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 | |  | The pallet, like the forklift, has become a cornerstone of materials handling and the combination of the two has provided efficiencies not possible using any other options. But as we read in this month’s special report, changing applications and warehouse conditions have forced changes in the way forklifts and pallets interact. Emerging needs have fostered innovation and creativity, and there are many solutions for general and niche applications for diverse loads, industries and settings. And one certainty is that change will continue – and it appears that manufacturers are nimble enough to anticipate and meet new demands. |
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Doing more with less  | With warehouse space at a premium worldwide, storage has become increasingly vertical and more compact. Goods are palletised for ease of storage and movement, wherever possible. Melissa Barnett reports that it is no surprise that the materials handling industry’s response to consumer demand has been to develop better and more innovative designs to maximise mobility, speed of loading and available space.
There are over 250 different forklift attachments available to streamline just about any materials handling function, but the increasing demands of shipping and warehousing mean that pallet-handling attachments are now seen as essential tools in any fleet.
Read more |  |
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Jungheinrich puts difficult year behind
Hamburg, Germany | Jungheinrich AG has put a difficult 2009, affected by the global economic crisis, behind it, breaking even after eight months in the northern hemisphere autumn of 2009.
In its preliminary financial results for the year ended 31 December 2009, Jungheinrich reports that all its business areas declined 23% from the prior financial year’s EUR2.145 billion (USD2.906 billion) to EUR1.654 billion (USD2.241 billion). Group net sales for 2009 were down 22% from EUR2.145 billion (USD2.905 billion) to EUR1.677 billion (USD2.272 billion).
The group’s measures to manage the financial crisis resulted in it breaking even in operating terms. Earnings before interest and taxes for 2009 totaled EUR8 million (USD10.8 million). However, EBIT decreased to a negative EUR72 million (USD97.5 million) after taking into account one-off expenses of EUR80 million (USD108.4 million). EBIT for the prior financial year was EUR122 million (USD165.3 million). Jungheinrich says it will elaborate on details of its results at its 14 April press conference in Hamburg.
Chairman of the board Hans-Georg Frey says the group reacted “quickly and emphatically” to the collapse of materials handling equipment markets, which shrank by 37% worldwide and by about 46% in its core market Europe.
“By taking comprehensive adjustment and restructuring measures … this enabled our company to achieve an operative turnaround as early as autumn, while growing its market share,” he says.
Jungheinrich says it expects the global economy to recover slowly and does not anticipate that the sector, which it is active in, will experience substantial recovery before the second half of 2010.
Forkliftaction.com News reported that over 1,000 Jungheinrich staff in and outside Germany were affected by restructuring measures last year (Forkliftaction.com News #421). |  |
| | Cooper takes different approach with ABP
Kenilworth, United Kingdom | Cooper Specialised Handling (Cooper SH) has won a tender worth over GBP1 million (USD1.5 million) to help the UK’s largest port group increase its uptime and productivity to facilitate the increased popularity of the rail freight industry.
For the first time, Cooper SH is maintaining non-Konecranes equipment for a customer. The three-year maintenance contract with Associated British Ports (ABP), operating at the Hams Hall Intermodal Rail Freight Terminal near Birmingham, involves maintaining a mixed fleet of handling equipment and supplying a “second rail” Konecranes reach stacker to handle nearly 100,000 containers annually.
Managing director David Cooper tells Forkliftaction.com News that Cooper SH decided to maintain non-Konecranes equipment because that was what the tender required.
“The ABP contract is unique for us in that, for the first time, we are maintaining non-Konecranes equipment on a fixed maintenance contract alongside the Konecranes equipment that we know so well. We have, therefore, taken a different approach to how we do business.”
Challenges for the Konecranes distributor include maintaining equipment that has different components and operating software, and had had long use. “Spare parts prices would of course be a concern,” Cooper says.
The intermodal operation involves the handling of laden containers from rail to road and vice versa. ABP’s fleet performs nearly 300,000 lifts a year and contributes to average truck turnaround of 45 minutes or less.
ABP’s inland operations manager Martin Philpott says customer service is paramount at ABP.
“Ultimately, we are only as good as our equipment. We require a service provider who can offer optimum preventative maintenance and keep our machines running efficiently.”
Cooper SH has a full-time resident engineer to respond to ABP’s needs. It says it has also prioritised the preventative element of its obligations under the contract by working closely with ABP’s engineering facility in Southampton.
ABP’s Hams Hall handling equipment consists of three Kalmar and three Konecranes reach stackers and an SISU RTG crane.
Cooper Specialised Handling, formerly SMV UK Ltd, is independently owned and is the UK’s sole national distributor of Konecranes/SMV forklifts, Bauman sideloaders, MAFI terminal and RoRo tractors and DanTruck, operating in the UK and Northern Ireland. | |
 | | China Forklift Industry in the news? | On 29th April 2010 we will be publishing a feature on “Used Forklift Dealers” and then the next big one is...................
On 27th May 2010 we will be publishing a feature on “The Forklift Industry in China”.
If you export out of China; if you want to import into China; if you just deal in China; if you want to find new sources of supply; if you want to sell into China; if you want to find an alliance in China for whatever outcome or if you want to expand your influence as a global player within the industry.....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 companies with Chinese interests. 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?
There is still time to advertise in both of these special features, but please book your space early.
Contact the Forkliftaction.com sales team: write to marketing@forkliftaction.com, phone +61 7 3369 9090 or fax +61 7 3369 9096. | |
| | Miretti markets explosion-proof forklifts
Fairfield, NJ, United States | Operations of Miretti SpA are marketing a new line of converted flame-proof and explosion-proof counterbalance electric and diesel forklifts in the western hemisphere through its USA subsidiary and in Australia through another entity.
The subsidiary Miretti USA established a 12,000 sqft (1,080 sqm) Fairfield facility for sales and forklift conversions in late 2008.
Miretti has a distribution agreement with Australian Flameproof Services Pty Ltd of Fountain Gate, Victoria, near Melbourne.
Based in Limbiate, Italy near Milan, Miretti SpA has more than 35 years’ experience with custom-engineered conversions for diesel and electric forklifts, transportation equipment, nautical vessels, military applications and industrial machinery.
The US operation imports the new converted forklifts from Limbiate, pursues a direct-distribution business model for now and is willing to set up US dealer relationships, says Ash Bansal, managing director of Miretti USA. “Any truck by any manufacturer is a candidate, and we will convert it,” Bansal says. “We offer a solution to every piece of industrial equipment.”
For the new line, “all our private label trucks come from one of the largest manufacturers of forklift trucks in the world”, Bansal tells Forkliftaction.com News. The identity of the forklift maker was withheld.
“The standard trucks are assembled in a plant of the manufacturer and get converted to explosion-proof state at the Miretti plant in Limbiate,” Bansal notes. “At this time, all Miretti-brand trucks are intended only for the Americas (North and South) and Australian markets.”
Miretti says those forklifts comply with Class 1, Division 1 requirements for explosion-proof and flame-proof conversion technology and allow operation in hazardous environments or where there is an explosion risk.
To achieve compliance, Miretti seals the forklift engine, battery and wiring that connects these components to the ignition system and makes the tyres and operator seat static-proof. For a diesel-powered truck, Miretti installs a cooling system that can reduce the temperature of extremely hot exhaust gases.
Bansal explains the critical need for “customised solutions to ensure that every mechanical or electrical process that could potentially trigger a spark is explosion-proof and flame-proof.”
Starting at 3,000 pounds (1,350 kg), the new electrics have a lifting capacity range to 9,000 pounds (4,050 kg) and the diesels to 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg).
Miretti is an approved supplier of explosion-proof conversions in Europe for forklifts from KION Group GmbH’s Still brand, Jungheinrich AG and Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift Europe BV. Miretti is certified under the European Union’s ATEX directive 94/9/CE.
In addition, Miretti has approval from Nacco Materials Handling Group Inc to handle conversions in Limbiate through the NMHG Hyster and Yale dealerships in Europe.
In comparison to the US market, “those (original equipment manufacturers) in Europe are more amenable to give us permission” for making the forklift conversions, Bansal observes. He is making direct contact with US forklift manufacturers in an effort to increase awareness about the technology and the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) program dealing with explosion-proof equipment. “OSHA is tightening enforcement but is still lax,” Bansal reports.
Miretti USA also targets explosion-proof conversions for potentially combustible petrochemical-carrying barges.
In addition to the Limbiate location, Miretti has offered equipment conversion services in Wissous, France, near Paris although “the company is winding down the Parisian (conversion) operation and will maintain a sales office in Paris”, Bansal says. Other Miretti sales sites include those in Langenhagen, Germany and Helmond, the Netherlands. A joint venture in Shanghai, China deals with sales and on-site conversions.
In the US, some other explosion-proof forklift-related activity involves converter Pyroban Corp of Bloomfield, New Jersey, a unit of England-based Pyroban Group Ltd; custom-manufactured Gregory Industrial Trucks from Excalibur Equipment Leasing LLC, also of Fairfield, New Jersey; specialty forklift maker Rico Manufacturing Inc of Medina, Ohio; and certain models of the Drexel SwingMast forklift from Landoll Corp of Marysville, Kansas. | |
| | New clean engine is JCB’s largest investment
Rocester, United Kingdom | JCB has invested about GBP80 million (USD120.3 million) in researching and developing a combustion system for a new diesel engine that will be used in its telehandlers and other equipment.
It is one of the biggest investments in the company’s history.
The company’s development of the JCB Ecomax T4 4.4 litre engine, the latest generation of JCB Dieselmax engine, could result in the off-highway sector’s cleanest engine. The investment has delivered an industry-first solution which eliminates the need for any exhaust after-treatment and, according to JCB, delivers cost savings for mid-range customers.
JCB says the key benefits of the innovation are reduced fuel consumption, reduced cost of ownership, better reliability, and better packaging with no compromise of machine design.
Alan Tolley, JCB’s director of engine programmes, says meeting Tier 4 emissions legislation is not only a challenge but a “huge opportunity” for innovation”. “We believe the result is not only the off highway sector’s cleanest engine, but a first for our industry.”
“The expectation for the first part of Tier 4 interim/Stage 3B legislation was to achieve these really low particulate levels you needed to fit a diesel particulate filter (DPF),” Tolley explains.
“But when you look at that technology for our particular part of the market, namely mid-range construction equipment, we see there are some real disadvantages with that solution, in particular increased fuel consumption through back pressure to the engine,” he continues.
Tolley adds that in many applications load cycles are also light and the DPF doesn’t self regenerate and needs fuel to force it to do so.
JCB’s strategy is to meet Tier 4 interim emission standards without a DPF and to achieve it without any exhaust after-treatment. Their approach has been to focus R&D on a high efficiency combustion system, not creating pollutants that have to be dealt with later. According to JCB, this would result in very low fuel consumption levels.
The engine is now undergoing full in-field testing before going into production in 2012 to meet Tier 4 interim/Stage 3B legislation.
Since launching in 2004, the JCB Dieselmax engine, which powered the JCB Dieselmax car to a world diesel land speed record of 350mph (518kmph) on the Salt Flats in Bonneville, US in 2006, has undergone continual development. Over 100,000 engines are now working in the field globally. | |
| | Fuel cell pact dissolves into litigation
New York, NY, United States | Soroof Trading Development Co Ltd of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is suing fuel cell maker Plug Power Inc and others for not fulfilling terms of a 2000 distribution agreement.
Plug Power of Latham, New York indicated in a security filing that “there continues to be ongoing discussions between the parties” but that “it is too early to determine (i) that there is likely exposure to an adverse outcome and (ii) whether or not the probability of an adverse outcome is more than remote”.
Soroof filed a demand for arbitration in July 2008 against GE Fuel Cell Systems LLC (GEFCS), which was dissolved in 2006. Earlier, Plug Power had a 40% membership interest in GEFCS and GE Microgen Inc (GEM) held a 60% interest. Industrial conglomerate General Electric Co was behind the GEFCS and GEM businesses. General Electric is not a party to the suit.
“In January 2010, Soroof requested, and GEM and Plug Power Inc agreed, that the arbitration proceeding be administratively closed pending final resolution of the matter in United States District Court, Southern District of New York,” says Plug Power’s 10-K filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
Soroof filed a complaint with the court on 22 January naming, among others, Plug Power GEFCS and GEM as defendants and seeking as much as USD3 million.
Saudi Prince Bander Bin Abdullah Al Saud operates Soroof Trading. | |
| | Clean and cost-efficient option for Nissan’s European customers
Amsterdam, Netherlands | Nissan Forklift Europe BV is offering the European market an option pack for all of its DX ECO-X LPG forklifts that is not only environmentally friendly but could save end-users over 10% in operating costs.
René Eenhoorn from Nissan Forklift Europe’s product marketing department tells Forkliftaction.com News that the CNG (compressed natural gas) module and engine adaptation pack enable its forklifts to run on natural gas and could benefit cusomers in Europe.
“There are several countries where CNG is rapidly emerging - like Italy, Netherlands, Austria and Spain. For example, the Netherlands has an excellent supply of natural gas in every household but it is impossible to tank CNG for your car at every gas station,” Eenhoorn says.
He adds that some of Nissan Forklift’s customers have a CNG infrastructure established for their day-to-day business and a CNG-run forklift could be a “natural addition” to their daily operation.
“This type of company has the advantage of already owning a CNG filling station. They only have to invest in the CNG module option when buying the forklift,” Eenhorn says.
Cost savings achieved through running forklifts on natural gas are dependent on the customer’s situation. A customer with a CNG filling station who invests in one CNG module option could save up to 10% of the forklift’s operating costs. Larger forklift users could achieve greater cost reduction.
“Companies who have to buy the filling station and the module option, they need to have more CNG forklifts in their fleet to make it economically viable,” Eenhorn explains. “Due to a number of parameters, it is difficult to say generally how many trucks a company needs to break even. We discuss with each customer to access economic viability.”
The advantages of natural gas-run forklifts include low fuel costs, clean exhaust emissions, the ability to use the vehicle indoors, no costly LPG bottle exchange, the driver does not need to change LPG bottles and fast and easy filling for certain types of filling stations.
Nissan Forklift developed the CNG module option with IMPCO Technologies by modifying the Nissan K21 and K25 LPG engines. The current Nissan fuel injection system remains but a special gas tank (CNG module) is installed. It is a patented and CE-PED certified gas tank. PED stands for the Pressure Equipment Directive that defines safety requirements for pressurised equipment sold in EU countries.
Customers that choose the option pack on top of the LPG forklift pay 10-20% more. The forklift can be converted to run back on LPG, securing its residual value when it is put on the used-truck market. | |
| | Yingkou orders machines for expanding port business
Shanghai, China | Yingkou Port Group Corporation has ordered eight Kalmar DRF450 reach stackers and one DCE80 empty container handler from Cargotec to help meet the demands of northern China’s expanding port business.
Three units have been delivered and the rest will arrive at the end of this month. The machines will be assembled at Cargotec’s production facility in the Linggang Industrial Park near Shanghai, China.
The 7,000 sqm (75,347 sqft) facility opened in January 2006, assembling a range of Kalmar equipment including rubber-tyred gantry cranes, reach stackers, empty container handlers and terminal tractors.
In the mid-1980s, Cargotec started sending CKDs of its Kalmar terminal tractors to Asia for local assembly. The success of the project convinced the company to invest in the Linggang assembly plant.
Today, the facility produces Kalmar heavy forklifts, Hiab stiff and knuckle boom cranes and Hiab Hooklifts. About 350 people are employed at the site.
The Liaoning province in north east China has invested over EUR2 billion (USD2.7 billion) to expand five of its major ports including Yingkou, as part of its plan to develop the region as a major centre for inland domestic trade. Container traffic in Yingkou Port has grown significantly with a 2008 throughput of over 2 million TEUs, a 30% jump from 2007.
The value of the order was not disclosed. | |
| | Food distributor installing fuel cell technology
Sarasota, FL, United States | United Natural Foods Inc (UNFI) plans to install GenDrive-brand hydrogen fuel cell technology from Plug Power Inc at a Sarasota distribution centre by June.
The nationwide food distributor plans to have Abel Womack Inc retrofit 36 existing pallet jacks with an average age of two-and-a-half years and supply 29 new Raymond units, possibly including model 8400 walkie riders, model 7400 reach-fork trucks, model 5500 order picker trucks and model 4200 standup counterbalance trucks, according to Tom Dziki, UNFI senior vice president of sustainable development. Unit selection is under way.
Abel Womack is a major Northeast distributor of Raymond Corp materials handling equipment and services through facilities in Lawrence, Massachusetts; Wallingford, Connecticut; and Farmingdale, New York.
“Sarasota is the first (UNFI) distribution centre that will utilise this technology,” Dziki says. “(In the) longer term, if the technology is successful, we will consider adopting hydrogen fuel cell technology at other facilities.”
Publicly traded UNFI of Providence, Rhode Island distributes more than 60,000 products to 17,000 customer locations.
UNFI opted to start with Sarasota because of “the leadership position the State of Florida has taken with regard to support of alternative fuels”, he notes.
Also, several of the existing pallet jacks in Sarasota have 2 inch (5.3cm) battery compartments “which are necessary for the fuel cell stacks”. Dziki says. “We augmented our inventory for those that had 18 inch (45cm) battery compartments with new purchases.”
UNFI expects in Sarasota to reduce annual carbon emissions by an amount equivalent to the emissions of 35 automobiles and achieve annual energy savings of approximately 640,000 kilowatt hours.
“This project is a natural extension of our strategy to create an environmentally and socially responsible environment in all the communities we serve,” Dziki says. “Hydrogen fuel cells not only provide greater productivity and lower operating costs but will be an important component of a clean energy future, and we are happy to be pioneering the use of this technology in Florida. Once implemented, this fuel cell project is expected to create annual energy savings of approximately 640,000 kilowatt hours.”
The Sarasota facility employs 160 associates, occupies 352,000 square feet (31,680 sqm) and serves as a regional distribution hub for customers in the south eastern US.
In addition to Plug Power and Abel Womack, UNFI is partnering with Air Products and Chemicals Inc to implement the roll-out. | |
| Sample of used equipment for sale: | Search 4707 listings in the Marketplace | |
| Caterpillar |
E5000 |
2006 |
United States |
USD 17900 |
Details |
| Linde |
E18P02 |
2003 |
Germany |
EUR 5800 |
Details |
| Hyster |
R1.8 |
2001 |
New Zealand |
NZD 18500 |
Details |
| Hyster |
H48.00C |
1999 |
Australia |
AUD 285000 |
Details |
| Still |
EGV14 |
2006 |
Germany |
EUR 2000 |
Details |
| Kalmar |
ECD70-6 |
1999 |
Germany |
EUR 22500 |
Details |
| Toyota |
7BRU18 |
2004 |
United States |
USD 6200 |
Details |
| Linde |
L12 |
2006 |
Germany |
EUR 2100 |
Details |
| Kalmar |
EC5-600 |
1995 |
Germany |
EUR 7500 |
Details |
| Jungheinrich |
TFG425 |
2005 |
Germany |
EUR 6450 |
Details |
| Kalmar |
DCB42-1200 |
1996 |
Netherlands |
EUR 77500 |
Details |
| Mitsubishi |
FGC25K |
2000 |
United States |
USD 6500 |
Details |
| Hyster |
H2.50XM-D |
1997 |
United Kingdom |
GBP 5250 |
Details |
| Hyster |
S50FT |
2005 |
United States |
USD 5900 |
Details |
and thousands more...
Click here to include your used forklifts, stackers, telehandlers, container handlers, attachments etc. | |
| | Engineer eyes standard for movable LP tank systems
Homewood, IL, United States | Forensic and design engineering consultant Myron J Boyajian of Homewood wants an industry safety standard for forklifts with movable liquid-propane tank systems.
“Swing-out brackets have gained popularity and the potential for serious operator injury and property damage may grow,” Boyajian notes in a Calamities column in the March issue of Canon Communications LLC’s monthly magazine Design News and a related blog.
Boyajian reports on an industrial accident that he investigated and that led to litigation that was settled in favour of two injured workers. He observes: “Determining an accident’s cause may only be the first step in providing both safe equipment and a safe work environment.”
Boyajian is president of Engineering Consultants and a Design News contributing writer.
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| | | Briefs | Konecranes celebrates production milestone
Stockholm, Sweden
Konecranes has celebrated the production of the 3,000th machine at its factory in Markaryd, Sweden.
The 3,000th machine is a reach stacker for container transportation company Van der Most in the Netherlands. The reach stacker features Konecranes’ Eco-Drive system, which calculates the machine’s fuel consumption and running hours, and the Load Sensing Hydraulic System, which senses the load weight and the required lifting speed.
The Markaryd facility produces forklifts and reach stackers.
Pyroban Envirosafe showcases emissions tech
Sussex, United Kingdom
Pyroban Envirosafe will showcase its range of exhaust emissions “stoppers” at the Safety and Health Expo at the NEC in Birmingham in May.
The company manufactures catalysts, spark arresters and diesel particulate filters for vehicles and stationary engines. The range includes systems for permanent installation like the Acti-Trap brand, through to the short-term Temp-Trap disposable filters suitable for hire-company applications.
The products are available internationally.
JLG improves E300 series
McConnellsburg, PA, United States
JLG Industries Inc has announced new features on its JLG E300 series boom lift models.
According to JLG, the E300 now provides over 20% more duty cycles, which means an operator can drive 6.6 miles (10.6km) and complete 175 lift cycles on a single charge. The new 305 amp-hour batteries offer an 18% improvement in recharging time and give owners a lower replacement cost, says JLG.
Other improvements include better break-over clearance, smoother swing function and a new multi-digital indicator that displays data including battery life, machine hours and fault codes. | |
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| | New DHL warehouse facility opens
Erskine Park, New South Wales, Australia | DHL Supply Chain has officially opened a new 20,000 square metre warehouse in Erskine Park, Sydney, purpose-built for Sony Australia.
The facility will house Sony’s consumer electronics and PlayStation products in one location.
“The new DHL facility will provide Sony Australia with greater flexibility in managing fluctuations in the demand for warehousing,” says Nic Foster, general manager of business operations for Sony Australia.
In addition to the warehouse space, the new facility offers 600 square metres of office space and has been built to satisfy green requirements, with rainwater capture and native vegetation on site.
DHL Supply Chain was appointed Sony Australia’s logistics operation supplier in 2008, and has worked with Sony Computer Entertainment in both Australia and New Zealand since 2006. | |
| | Campaign highlights forklift safety
Australia | Australia’s workplace safety authorities are planning a campaign to place the spotlight on the safe use of forklifts in the grocery and fruit and vegetable wholesale industries.
The national campaign, to be conducted by their joint body, the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA), is aimed at reducing the rates of incidents and injury from forklift-related tasks such as loading and unloading vehicles.
Forklifts present a well-known hazard in many work environments, involving a high risk of severe work-related injury or fatality to operators, those working around forklifts, and others in the workplaces concerned.
Official statistics show that across Australia in the period 2000 to 2007, there were more than 7,400 work-related injuries where forklifts were the nominated “agency of accident”.
The national campaign will specifically look at the safety of forklift operations.
In particular, the campaign aims to highlight the importance of systematically identifying hazards in workplaces and implementing sustainable control measures to eliminate or minimise incidents of harm.
The campaign will begin with a series of industry forums to explain the campaign and highlight the relevant issues.
The forums will be followed by a compliance campaign at targeted sites, with workplace audits expected to begin in April 2010.
Once the outcomes and feedback from the workplace audits are collated and analysed, the results of the campaign should be released by the end of 2010. | |
| | Another conviction for Linfox
Lemnos, Victoria, Australia | Transport giant Linfox Australia has been convicted and fined $170,000 after a driver was seriously injured in 2006. The company was also ordered to pay WorkSafe Victoria costs of $41,270.
The incident occurred in Lemnos, after the driver asked a forklift operator for help lifting an adjustable mezzanine floor in the truck’s trailer into place. During the lifting process, one of the support posts became detached, causing the rear floor of the trailer to collapse onto the driver.
WorkSafe’s investigation revealed a lack of training, instruction and equipment for drivers and other employees who needed to adjust trailer floors.
Linfox Australia Pty Ltd has two prior convictions from WorkSafe Victoria. These relate to health and safety incidents in Victoria only. | |
| | Port project wins national infrastructure award
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Victoria’s largest-ever marine infrastructure project, the newly completed channel deepening project in Port Phillip Bay, has won the prestigious National Infrastructure Award.
The project was delivered ahead of schedule, under budget and within strict environmental guidelines, beating other significant nominations such as Sydney’s $1.8 billion desalination plant and Brisbane’s $3 billion Clem Jones Tunnel.
“Importantly, the channel deepening project has also opened up Victoria’s sea highway to the world at a time when trade volumes have shown strong signs of rebounding after the global financial crisis,” says Roads and Ports minister Tim Pallas.
Channel deepening created about 2,300 jobs during construction, with port activities supporting a further 14,000 jobs.
The project will add an extra $2 billion to the Victorian economy over the next 30 years. | |
| | Industry rebounds gradually
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | The latest CEO survey by the Australian Industry Group (AiG) and Deloitte suggests that economy is rebounding, but at a gradual and uneven pace.
The report predicts that growth in the manufacturing, construction and services sectors is going to be reasonably solid in the year ahead, albeit uneven.
Despite the stronger sales and employment expectations, investment trends across these sectors remain “soft and conservative", says AiG chief executive, Heather Ridout.
"We expect business performance in 2010 to reflect the positive drivers such as improving consumer confidence, rising household wealth and exposure to strong growth in China. Partially offsetting these positives will be the fading of fiscal stimulus, rising interest rates and the dampening impacts of the stronger dollar on exporting and import-competing businesses.”
The survey’s highlights include:
•An improvement in activity is expected in 2010 in all three sectors surveyed, although it is likely to be stronger in the services and manufacturing sectors than the construction sector;
•Improving consumer confidence in incomes growth and employment prospects, rising household wealth and exposure to strong growth in China will drive growth in the coming year;
•The fading of government stimulus activity and rising interest rates will particularly impact on the construction industry;•Manufacturers, on average, anticipate a 5.6% increase in the nominal value of sales in 2010, to around $415 billion; in the services sector, sales are forecast to rise 6.6%; and construction sales are expected to grow by 2.5% in 2010;
•Employment will improve modestly. Building on gains late in 2009, the manufacturing sector expects a 2.9% lift; in the services sector, employment is anticipated to rise by 2.3%; while the construction industry is expecting only a slight improvement of 0.5%;
•Employers across the sectors are concerned about a possible re-emergence of skills shortages as the economy returns to growth and how this will impact on employment and wages;
•Spending on R&D and training will grow conservatively in 2010. Businesses in the services sector are likely to spend the most on R&D but training budgets remain tight, manufacturing up 3.4%, services 1.9% and construction 1.2%;
•The higher exchange rate will continue to cap exports in 2010. The services sector is expecting the biggest lift, 8.2%, bringing total exports in 2010 to around $57.7 billion. | |
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| Customized Programs for Flexible Solutions | You choose how much of the process we are involved with. FleetNet America, Inc can do it all or just notify you when your equipment is due, maintain electronic equipment files, etc. Our service is flexible from the standpoint of tracking all PM’s, scheduling the PM, paying the vendor and creating an electronic equipment file. We can do all of this or any combination of these services. No matter what your needs are we will customize a package for you.
FleetNet America’s Material Handling Maintenance Management Program is designed to manage material handling equipment maintenance needs while controlling maintenance costs and keeping equipment in profitable operating condition. We will alert you of mechanical issues before they turn into costly repairs, maximizing equipment uptime and keeping your equipment in peak condition. Our program monitors maintenance costs, hours of usage, equipment condition and other factors that can affect performance. We provide this information via our secure web environment, 24/7.
Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. | |
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| | | New Multi Pallet Handlers: Safe, Clean and Economical |  | The patented ‘permanent lubricating system’ and the longer life expectancy single out the new multi pallet handler of Hans H. Meyer GmbH (Salzgitter).
As the complete guide system is sealed and constructed with permanent lubrication, the greasing intervals can last for more than 1000 operating hours – the intervals are now aligned with the service schedule of the truck and additional maintenance for the attachment is no longer necessary. In addition, no grease comes into contact with transported goods which could easily happen with units designed with T or C profiles.
Taking into account the contract duration of five years, the new MEYER multi pallet handler scores the lowest life time costs due to wear parts lasting longer and requiring little change.
Click here for more information on this product, including pictures. | |
| | | Ruyi Launches Its New Reach Lift Truck |  | Introducing the CQD series Counterbalanced Reach lift truck developed by Ningbo Ruyi, with innovative design and application-oriented functionality, low noise, no pollution and a small turning radius. With its high lifting height and good stability, it is widely used for high-shelves operation in narrowaisle warehouses, supermarkets, etc..
The complete product has been tested by TUV with GS/ CE certification conforming to new machinery directive 2006/42/EC.
Click here for more information on this product, including pictures. | |
| | | WE-LIFT mast rollers, chain rollers, side rollers for all forklift makes!The best choice in forklift bearings |  | WE-LIFT Forklift Parts Co., Ltd is the leading forklift spare parts supplier in China. We supply many types of fast moving forklift parts such as forks, side shifters, fork positioners, seats, split rims, integral rims, solid tyres, pneumatic tyres, mast rollers, chain rollers, side rollers, water pumps, lamps, chains, fork extensions, drum clamps, discs, plates and torque converters.
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| In the Discussion Forums | " Taylor still has an agreement with CVS, but only for some special models. The TS9972 is designed and manufactured by Taylor here in the States." Luigi_M, United States" At the moment , in Queensland, Australia, according to the Qld Government Department of Employment and Industrial Relations, it is a "Prohibited Practice" to use a forklift as a towing or pushing device, unless appropriate attachments are fitted." les_a, Australia" My employer has his own weighbridge and it is used all day long to weigh the loaded containers prior to loading them onto one of his daily trains to port. I have worked in many parts of this industry and the modern lifting machines have scales fitted to them so it,s easy to tell if the weight declaration is correct." finn_r, Australia |
| Jobs | 1. Material Handling Specialist - Full timeUnited States, Indianapolis, IN 2. Material Handling Specialist - Full timeUnited States, Louisville, KY 3. Electrical Forklift Technician - Full timeUnited States, Roxboro, NC 4. National Accounts Sales Representative - Full timeUnited States, Lexington, KY 5. JCB Equipment Sales Rep - Full timeUnited States, Greenville, SC 6. Capital Equipment Sales Representative - Full timeUnited States, Atlanta, GA 7. Regional Aftermarket Sales Manager - Full timeUnited States, Field Based Western Region 8. Service Manager - Full timeUnited States, Richmond, Virginia 9. Forklift Service Engineer - Full timeUnited States, SouthWest region 10. Forklift Technician - Full timeUnited States, Hartsville, SC 11. Service Engineer - Full timeUnited States, Houston |
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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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