A forklift battery manufacturer in Europe has developed a new type of lithium iron phosphate battery that theoretically, at least, never needs replacing. The new battery was unveiled by BYD Europe at CeMAT, the materials handling trade show that was held this month in Hamburg, Germany. It requires significantly less time and energy to charge … Read more
Goldman Sachs and the private US equity firm KKR announced recently that a joint holding company they own is selling its 10.8 percent share in KION, the world’s second largest manufacturer of forklifts after Toyota. The announcement comes on the heels of the 2012 purchase of a 25% stake in KION by Weichai Power, an … Read more
Forklifts and other materials handling vehicles are enormously powerful machines that can weigh upwards of several tons. As a result, they have the potential to be one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in any warehouse, manufacturing facility or industrial setting. According to the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, there are approximately 35,000 forklift … Read more
Safe operations is everybody’s business. Not only does it create a healthier and more productive work environment, but it also can result in fewer accidents, employee injuries, and workmen’s compensation claims. That means higher profits, which is the aim of every business. Business seeking to make their warehouses and manufacturing facilities safer need look no further … Read more
A Chicago-area battery manufacturer has launched a program aimed at convincing forklift fleet owners to convert all of their vehicles to electrical power. EnerSys –which is based in Romeoville, Illinois, just southwest of Chicago — said it will launch the first phase of its new “Convert to Electric” program starting in the Chicago area then … Read more
A British trucking company has been fined $146,700 after a 59-year-old British worker had his leg crushed beneath a six-foot-wide fish tank that had accidentally slipped off the forklift that was transporting it to one of the company’s directors’ offices. The incident occurred June 1, 2010, at Alloy Bodies Ltd., in Manchester, but the fine … Read more
Spanish forklift manufacturer Mecano Continental unveiled a new rough-terrain forklift that may change the game when it comes to heavy-duty vehicles operating in the roughest conditions. It’s called “Bomaq” and it features hydraulic servo-controls instead of electronic controls, that reduce noise and heat and to improve control of the mast and load during rigorous conditions. … Read more
Konecranes — the Finnish manufacturer of lift trucks, cranes and other materials handling equipment — is fitting some of its newest models with an auto start-stop feature that is designed to save fuel and reduce costs. The device automatically shuts of the engine whenever the lift truck idles for a specified time period, then automatically restarts it when needed. … Read more
A leading forklift safety official says the recent upsurge in forklift accidents could be directly related to the global economic recovery. Stuart Taylor, of Mentor Training, says sudden economic changes — both up and down — usually are accompanied by an increase in forklift accidents. “The connection between the recession and accidents is clear,” Taylor said in prepared … Read more
For nearly a century, forklift operators and drivers of other materials handling equipment have been able to rely upon a steady supply of work. Being a certified forklift operator meant that there was always a job thanks to the central role forklifts and other heavy equipment play in the warehouse and manufacturing industries. But now that mainstay is being … Read more
