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 | | Safety First columnist Rob Vetter got it quite right this week when he defined success in the new decade in terms of coming to grips with change. If we’ve learned anything in the past couple of years, it’s that nothing can be taken for granted and uncertainty is perhaps the only thing we can be sure of.
Of course, how organisations deal with change will determine which succeed and which fail, and this week we again read about mixed fortunes – and pro-active moves like Aisle-Master’s co-location with Combilift, Palfinger’s buy-in with Equipment Technology, Konecranes’ alliance with Kito and Toyota’s global restructure.
In the words of Bob Dylan, “the times, they are a-changing”.
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Toyota restructures global businesses
Kariya, Japan | Toyota Industries Corp (TICO) has restructured its materials handling businesses globally and combined the North American management and operations for the Toyota and Raymond forklift brands.
Effective 1 April, Kazue Sasaki is chairman and James Malvaso is president and chief executive officer of Toyota Material Handling North America (TMHNA), with the leadership based in Columbus, Indiana at the site of the forklift manufacturing headquarters and plant operating as Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Inc (TIEM).
TMHNA includes TIEM, forklift marketing and sales unit Toyota Material Handling USA Inc (TMHU) of Irvine, California and electric warehouse forklift supplier Raymond Corp of Greene, New York.
Sasaki continues as president of TIEM and Toyota Industries North America Inc. Recently, Sasaki was a TICO senior managing officer.
Malvaso continues as Raymond chairman but cedes his roles as Raymond president and CEO. He was Raymond chairman, president and CEO for 13 years. Malvaso is a past president of the Washington, DC-based Industrial Truck Association, a materials handling industry group for which he continues as a director and executive committee member.
Brett Wood continues as TMHU president, his position since 2008.
In promotions for the Raymond line, Charles Pascarelli is now president of the Raymond sales division, and Michael Field is president of the Raymond operations division. Pascarelli joined Raymond in 2007 and was named executive vice president of sales and marketing in 2009. Field joined Raymond in 2004 and was named executive vice president of operations in 2009.
Ed Rompala serves as TMHNA chief financial officer and continues as Raymond CFO, a position he has held since 1998.
Hitoshi Matsuoka is now TMHNA executive co-ordinator and continues as TMHU executive vice president and treasurer.
Kazuhiro Kurosaka is now TMHNA co-ordinator and continues as TIEM finance and planning coordinator.
In 2005, Kariya-based TICO originated a long-term evolutionary growth plan that culminates in part with the current restructuring.
TICO formed another entity, Toyota Material Handling Group, to leverage the global Toyota, BT and Raymond brands and operations. In turn, the group formed TMHNA as a framework to support the North American market. In addition to TMHNA, other entities under the group are Toyota Material Handling Europe, Toyota Material Handling International, Toyota Material Handling Australia, Toyota Material Handling China and Toyota Material Handling Japan.
Toyota has marketed forklifts in North America for more than 40 years and established the Indiana manufacturing capability 20 years ago. The North American restructuring aims to capitalise on business efficiencies and resource sharing to pursue ongoing continual improvement of quality, service and support for the operations. |  |
| | Konecranes has strategic alliance with Kito 
Hyvinkää, Finland | Konecranes has entered into a strategic alliance with Japanese hoist, crane and material handling equipment company Kito Corporation to boost each company’s growth in the global market.
“The alliance will enable both companies to expand their product offering as well as to improve competitiveness and customer service,” says Pekka Lundmark, CEO of Konecranes.
As part of the agreement, Konecranes will purchase 22% of Kito’s share capital from international private equity firm The Carlyle Group. The value of the stake amounts to about JPY3.3 billion (USD35.3 million). Konecranes says it will finance the purchase with its existing cash reserves.
Both companies will leverage the other’s global market potential and complement each other. Konecranes will sell Kito manual products while Kito will sell Konecanes’ wire rope hoists. They will also examine the possibilities of co-operating in distribution and licence manufacturing of other products as well as in procurement.
Konecranes and Kito have agreed to negotiate definitive distribution and licence agreements by the end of June 2010.
Konecranes will transfer the hoist distribution business of Konecranes’ Japanese joint venture MHS Konecranes Co Ltd to Kito, to create a strong player in the Japanese hoist market. Both companies will retain their own identity and independence under the alliance.
Kito, established in 1932, is a Japanese supplier of hoists, cranes and materials handling equipment. It employs about 1,500 people and its shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It has subsidiaries and sales agents in over 50 countries, and is focused on the Japanese, North American and Chinese markets. Kito’s manufacturing sites are in Japan, China and the Philippines.
For the year ended 31 March 2009, Kito’s net sales totaled JPY32.605 billion (EUR227 million) while operating profit amounted to JPY2.366 billion (EUR16.5 million). | |
| | Aisle-Master moves production
Monaghan, Ireland | Aisle-Master Ltd will move production of its articulated forklift range in May to the premises of its affiliated company, Combilift, to accommodate its expansion plans.
Martin McVicar, Combilift’s managing director, will also head Aisle-Master after Gerry McHugh sold his shares in the business.
“Just as Combilift addressed expansion by establishing its new premises in 2006, Aisle-Master’s move to Monaghan is the next logical step to enable increased production of this very distinct and successful brand,” says McVicar who has headed Combilift since its establishment in 1998.
A Combilift spokesperson tells Forkliftaction.com News that the global performance of the Aisle-Master has been “so impressive” that the company plans to increase production by 50% in 2010 compared to 2009 figures. The planned growth will be supported by a network of dealers in over 50 countries.
“A dedicated Aisle-Master assembly area has been created at the Monaghan site, currently capable of producing 300 units a year,” she says.
The Monaghan site is only “a few miles” from Aisle-Master’s old Clontribet premises. All employees will move to the new site.
Aisle-Master says the move will enable it to pursue its policy of “continual product enhancement” and to add models to the range.
Combilift and Aisle-Master have a combined output of over 2,000 units a year, creating an annual turnover of GBP80 million (USD120.6 million). | |
| | Palfinger buys into Equipment Technology
Oklahoma City, OK, United States | Palfinger AG of Bergheim, Austria has acquired 80% ownership of integrated aerial lift manufacturer and distributor Equipment Technology LLC (ETI) of Oklahoma City.
Previously, Palfinger did not have an aerial lift product line in the North American market.
As a result of the deal disclosed on 29 March, Palfinger projects its consolidated annual revenues will grow about 6%, with the North American contribution to revenues increasing to about 18% from 12%.
ETI employs 190 staff and had 2009 sales of about USD45 million. James V Neuberger is ETI president.
Palfinger employs 4,500 and reported 2009 sales of EUR505.4 million (USD724.3 million), down 36.4% from the previous year’s EUR794.8 million (USD1.12 billion). Palfinger makes and assembles hydraulic lifting, loading and handling systems on four continents and reaches customers through more than 4,000 sales and service centres in 130 countries.
“We have known ETI for a long time,” says Herbert Ortner, Palfinger chief executive officer. “ETI allows us to realise our strategy of becoming a truly local player in one of our strategic core business segments.”
In addition to aerial lifts, ETI manufactures service cranes. In 2007, ETI acquired a majority interest in service crane manufacturer Ideal Crane Corp of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Existing owners will continue to run ETI as a largely independent business within Palfinger’s North America unit, which is based in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. The EFI owners sought strategic investment to support ETI’s further organic growth. | |
| | Some UK companies are achieving “bad growth”
Stockton, United Kingdom | Over a quarter of the UK’s top 500 forklift companies are growing at more than 10% per annum and making healthy profits, according to industry analyst Plimsoll.
However, while many of these companies are breaking new ground and leading a sustainable recovery in the market, there are others whose sales growth “masks something much more sinister”.
“It makes a nice change to have some positive news to report,” says senior analyst David Pattison.
“[These] 134 growing, increasingly profitable companies have either tapped into new, fast-growing revenue streams or are just the best performers in the old ones,” he says.
Pattison warns that there are 34 companies achieving good sales growth but their profitability tells a different story. “Essentially, there are two types of growth in the market - good and bad. [These] companies have achieved over 10% sales growth but, in doing so, have seen their profit margin collapse. They are simply overtrading.”
About 71 forklift companies in the analysis face “a very bleak future,” Pattison warns.
“Losing sales, profits and probably most of their remaining options, these companies have been rated as [being in] danger in our report. Time is running out and only a take-over or a rapid turnaround is likely to redeem their situation,” he says.
The new ‘Plimsoll Analysis – Fork lift Trucks’ gives a performance rating on the top 500 companies in the forklift market and an overview of companies that are ripe for acquisition. Forkliftaction.com News readers who quote reference PR/SD33 are entitled to a GBP50 discount off the report. Call +44 1642 626400 for further details. | |
| | Combilift honours Industrial Parts & Service
Greenboro, NC, United States | Combilift USA has recognised Industrial Parts & Service Co (IPS) of North Canton, Ohio as the multidirectional equipment brand’s top-selling North American dealer during 2009.
“Industrial Parts & Service has not only been selected as the top Combilift dealer of excellence for 2009, but has been one of our top three dealers almost every year since becoming a dealer, an achievement which is unique to them,” says Tommy Cadden, president of Combilift USA. IPS became a Combilift dealer in 2003.
Combilift has 60 North American dealers with more than 200 servicing locations, with IPS playing a critical role through the years.
At a 2004 trade show, Combilift representatives met Ryan George, real estate and facilities manager for Associated Materials Inc of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The meeting led to a presentation including IPS and ongoing discussions relating to the need of Associated Materials for equipment with telescopic forks to transport and access vinyl siding in a double-deep storage system. Variations in building dimensions and column spacing posed problems.
Associated Materials placed an initial order for more than a dozen camera-equipped Combilift C6000 units with KOOI-brand ReachForks from Meijer Special Equipment VOF (MSE–Forks) of St. Jacobiparochie, the Netherlands and began to rack out specific spaces in its North American warehouses.
The partnership grew. “A few years later, we asked Associated Materials what was needed for Combilift to get more business,” says Gearoid Hogan, vice president of marketing for Combilift USA.
Associated Materials expressed an interest in counterbalance equipment. Combilift began development in early 2007 and launched the CB6000 in 2008 to fulfill the customer’s need for counterbalance capability in certain situations.
Now, including both models, Associated Materials operates more than 80 Combilift forklifts in about 50 of the firm’s 125 North American supply centres, says Edwin Mauser Jr, principal at IPS.
Using retractable ReachForks attached to a hydraulic fork positioner, Associated Materials can store 16 foot (4.8m) vinyl siding in nine footwide (2.7m) aisles in double-deep positions.
Associated Materials, a unit of AMH Holdings Inc II, owns and operates through manufacturers and distributors of the Alside, Gentek, UltraGuard, Revere, Preservation and Alpine brands of vinyl windows, vinyl, aluminium and steel siding, fencing and other exterior building products.
For the fiscal year ended 2 January, consolidated AMH Holdings reported a loss of USD7.3 million on sales of USD1.05 billion. Sales were USD1.13 billion in the previous fiscal year.
In 2007, Combilift USA established a national management system, Combicare, to support major fleet operators. IPS and Associated Materials were the program pioneers.
A customer calls a toll-free telephone number, a Combicare representative pinpoints the issues and a nearby dealer is dispatched to take care of the problem, Hogan says. “Dealers across the country may have different levels of experience, but, through Combicare, we can provide consistent support at the best level.”
Customer calls are answered at Combilift USA’s operational headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina or a technical support office in Houston, Texas.
IPS serves as national account management dealer for Associated Materials and another fleet operator, and Combilift USA has rolled out Combicare for several other major customers. The central office handles billing nationwide and can share its detailed findings with the fleet operators.
IPS employs 35 staff including 13 shop and service technicians, occupies 27,000 square feet (2,430 sqm) and serves a 25-county region in north east Ohio.
In addition to Combilift, IPS represents the Linde transport, storage, order picking and stacking lines of Kion Group GmbH’s North American material handling operation and the truck-mounted Moffett forklift brand of Cargotec Corp.
In addition to IPS, Combilift USA names eight other North American dealers of excellence for 2009: Alta Lift Truck Services Inc of Wixom, Michigan; Arnold Machinery Co of Salt Lake City, Utah; Combilift Depot Texas of Tomball, Texas; Equipment Depot Pennsylvania of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; Louisiana Lift & Equipment Inc of St. Rose, Louisiana; Papé Material Handling of Eugene, Oregon; Riekes Equipment Co of Omaha, Nebraska; and Springer Equipment Co Inc of Birmingham, Alabama. | |
| | Maxtruck 2T series production starts in 2011
Bjurholm, Sweden | The patented Maxtruck 2T, which can perform the tasks of several forklifts, is on its way to the market with series production planned for next year.
Company CEO Conny Lindström tells Forkliftaction.com News that Max Truck AB will manufacture about 50 units of the Maxtruck 2T for the Swedish market in its first year, with production numbers doubling each year through to 2013.
”The response [to the forklift] is very large all over the world and customers are waiting for production to start so that they can order,” he says, adding that Max Truck AB had made many new contacts since the forklift was featured in Forkliftaction.com News last year (Forkliftaction.com News #437).
The Maxtruck 2T will be produced in a 2,000sqm (21,528sqft) facility in the Bjurholm village in North Sweden. Max Truck AB expects to generate customer interest by participating in the Logistik & Transport fair from 4-6 May in Gothenburg.
Maxtruck 2T is a unique, multi-directional forklift. Besides functioning as a 2 ton counterbalance forklift, Max Truck AB claims it can replace up to five other forklifts as it can perform the tasks of other specialised trucks.
The wheels of the Maxtruck 2T are fixed on a vertical drive shaft and can rotate 360 degrees, making it suitable for confined areas. It is able to do the work of a sideloader and can handle cargo to a depth of two pallet racks. Its telescopic boom allows for one-side unloading of a lorry without using extending forks. The forklift’s steering and maneouvring abilities are patented.
The Maxtruck 2T will sell for about EUR55,000 (USD73,733). Buckets, telescopic lifting beams and floor cleaning units are among the accessories that can be purchased for the machine. | |
| | Bac2 receives patents for low-cost polymer
Southampton, United Kingdom | Materials company Bac2 has been granted patents for its low-cost electrically conductive polymer, trademarked ElectroPhen, that could be used in fuel cell applications.
Bac2 CEO Mike Stannard says it is “very rare” for a young, privately held company to be granted a basic materials patent.
“It's testimony to the expertise and innovation of our development team, led by Dr Graham Murray, that we have been able to patent this remarkable new material. We are coming across a vast array of potential applications. We are focusing our business development efforts on the cleantech (clean technology) sector where the characteristics of ElectroPhen make it an ideal material for low-cost production of fuel cell components."
Bac2 has discovered a way to make a phenolic polymer electrically conductive (Forkliftaction.com News #339). Phenolic polymers have been used as electrical insulators for over 100 years. Bac2 says ElectroPhen is different from other phenolic polymers. Water is removed from the ElectroPhen resin and replaced with a solvent compatible with the resin, allowing the introduction of dual-function catalysts to initiate the polymerisation of the resin and impart electro-active properties.
According to Bac2, ElectroPhen is one billion times more conductive than other polymers and its characteristics can be tailored to each application through adding graphite, metal powders, plasticisers and reinforcers.
The company has developed a way to delay the polymerisation process using a latent acid catalyst. This permits the pre-polymeric mixture to be transported and stored for several months, adding flexibility to the manufacturing process and reducing costs.
ElectroPhen’s inherent electrical conductivity makes it ideal for fuel cell and other energy storage device applications, for RF screening and static electricity protection, and for the manufacture of heating elements and heat sinks.
The patents cover Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK. Patent applications for the material are awaiting granting in Japan, Canada, the US, South Korea, India and China. | |
| | | Briefs | Crown seat for all forklifts
New Bremen, OH, United States
Crown Equipment has introduced its FlexSeat to all its forklifts.
Recently introduced to the new Crown C-5 internal combustion forklift, Crown claims the FlexSeat’s patented design offers superior comfort through an exclusive suspension, responsive back flex and wider seat cushion.
During the development of the C-5, company engineers studied a range of forklift seats and conducted ergonomic tests. The FlexSeat is now standard on the SC 4500, FC 4500 and C-5 series trucks.
MCFE wins Gartner award
Egham, United Kingdom
Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift Europe (MCFE) has won the Gartner and 1to1 Media Customer Relationship Management Excellence 2010 award for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
The award that recognises the company that “has most clearly demonstrated excellence in its customer relationship management initiatives” was presented at the Gartner Customer Relationship Management Summit 2010 held in London this month.
MCFE also won an award in the “Efficiency” category.
Trelleborg partners with AGCO
Trelleborg, Sweden
Trelleborg Wheel Systems and AGCO have signed a long-term collaboration agreement in which both companies will co-operate in the product innovation and development of tyres.
“[The partnership’s] main objective is the development of innovative solutions that anticipate the needs of agricultural specialists,” says Stefano Bettinelli from Trelleborg’s Agricultural and Forestry Tyres division.
The partnership will see Trelleborg and AGCO share R&D tools and methods and, capitalising on their synergies, invest in specialisation, focusing on innovation and customer service.
Separately, Trelleborg Group has launched a Facebook page to post its latest news.
PD Logistics receives safety award
London, United Kingdom
The North Lincolnshire Health & Safety Group has presented PD Logistics with its annual Health & Safety award for the second consecutive year.
The judging panel awarded PD Logistics the annual health and safety title based on the company’s continued commitment to improving competence levels and to raising its health and safety standards over the past 12 months.
Jim French, PD Logistics’ general manager, received the award at a ceremony held at Wortley House Hotel in Scunthorpe.
Municipal government awards Linde China
Xiamen, China
The Xiamen Municipal Government has cited Linde (China) as a “city-level R&D centre”. Only 11 enterprises in Xiamen received the accolade this year.
Linde (China) CEO CP Quek says the award has spurred Linde (China) to continue improving its R&D centre.
“Linde (China) will continue to increase investment in accordance with national, provincial and municipal guidelines on technological centres to continuously improve [our] R&D centre innovation capabilities,” he says. | |
| | Industrial arts uses forklift creatively
Bow, WA, United States | Ries Niemi works with large objects and occasionally uses a Mitsubishi FG14 and a pickup truck to unconventionally move industrial art from his fabrication shop to a flatbed truck.
The image shows a 30 foot (9m) bench that was installed for the Great Mall bus and light rail station in Milpitas, California. “We built four benches, and we needed to move them a couple of hundred feet,” Niemi says. “We were driving the forklift and the truck at the same speed—about 2 miles per hour (3.2 km/h)” on private property to the 40 foot (12m) truck. The bench was within the capacity of the forklift, but the road access prevented carrying an excessively wide load.
The industrial artist is candid. “You might call that creative misuse of a machine (and it) may not be an OSHA-approved technique”, he says. “My shop is back down a dogleg road. The big trucks can’t get back there, so we have to stage the big stuff in front.”
Niemi recalls acquiring the used forklift in 2002. He spread compacted gravel between the shops and in the outdoor work and loading area.
“I can drive my semi-pneumatic-tyred forklift wherever I need,” he says. “It is small enough to drive into the shop and use most places” unlike “a big 4x4 model”.
Niemi uses the forklift for assembly work, as a movable-height work table and platform and for moving and loading tasks. “At times we use it a lot, but other times we may not use it for a month,” he notes. “The three-segment mast is handy for building big stuff.” The forklift lists a lifting capacity of 2,390 kg (5,258 pounds).
Among Niemi’s projects in progress are bicycle racks for the public library in St Cloud, Minnesota.
Niemi has exhibited his work at numerous group and solo shows.
Niemi obtains parts and service as needed through a local serviceman for Seattle, Washington-based Washington Liftruck Inc, an authorised dealer for Mitsubishi and Taylor forklifts. | |
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| | Negative cash flow drives business failures
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia | Cash flow pressures - rather than poor sales - are to blame for more than 80% of business failures, according to new research by Dun & Bradstreet.
Cash flow tracks the total cash coming in and going out of a firm, usually over a 12-month period, and is regarded as a crucial measure of business health.
The data reveals that a relatively large number of firms have operated with negative cash flow for a number of years. However, the real concern is that while this practice was sustainable during the boom years, largely due to easy access to credit facilities such as bank overdrafts and debt funding, the current environment makes it much more likely these firms will fail as credit and other forms of debt have dried up.
Dun & Bradstreet's trade payments data, which tracks the speed with which businesses pay their suppliers, shows that creditors are experiencing cash flow pressure from slow customer payments, with average business terms rising to 54 days after a brief period of improvement late last year.
According to CEO Christine Christian, with funding still difficult to come by, corporate Australia is facing a situation where cash flow troubles - which have traditionally only been a concern for SMEs - have become a priority for some of the largest firms in the country.
"For those firms that extend credit to their customers, whether it is bank or trade credit, this research demonstrates that a firm's profit results don't give you enough information to properly assess risk. If you need to know whether a firm will be around long enough to pay your accounts, cash flow is a critical indicator."
Dun & Bradstreet rates around 10% of firms at a very high risk of experiencing financial distress over the next 12 months. However, this jumps to 19% for firms that have experienced negative cash flow. Critically, the Dun & Bradstreet data shows that firms that have experienced negative cash flow remain a higher risk of eventual failure regardless of whether they experience a period of positive cash flow in the future.
"Despite a solid profit reporting season which raised confidence levels within the business community, this research shows that a substantial portion of firms are actually facing relatively serious financial struggles.
"With borrowing to cover shortfalls largely out of the question as financial institutions retain the risk-averse stance they established during the height of the crisis, Australia could experience a drastic spike in companies entering external administration this year and into 2011."
Just a few days ago, freight operator Fletchers Freighters went into voluntary administration. The company, established in 1948, has depots in Adelaide, Berri, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and operates a modern fleet of around 80 trucks with a turnover of around $40 million.
Control of the business and its assets now rests with the administrators, McGrathNicol.
Sam Davies of McGrathNicol says the administrators will continue operations on a ‘business as normal’ basis while assessing restructuring and trade sale opportunities.
“We are working with Fletchers Freighters’ management and will keep all stakeholders fully updated throughout this process.” | |
| | Worker killed loading containers
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | Another wharf worker has been killed on the job this year, this time at Port Botany when a 49-year-old worker employed by Patrick Stevedores was crushed to death while loading containers. The name of the worker has not been released.
It follows the tragic death of dock worker Brad Gray who died after being struck by a forklift at Port of Brisbane in February (Forkliftaction.com News #452).
Paddy Crumlin, national secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia, says co-workers are shocked, angered and frustrated by the general lack of attention to safety on wharves.
"A WorkCover investigation and a coronial and other inquiries will follow. But this was a death that could have been avoided with a better safety culture and application of safe working practices,” says Crumlin.
The Port Botany death is the fifth fatality in little over three-and–a-half years and the sixth since June 2003. Recent waterfront workplace fatalities have included:
•Jeff Grey, Appleton Dock, Melbourne, June 03
•Dean Robinson, Port Adelaide, June 2006
•Peter Ross, Appleton Dock, January 2007
•Bob Cumberlidge, Westernport, March 2007
•Brad Gray, Brisbane, February 2010
It was the first work death at Port Botany since a forklift fatality at ANL terminal in May 1987. | |
| | WorkSafe rechecks unserviced forklifts
Seaford, Victoria, Australia | Forklifts with poor service records will be among the equipment to be rechecked by WorkSafe when inspectors return to Seaford to follow up on 79 safety improvement notices issued during a safety campaign last month.
They will be checking for compliance with the notices and carry out further checks of local businesses. While overall safety performance of Seaford businesses was good, there were still some serious issues identified at the 112 workplaces visited.
Poor machinery and equipment maintenance was a common issue, with inspectors finding forklifts, lifting equipment and air receivers with poor service records.
Also of concern were frayed or damaged electrical cords, along with damaged racking systems, inappropriate storage of dangerous goods and insufficient railing on mezzanine floors.
WorkSafe’s acting executive director, Stan Krpan, says it is vital to identify and fix safety issues as early as possible to prevent unnecessary incidents.
“All small businesses must be proactive about safety – lives depend on it.”
WorkSafe’s publication, ‘12 ways to make small business safer’, provides general advice on ways to address workplace safety, while others publications provide detailed information for specific tasks and industries.
Free and confidential assistance is available from the WorkSafe advisory service on 1800 136 089. | |
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| BEB Announces Paperless AutomationNew Green Technology benefits Dealers and Asset Owners | KANSAS CITY, Mo. – March 18, 2010 – Today, BEB Industrial Asset Management announced the integration of a new image processing system as part of its fleet management services. The system captures softcopy picture files of invoices, leases, production reports, and other data sources that previously had to be managed as hardcopy paperwork.
BEB manages thousands of assets for its customers and customers of its dealer channel partners. Each asset requires extensive data input in order to ensure a rich data output. Historically, this required asset owners, vendors, and other stakeholders to send information to BEB via traditional mail. The paperwork was entered into the BEB fleet management software by hand, and then the paperwork flowed on to the asset owner or channel partner, again via traditional mail. While the process worked for many years, the company recognized the opportunity for improvement. “Our customers and channel partners expect us to make fleet management faster and easier for them,” noted Jason Bratton, vice president of business development for BEB, “and our new technology does exactly that.”
Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. |  |
| | | Introducing the New Line of Miretti Counterbalanced Electric and Diesel Explosion Proof Trucks | Miretti Worldwide has more than 35 years of experience providing custom-engineered solutions for diesel and electric forklifts, transportation equipment, nautical vessels and industrial machinery built by some of the most renowned manufacturers in the world. Miretti currently serves hundreds of customers in more than 50 countries, providing them reliable protection in unpredictable environments.
For the materials handling industry, Miretti has just introduced dedicated to the USA and Australian market only a new line of counterbalanced electric and diesel explosion proof trucks. AC electric trucks can be ordered for capacities ranging from 3,000 to 9,000 lbs. Diesel truck offering extends from 3,000 to 10,000 lbs. Each truck will be certified for the required hazardous location by an Internationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. For US markets, these trucks can be supplied by Class 1, Division 1 compliance certification. Customers in Australia can order these trucks with Zone 1, Cat 2G certification as well.
Click here for the full text of this release, including pictures. | |
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| | | Vetex Now Manufacturing Airtrax SIDEWINDER Lift Truck |  | Trenton, NJ – February 25, 2010: Vehicle Technologies, Inc., (Vetex),
a manufacturer of Omni-Directional Vehicles with military and commercial applications, announced today that it has begun production of an Airtrax branded SIDEWINDER Omni-Directional Lift Truck.
The current model SIDEWINDER features upgraded software which affords the benefits of greater ease of operation, longer battery shift life, and reduced roller wear. It also includes the introduction of more reliable sensor technology for even longer maintenance free operation, and a new operator interface with improved functionality and extended onboard diagnostic capabilities.
The new SIDEWINDER is being distributed through Lift Works, Inc. of West Chicago, IL (www.liftworksinc.com) and H & E Equipment Services (www.he-equipment.com) of Las Vegas NV.
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 Equipment Co., Ltd supplies all kinds of forklift bearings for mast rollers, side rollers, chain pulleys, forklift combination bearings, slewing bearings and cylindrical roller bearings. Our forklift bearings are used mainly for CATERPILLAR, KOMATSU, LINDE, HYSTER, MITSUBISHI, NISSAN, STILL, TCM, TOYOTA, ITALY, etc.
Click here for more information on this product, including pictures. | |
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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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