appointed as general manager for Australia and New Zealand. Mules joined JLG in 2005 as NSW state manager before becoming director of sales and market development for Australia and New Zealand in April 2008.
Clark recognises dealer of the year
Lexington, KY, United States
Clark Material Handling Company has awarded its “Dealer of the Year” award to Tri-Lift NC Inc of Greensboro, North Carolina.
Clark selects the winner annually from its North American network of 75 dealers and 225 dealership locations, recognising the dealership’s excellence in equipment sales, parts and service, customer satisfaction and overall dealer operations.
Tri-Lift NC Inc mainly represents the Clark brand. Dealer principal Bob Bond and his team have been among the top five dealers in North America for the past three consecutive years, says Bo Maslanyk, Clark’s national sales director.
Crown in top 2%
New Bremen, OH, United States
Crown has won the 2010 iF product design gold award for its ESR 5000 Series reach trucks.
Of the 2,400 entries worldwide, 50 were singled out for top honours by the jury of international experts, putting Crown in the top 2%.
The jury was said to be impressed by the models’ combination of “operator ergonomics, strength and productivity”.
Since 1953, the iF award has recognised companies and designers whose products display exceptional design. Criteria used to evaluate entries include aesthetic quality, degree of innovation, ergonomics and safety.
Grammer secures three-year funding
Amberg, Germany
Grammer AG has agreed on a new medium-term working-capital facility with a group of six banks supported by a program of the German KfW-bank.
The new line of credit makes EUR110 million (USD151.4 million) available for three years. Compared to Grammer’s existing credit facility, the line has been increased by EUR20 million (USD27.5 million).
Company CFO Alois Ponnath says Grammer will use the funding to secure future projects and investments. | |
| | More visitors register at Multimodal 2010
Birmingham, United Kingdom | Multimodal 2010, the exhibition which showcases all key sectors of the transport, logistics and supply chain industries, has seen a 26% increase in visitor registrations over last year. The event will be held at Birmingham’s NEC from 27 to 29 April.
Event organiser Clario Events Ltd says 24% of exhibitors will be using the event to set out their services for the first time this year. Among new exhibitors are Freightliner, The Woodland Group, Corporate Solutions Logistics, Barloworld, ABP, Air Menzies, OOCL Logistics, COSCON UK, Invest Thames Getaway, Huelin-Renouf, Fallow Freight, The Transport Exchange, Aztec, UbiFrance, Cronos, EH Nicholls and The Haven Gateway Partnership.
Industry trade associations that are participating include The UK Warehousing Association, British International Freight Association (BIFA), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and the Freight Transport Association.
BIFA has announced that all of its five regional representatives will be attending to support its membership and training promotions.
“Multimodal is the only event of its kind in the UK where freight forwarders, supply chain management companies, hauliers, ferry operators, deepsea shipping lines, rail logistics companies, equipment manufacturers, IT solutions providers, airlines, warehouse operators, insurers, academic institutions and ports can be found under one roof,” says event director Robert Jervis.
Multimodal 2010 will cater to green credentials now in demand in the supply chain. Freightliner’s new PowerHaul locomotive will be positioned in the middle of Hall 4, where the expo is located. The new generation diesel locomotive produces less carbon per gross-tonne mile than an electric locomotive and can haul a 30-wagon container train to and from major UK ports.
PD Ports, one of the leading exponents of PortCentric logistics which is the eradication of unnecessary road miles and the improvement of carbon footprints, will explain the concept in detail on its stand.
New exhibitor supply chain management and logistics company Corporate Solutions Logistics will also contribute to the green theme, being one of only 10% of UK logistics firms to obtain ISO14001 for environmental management systems.
Multimodal will feature the Shipper’s Voice Seminars, interactive forums consisting of panels of up to five industry experts made up of shippers, forwarders, transport providers, and leading associations including BIFA and the Rail Freight Group. The series of briefings run by Trade Extensions will cover issues like the decarbonising of logistics and supply chain optimisation. To register for these sessions, go to www.multimodal.org.uk. | |
| | | Product News | Yale launches new electric rider forklifts
GREENVILLE, NC, United States
Yale Materials Handling Corp has launched the three-wheel ERP030-040VT and the four-wheel ERP030-040VF electric rider forklifts.
Both models provide lifting capacities of 3,000 to 4,000lbs (1,361-1,814kg) and a zero turning radius. The forklifts are available with a 36- and 48-volt, low-maintenance AC traction and hydraulic motor.
According to Yale, the forklifts’ maneuverability is due to its zero-turn radius steer axles and dual AC drive motors.
Mitsubishi introduces new IC forklifts
Reading, United Kingdom
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks has introduced the next generation Grendia 1.5 to 5.5 tonne IC engine counterbalanced forklifts.
General manager Mike Jones explains that Grendia is short for “green diamond”. “Green symbolises our commitment to protecting the environment, while diamonds signify high quality,” he says.
There are 14 Grendia ES models with 1.5 to 3.5 tonne capacities, replacing the FD/FG15-35N series and 10 Grendia EX models with 4.0 to 5.5 tonne capacities, replacing and extending the FD/FG40-50K series.
Nine new heavy duty forklifts from Hyster
Fleet, United Kingdom
Hyster Europe has launched a new range of 25-32 tonne heavy duty forklifts and dedicated container handlers for heavy industry and ports.
The range includes four standard forklift models (H25XM-12, H28XM-12, H30XM-12, H32XM-12) with 25 to 32 tonne capacities at 1,200mm (3.9 foot) load centre. Three “ultra-compact” models (H25XMS-9, H30XMS-9, H32XMS-9), designed for tight spaces, have wheelbases between 3.655 and 3.935 metres (12.0 and.12.9 feet) There are two new container handlers (H28XM-16CH), H32XM-16CH) with a dedicated carriage for a container spreader. All the new models feature a QSC8.3 Cummins diesel engine that conforms to EC Tier 3 NRMM emissions standards. | |
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| | Logistics council unveils new strategy
Canberra, ACT, Australia | The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has unveiled a new strategic plan for 2010/11 to ensure it is viewed by government as the primary source of information on Australian freight transport and logistics (T&L) issues.
According to ALC chief executive Michael Kilgariff, the council is positioning itself as the peak national body for Australia’s freight T&L industry with the aim of influencing government policy decisions to ensure that Australia has a safe, secure, reliable, sustainable and competitive industry.
“The ALC membership demographic has interests across the full spectrum of the Australian freight T&L supply chain, including owners, providers and users of infrastructure, as well as suppliers of goods and services,” says Kilgariff.
Objectives include to:
• be the nationally recognised voice of the major participants in Australia’s domestic and international freight T&L supply chains;
• support appropriate nationally consistent regulatory frameworks and transparent markets to ensure Australia enjoys the full benefits of national freight T&L policy development and reform;
• promote the freight T&L industry’s image and profile and encourage greater recognition by governments and the community of the importance of the industry’s contribution to Australia’s economy; and
• drive implementation of strategies to improve Australia’s domestic and international supply chains.
A copy of the ALC Strategic Plan is available on the ALC website www.austlogistics.com.au.
Meanwhile, ALC chairman Ivan Backman has announced he will be resigning at the annual general meeting on 27 May, with Don Telford, former Asciano chief operating officer, taking over the position. | |
| | NTP to launch new pallet mover
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | A new Jungheinrich pedestrian pallet mover will be launched by distributor NTP Forklifts at the Melbourne Materials Handling trade show in April.
According to NTP national product manager Greg McNamara, the short drive unit length of only 450mm makes it ideally suited to light to medium applications such as retail stores, supermarkets or DIY stores.
The pallet mover has a 1,400kg capacity and is equipped with a powerful 1.0kw drive motor and maintenance-free batteries with an on-board charger as standard.
The materials handling show is co-located with the Safety In Action trade show at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, from 20-22 April. | |
| | SCLAA awards celebrate 50 years
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | This year is the 50th anniversary of the Australian Supply Chain and Logistics (ASCL) Awards, the longest-running national awards program in the industry.
The event will be held at the Crystal Palace, Luna Park, Sydney on Thursday, 28 October.
According to the ASCL Awards chairman, Vince Aisthorpe, the 2010 awards will return to its traditional black tie format as widely requested by industry participants.
The awards are designed to recognise achievements in the supply chain, logistics and transport industries by individuals and companies and to acknowledge the innovative projects that are being carried out every day in all parts of Australia.
The program allows nomination of suppliers, business partners, companies or people who work for them and publically recognises their efforts. | |
| | DB Schenker provides logistics for show
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | Logistics specialist DB Schenker has been appointed to provide integrated logistics support for CeBIT Australia 2010, which runs from 24-26 May in Sydney.
The company will arrange international air and ocean freight shipments and manage the storage of equipment during the show for exhibitors from around the world.
With its focus on industry, commerce and services, CeBIT Australia attracts over 550 exhibitors and over 30,000 professional visitors from Australia and around the world. | |
| | Port of Brisbane delivers new wharf
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia | Port of Brisbane’s new $57 million General Purpose Facility, comprising a wharf and terminal, was recently commissioned by Paul Lucas, deputy premier and minister for health.
The 210 metre facility, which took just over two years to construct, is expected to significantly boost project cargo and bulk trading capacity through Queensland’s largest general cargo port.
It will be available for use by a range of customers and cargo types including scrap metal, project cargo, appropriate dry-bulk cargoes and livestock; as well as providing Sunstate Cement with an alternative berth when the coal berth is unavailable. The wharf can also be used for naval and lay-up vessels.
The wharf has the highest point load capacity of all Port of Brisbane wharves - 150t compared to 50t point load capacity. It is therefore capable of taking larger cranes and undertaking heavier lifts. | |
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| Hydraulic Force Control (HFC) Picks Up Prestigious Environmental Award for Excellence | A groundbreaking forklift clamp accessory, which automatically adjusts clamp force to correspond to the load, has been recognized as a major environmental breakthrough at the Fork Lift Truck Association’s (FLTA) Annual Awards for Excellence held on the 27th of February at the Barceló Hinckley Island Hotel in Leicester, U.K. Cascade Corporation’s pioneering HFCTM could eliminate a significant proportion of the tons of wasted paper each year caused by clamping with excessive force. Brad Vandehey, Cascade Corporation Product Manager stated that “The globe ships more than 350,000,000 tons of paper per year and excessive clamp force is a major issue. With supply chain estimates for damage as high as 1%, this equates to over $100 million damage, of which roll and core crushing is a notable portion. Early adopters of the product have reported that complaints from key customers have stopped once the use of HFC was implemented.”
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| BEB Announces Upgraded Tool for Forklift SalesNew Generation of Quoting Software Released |  | KANSAS CITY, Mo. – February 16, 2010 – Today, BEB Industrial Asset Management announced the release of the newest version of its quoting software for material handling equipment - QuoteMaster IQ®.
This is the seventh generation of the company’s popular quoting software, and it incorporates many new features for its users. The original QuoteMaster product was born in 1991 out of a single material handling equipment (MHE) dealer to improve the efficiencies of the sales processes. While the latest version is vastly different from the original, the primary benefit is still the same – to help MHE salespeople produce better quotes, faster and easier, and thereby close more sales.
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| | | Video ---Impact Recorder For Equipment |  | Keytroller’s SMARTY is a compact digital camera recorder that matches video incidents with GPS location and tracking. The device is unbelievably easy to use. Simply mount the camera, plug into lighter outlet---- and begin recording! The small profile design fits easily to any windshield---- with NO restriction of visibility.
SMARTY begins recording when it’s 3 axis accelerometer senses an impact, fast acceleration, deceleration or a quick turn. Video, GPS location, speed and G-force is recorded 15 seconds before and 5 seconds after the event and stored on the unit’s SD memory card.
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Editorial Calendar 2010
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January
Telehandlers
February
The Forklift Market in The USA
March
Attachments: Pallet Handling
April
Used Forklift Dealers
May
The Forklift Market in China
June
Materials Handling Equipment in Ports
July
The Forklift Market in Latin America
August
Industrial Tryes and Wheels
September
Batteries and Chargers
October
Materials Handling in Europe
November
Warehouse Counter Balance Forklifts
December
Spare Parts
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