The BMW Of Forklifts
The tiny town of New Bremen, Ohio (pop.: 3,000) is known for cornfields, the Bicycle Museum of America--and for Crown Equipment, the last privately owned lift truck manufacturer in America. Its sales ($1.7 billion in 2006) have doubled over the past five years. "We have more growth potential than we know what to do with," says Jim F. Dicke III, president, who runs the company with his father, Jim F. Dicke II, chief executive officer and chairman.
Crown's roots go back to 1945. That's when Dicke brothers, Allen, a patent attorney, and Carl, a salesman--plus his son Jim, fresh from military service--started making controls for coal-burning furnaces. The heat regulator business cooled in the late 1940s, and Crown switched to making antenna rotators, which it phased out in 2001. Since the late 1960s, though, its metier has been electric lift trucks.
Materials handling equipment doesn't draw quite the same attention as a social networking site or the lingerie business. But you can't run a warehouse or big box store without pallet trucks and electric forklifts. Crown's lineup ranges from a $400 hand pallet truck to a $75,000 turret stockpicker that can handle up to 3,000 pounds, whip around at 7.5 miles an hour and raise an operator 38 feet off the ground to survey and manipulate inventory. Read More...
Raymond to study hydrogen fuel cells
Raymond said it also will develop the infrastructure needed for indoor fast-fill hydrogen refueling systems, which are typically installed outdoors.
The goal of the program is to study the performance of hydrogen fuel in electric forklifts and demonstrate the safety of a hydrogen fueled forklift environment, the company said.
Hydrogen-fuel cells offer higher productivity because they can be rapidly refueled in several minutes versus several hours, eliminating the need to change a battery, Raymond said. Cost savings come from eliminating the need to buy batteries and chargers, and from labor savings, the company said.
A recent $750,000 award from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority will help fund the program.
"The Raymond Corp. is committed to researching the application of hydrogen as an alternate method for storing energy on its forklift equipment," said Michael Field, Raymond vice president of research and development, in a written statement. "The NYSERDA contract confirms the merits of our project and supports our business strategy to develop fuel cell technology for electric forklift applications. By using our own facility as a test lab, we can streamline the development process and learn firsthand the requirements for using fuel cell-powered forklifts in a manufacturing environment."
Both manufacturing and research and development personnel at Raymond's Greene facility will work on the program, Field said.
"We do not expect it to have a direct impact on employment or production, but it will help ensure that Raymond products are compatible with alternative energy sources, which are likely to become more prevalent in the near future." Read More...
LiftScience Fills Material Handling Market Void With the Introduction of the Model P130 Electric Pallet Jack
Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corp. Retires the Multiton Brand
Richmond, VA (PRWEB) July 25, 2006 -- Effective
today, Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corporation announces
its intent to fully integrate the Multiton portion of
its business into its core product lines. A phase-out
of the Multiton name is now in progress at
Jungheinrich dealerships throughout North America and
is scheduled for completion October 2006. This
phase-out represents the final strategic stage of the
January 1, 2005 corporate merger between Jungheinrich
Lift Truck and the Multiton MIC
Corporation.
Multiton was founded in 1951 and began producing hand pallet trucks and machine moving dollies in a small workshop in Port Washington, NY. In 1976, Multiton became part of the Jungheinrich Group of Germany -- one of the largest of fork lift truck suppliers in the world -- and its brand, product line and dealer organization became an internal sales division of Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corp. This partnership allowed Multiton the benefit of Jungheinrich's extensive technical knowledge and support, resulting in an expansion of the Multiton product line to include High Lift Hand Trucks, Electric Walkie Pallet Trucks and Stackers. The partnership also enabled the development of many new and exciting product innovations, such as transistorized controllers, a brake by-pass switch and, most recently, the introduction of AC powered motors.
With the exception of the new Jungheinrich branding, documentation and model names, the units will remain identical to the original Multiton models and all product warranties will remain in force. A few products, however, will be discontinued, i.e., the Mark Series of Machinery Moving Dollies (Roller Skids) and the M50 Manual Pallet Jack. Jungheinrich also anticipates discontinuing the EME Light Duty Electric Pallet Truck.
Short-term, the brand phase-out provides centralized product and service ordering through Jungheinrich's extensive dealer base. More importantly, the quality and performance customers have come to expect from Multiton products will continue, and even improve, under the Jungheinrich name. Over the long term, end users will experience shorter lead times on product and parts delivery, and a higher level of local, factory trained service and support.
“The retirement of the Multiton brand will allow us to streamline our internal operations, enhance our communication, and promote a stronger relationship between Jungheinrich and its dealers, and our entire customer base,” says John Sneddon, President, Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corp. He adds, “This transition also dovetails with Jungheinrich's corporate commitment to responsively meet the unique needs of the North American marketplace by expanding its product scope and its service capabilities.”
For more information contact Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corp., 5701 Eastport Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23231, phone toll free 888-333-2644, phone 804-737-6084, fax 804-737-6136, www.jungheinrich-us.com.,P. About Jungheinrich Jungheinrich is the world leader in warehouse logistics technology. Founded over fifty years ago, the company has grown from its beginnings as a European manufacturer of materials handling equipment to an international supplier of industrial trucks, warehousing technology and materials-flow products. Today, it is one of the largest suppliers of forklift trucks around the globe, and offers a complete range of materials handling equipment, rack systems and services related to manufacturing logistics.
Jungheinrich's growth has been due in large part to the high value it has always placed on leading-edge design and technological innovation. This is seen, for example, in the company's proprietary 3-phase AC motor and controller technology, and in a host of productivity and ergonomic enhancements. Jungheinrich has more than 120 strategically-located service support centers and store operations in the U.S., and sales and service companies in countries around the industrialized world.
Crown Turret Stockpicker Wins Design Award
Turret trucks are designed to operate in the narrow aisles of high-throughput warehouses with rack heights to 38 in., spaces where conventional lift trucks are unsuitable. After assessing market needs, Crown's design team determined that a radically reconfigured design was required. Turret operators can now perform a wider variety of tasks with increased comfort, confidence and security. The TSP6000 offers both a front-facing and side-facing seat position, previously only available in separate truck models, to address different styles of warehousing. Reconfigured controls enable the operator to simultaneously operate all truck functions with intuitive ease. In the first six months of production, the Turret gained a 120 percent increase in market share Read More...
Handle With Care
Does your plant abuse its lift trucks? Everyday waste due to breakdowns, damage to equipment, product and facility is not uncommon. Learn how technology, operation and maintenance can crush lift truck costs.
PlantServices.com
By Paul Studebaker, CMRP, Editor in Chief
When a lift truck falls off a dock, overturns or simply runs out of juice in the middle of a critical pick, it's a black eye (or worse) for both operations and maintenance. But the costs of such high-profile events may pale in comparison to everyday waste due to breakdowns, damage to equipment, product and the facility, and repetitive injuries. Read More...
A Basic Guide to Pallet Stackers, Pallet Trucks and Electric Forklifts:
Choosing the Right Pallet Stacker
New or Used?
Since your choice of pallet stackers will impact the most important elements of your business, used or restored pallet stackers are generally not a wise purchase; you are buying someone else's problem. Remember, there is a reason they are selling a used a piece of equipment! Investing in a new pallet stacker guarantees smooth operation without the risk of time-wasting breakdowns, mechanical problems, and threats to employee safety.
Key Specifications - Lift Height and Weight Capacity
You'll want to choose the pallet stacker that fits in best with your routine and storage set-up. The most basic questions are: How high do you need to lift? & How much weight capacity?
Pallet stackers will typically lift up to a maximum of 12 feet or lower and can handle up to 3300 lbs. More than this and you should probably consider a full blown forlkift.
Manual (Push) or Electric Drive
Manual drive is the most economical in terms of purchase price and on-going repair and maintenace. A typical warehouse employee will be able to move a 2000lb pallet on a smooth warehouse floor, although if you will be handling more than 10 palllets/day you should probably consider electric drive.
Electric drive pallet stackers will be more expensive to purchase and operate than manual drive models but are better suited to high duty use, use in parking lots, and where the warehouse employees can't muscle the weight around. These models will all feature forward/reverse variable speeds and safety brakes
Stabilization Legs
There are 3 types to consider: 1) Forkover, 2) Straddle or 3) Counterweight
Forkover design is where the forks lower right on top of the stabilization legs. The advantages of this design are that it is less expensive, takes up less space and can maneuver in tight aisles. The disadvantage is since the forks are directly over the stabilization legs, you cannot pick up a closed bottom pallet directly from the floor; however, this is still an excellent choice for unloading trucks and this disadvantage can be overcome with either open bottom pallets/skids or blocks.
Straddle leg pallet stackers allow the forks to lower directly to the floor with the stabilization legs straddling either side of the pallet. Advantages of this design are it allows you to pick up closed bottom pallets directly from the floor. Disadvantages are it is more expensive to purchase/ship and it takes up more space.
Counterweight or counterbalance stacker offer some benefits of both of the previously mentioned styles but with some other drawbacks. Counterweight stackers can lift pallets direclt off of the floor since there are no stabilization legs to get in the way. The disadvantages are that the weight capacity and lift height will typically be less than the other styles.
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Modern Materials Handling
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