Hitachi and Nissan Merge Forklift Operations

Well the rumours were right.  Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., the world’s largest maker of giant excavators, and Nissan Motor Co. agreed to merge their forklift operations next year to cut costs and expand in Asia.

The venture will be operated by government-backed Innovation Network Corp. of Japan, which will invest 30 billion yen ($386 million) and hold a majority stake, the three companies said today in a statement. Hitachi Construction Machinery and Nissan will own the remaining shares, according to the statement, which didn’t provide more details.

The partners will seek to expand in Southeast Asia and other emerging markets that drive global demand, the companies said. Japanese forklift-truck producers have been battered by price competition in the domestic market, dominated by Toyota Industries Corp., an affiliate of Toyota Motor Corp., a person familiar with the deal said last month.

“Many Japanese forklift manufacturers do not have sufficient scale to gain market share, even with their technological prowess,” according to the statement. Mergers, acquisitions and restructuring are “vital for them to capture business in new, growing markets,” it said.

Hitachi Construction Machinery, which has lost 30 percent of its value this year, closed up 1.7 percent at 1,353 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Nissan Motor shares gained 2.7 percent to 693 yen.

Hitachi Construction Machinery, Japan’s second-largest maker of excavators and wheel loaders, took control of TCM Corp., a forklift maker, in 2005 and acquired all the shares it didn’t already own in the company in December 2009.

Nissan Forklift Co., a wholly owned unit of Japan’s second- largest carmaker, produces 30,000 forklifts a year in Japan, Europe and the U.S., according to its website.

The automaker is scaling back businesses outside its main vehicle division as Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn seeks to become the world’s largest electric-car seller.

Source: Bloomberg

Looking for Forklift parts - Do you know Carl?

There are a lot of parts on a forklift. Take a look at the picture to the right.  There are also a lot of forklifts that need parts.  There have been at least a hundred forklift manufacturers over time and together they have produced several hundred different forklift models. 

Do you need a tire, a hydraulic pump, an o-ring, engine components, etc..? You can buy new forklift parts, aftermarket forklift parts, used forklift parts or rebuilt forklift parts.  There are so many factors you need to know to find the right parts for your forklift. So how do you source the right parts to repair your forklift?    

You call Carl! 

Who is Carl you may ask? 

This is Carl. Carl is the Parts Department Manager at Hyundai Forklift of Southern California.  For over twenty years, Carl has been researching and cultivating supplier relationships in an  effort to better service his clientele.  Carl has vendors that provide new parts.  He has vendors that can rebuild parts.  He even has vendors that can make new parts to match your broken parts. 

When discussing with Carl what he feels he offers of value to his customers, Carl says that during the twenty years he has been in the parts business, he has made all the mistakes so you don't have to.  Carl feels that he has come to learn how critical patience and respect are in providing his customers with the best service possible.  He likes to help his customers identify the correct part for their situation.  Carl says he remembers helping one customer who called up asking for a fan blade.  After a lengthy discussion trying to identify the proper part for his customer, he realized that what the customer was really looking for was an aircraft propeller for his airplane.

Most of Carl's regular customers will tell you that Carl is a hard-working person who listens to his customers and always gets back to them promptly.  These are traits they value greatly.  When asked why people should call him about forklift parts, Carl responds, "because I do this every day and they may only do it once in a while."  He continues, "I know where to find the best forklift parts and find them quickly.  But most importantly, I know where to find the best deals so that I can save my customers money."  So, why bother trying this yourself?  Call Carl!

Carl is married to his wife Vesta and they have three kids.  He is a Dallas Cowboys fan and loves to fish and cook.

Tebowing is not for Forklifts - Forklift Maintenance is Critical

Is this what it takes for you to make repairs to your forklift? Do your employees have to stand up and say they won’t take it anymore? They won't drive your unsafe forklifts. If this is your situation, then I hope you are heavily insured because eventually, someone is going to get hurt.

It is an everyday occurrence for us to run into people who refuse to make the necessary repairs to their forklifts because they don’t want to spend the money. Just yesterday, one of our service reps visited a customer that had a tire that had completely delaminated off the hub and his employees were still operating the lift. How many of you are driving forklifts into trailers or containers and your forklift has no lights. Does your forklift have brakes that won’t hold or stop your forklift unless you press really hard? These are some of the more common safety issues that are put off because of cost cuts.

Have you been putting off changing the oil and oil filter on your forklift? When is the last time you greased your forklift. Have you cleaned out the radiator on your forklift recently? If you have answered no to any of these questions and your main reason is that you are trying to save money, then I can assure that though you may save in the short term, you will end up paying more down the road when you forklift needs a major overhaul.

Forklift maintenance and employee safety should not be looked at as an expense. It really is insurance against having to forgo a long term loss of valuable assets in both your employees and your equipment. The photo to the right is of Denver Bronco Rookie Quarterback Tim Tebow. He has become well know for donning this position after a big play to reflect on his accomplishments. Don’t find yourself having to do one of these poses just because your forklift is still running and your employees are safe at the end of the day.
We can help you  review and assess your situation. Then we can help you figure out what you need to keep your employees safe and your equipment running, at a reasonable cost. Pay now instead of paying more later!

Forklifts Los Angeles - New Hyundai Forklifts $18,900

We have a limited quantity of new 2010 Hyundai 5,000 lbs cushion tire forklifts with 185" triple stage masts and sideshifters for $18,900 plus tax. They come with a full Two Year Warranty from the manufacturer. Call now 800-660-5241 or stop by and see us. These units won't last long at this price

We are thankful for our Veterans!

We at Hyundai Forklift of Southern California are grateful for those men and woman who have served, currently wear the uniform, and will be members of our armed forces.  We are grateful every day for the freedoms and liberties we enjoy as a result of the sacrifices made by our Veterans. 

In preparing to write this post, I saw some pictures that said, "Happy Veterans Day".  To me, this seemed very odd because I am not happy that men and woman have had to give their time and in some cases their lives to protect and defend our rights and freedoms here in our wonderful country.  I am thankful thought to those have have bravely taken on this responsibility.  I am thankful for the veterans that now wear the uniform of our company, an opportunity only made possible by these and many other veterans.

Thank you!

Has your forklift maintenance been like the Kardashian marriage?

Has your forklift maintenance been like the Kardashian marriage? Did you get lots of hype and attention and then only 72 days of bliss? Does your maintenance company only care about the money and publicity and not about you? It doesn’t have to be that way. Your relationship with your forklift maintenance company needs to be like a marriage. It should be a two way process where each side contributes to and cares about the longevity and success of your equipment.

First of all, your maintenance program needs to be honest and complete. You don’t want to be cheated on and only get partial maintenance done on your equipment, so ask your maintenance provider to review their maintenance program with you. Make sure that their program is customized to match your specific equipment, your environment, and your work habits. A good maintenance program not only includes a complete oil change and lubrication but also a thorough inspection and cleaning of your forklift.

 

Secondly, is your maintenance company keeping track of your forklift’s characteristics, its history and important anniversaries? If Kris Humphries had paid attention, he would have known that Kim Kardashian was not going to move to Minnesota and be a stay at home mom. Same goes with your forklift. Your maintenance company should know what your forklift’s needs and its maintenance anniversaries. The technicians should arrive fully prepared to make the most out of the time they spend doing maintenance on your lift.


Third, a maintenance company should take the necessary steps to protect you. They should provide competent and trained personnel to do your forklift maintenance. Their employees should be properly insured with Work Comp insurance so that if their employee is injured on your property, you won’t be liable in any way. They should also take responsibility for any damage or accidents that may happen as a result of their work. You need to make sure that your forklift maintenance company carries an appropriate liability insurance policy to keep you protected.

Of course, as in marriage, this is a partnership and you have responsibilities too. You are responsible for clearly communicating to your partner how your forklift is running and any issues you are having or may have observed. Without clear communication, your maintenance partner has no way of knowing if they are doing a good job or if you are satisfied as a customer.

Finally, you need to make sure that you properly compensate your forklift maintenance company. Any good marriage requires that each side makes equal contribution to the relationship. To keep the relationship healthy for the long-term, you can’t expect to get more from your partner than you are providing in return.

We have a special going on now that gets you a great value for our service..  Click the button above to find out the details