Since the launch of its groundbreaking multidirectional C4000 product in 1998 the company has experienced unparalleled growth, and its range now comprises around 25 product families. These include compact pedestrian stackers and powered pallet trucks, sideloaders, stand-on trucks, straddle carriers and mobile gantries designed to handle the most extreme and oversized loads. And of course the world’s biggest selling narrow aisle articulated forklift – the Aisle Master. We celebrated 25 years in business throughout 2023 with the launch of five new models at various trade fairs as well as welcoming hundreds of visitors – journalists, global product managers, customers and dealers – to our manufacturing facility and global HQ in Monaghan in September. Combilift has produced 80,000 units which are exported to more than 85 countries, making the company the global leading manufacturer of customised and innovative material handling solutions for a wide range of applications across varied industry sectors.
CEO and co-founder at Combilift
Martin McVicar, CEO and co-founder of Combilift spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What are your best-known products/solutions/services?
As well as the wide range of products mentioned in the introduction, one of our specialities is helping companies of all sizes to maximise the capacity, safety and efficiency of their warehouse and storage facilities. Space is one of the most valuable assets our customers possess and optimising it can make a massive difference to their operations. Our team of 10 design engineers work on our very popular, free of charge, warehouse layout service and their diagrams, material flow analyses and 3-D animations show how the capabilities of our products can lead to a doubling of available space. By making the most of the current available footprint this means that in times of growth, there may be no need for a costly and disruptive move to mew premises.
Which industry sectors are your customers in and which ones are growing fastest?
Due to the nature of our products you will find them working in industries as diverse as packaging, metals, furniture production and poultry and agriculture to name just a few. Offsite and modular buildings are areas where we have seen a lot of growth and the ongoing demand for warehouse space – and maximising it – has boosted sales of our Aisle Master and pedestrian trucks.
What sets your company apart as a supplier in your category?
We listen to our customers and take feedback on board so that we can provide tailor made handling solutions that are 100% suited to their requirements. The expertise of our highly trained engineers in the factory and product managers out there in the field is second to none when it comes to identifying the exact specifications for customers’ trucks. Our annual investment of 7% of our revenue in R&D also keeps us ahead of the game when it comes to innovative product development. Our collaboration with Siemens Gamesa is a good example of our ability to engineer unique solutions to very specific challenges.
What are your most recent product innovations?
It has been a big year for product innovations. We kicked off our year of launches at the LogiMAT show in Germany when we unveiled the Combi-CUBE. This very compact truck incorporates technological and design features that enhance handling procedures and offer a high level of driver comfort – the driver’s position in the centre of the cab for instance offers generous room and excellent all-round visibility. The optional unique Dynamic 360 Steering enables seamless directional change, making this model the most manoeuvrable counterbalance forklift on the market.
The Combi-CB70E was premiered at the international timber show Ligna in May. It boasts the distinction of being the shortest electric-powered 7t capacity counterbalance truck on the market whilst benefitting from multidirectional ability, enabling versatile space saving handling of both long and bulky loads, even in very confined spaces. It also features the optional new Auto Swivel Seat, which automatically engages and swivels the seat and armrest 15° to the right or left to accord with the direction of travel selected by the operator – reducing driver strain, particularly when reversing.
We also entered the autonomous truck market when we launched the Combi-AGT at the Fabtech show in the US in September. This 4-wheel electric model is the world’s first autonomous sideloader with the option to operate manually, and its lift capacity of 5,000kg and various lift heights addresses the requirements of steel service centres and metal industries which typically deal with long loads.
Combi-Connect is a new telematics software product designed to provide customers with invaluable insights into fleet management and usage. It enables real-time and comprehensive information on fleet performance, including location tracking, usage analytics and maintenance alerts. With this data readily available, businesses can make informed decisions to improve operational efficiency, reduce downtime, and enhance overall performance.
Can you tell us about any recent customer contract wins or projects and how you helped the customer meet their challenges?
One notable collaboration was for the development of the Combi-LC Load Carrier which was another new product premiered in September. We worked with Siemens Gamesa, one of the world’s largest offshore wind suppliers, to design this product that signals our entry into this sector – which is expected to grow rapidly in the coming years. The ability to lift and transport the ever increasing size of components for wind turbines poses very specific challenges – and as you know, at Combilift we love a challenge! The Combi-LC enables the movement of turbine blades and towers – some as long as 115m and weighing in at around 70t, through production stages and on to storage locations – which can sometimes be as far as 5km apart. The concept is based on two fully customisable remote-control units with low-level chassis beds that can work in tandem master and slave operation, with varying dimensions and wheel configurations according to load type and weight. The machine made to order for Siemens Gamesa is powered by a 95kW diesel engine, is equipped with 12 wheels and offers versatile multidirectional steering on all axles.
What is your strategy for succeeding in 2024 and how do you plan to grow your business?
We manufactured 10,000 units in 2023 so we achieved yet another record year of impressive growth, and looking at our order books this figure will increase once again by the end of 2024. We aim to double our output every five years, so by 2028 we expect to build 20,000 units at our Monaghan plant. Developing the markets that our newly launched products have helped us enter will bolster our ambitious growth targets.
Can you tell us about any areas where you’re currently making technical advances e.g. safety, sustainability, environment?
Safety is of course the main priority, and this is and always has been the driving force behind the design and concept of our range. Environmental impact can also be lessened by using Combilift products. Reducing operating aisle widths with multidirectional trucks for long loads, and with Aisle Master articulated trucks for pallets can greatly enhance storage density, avoiding the need to expand existing warehouses or move to new larger premises which in turn minimises unnecessary greenfield development. In relation to the equipment we produce, the advances in battery technology mean that forklifts will be able to lift ever heavier capacities using electric power. More and more customers are looking for emission-free and quiet operation and are therefore switching to electric fleets. Apart from the Combi-LC, every new product we have launched in the past 2 years has been electric powered, and 70% of Combilift’s output is electric at the moment.
How would you sum up your company in three words?
Customer-focused, innovative, sustainable.
COMBILIFT
+ 353 47 80500
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