The UK material handling industry can look forward to a brighter future but must remain resolute in the face of the ongoing pandemic and the bedding in of post-Brexit trade deals, the UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA) has said. The new association, forged from an alliance between the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) and the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA), together with their co-owned subsidiary, Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS), said a quick recovery in the UK material handling industry from the economic upheaval suffered in 2020 was unlikely – but there was good reason to be optimistic for later in the year. However, any return to pre-pandemic levels of business is unlikely until 2023 at the earliest. In its latest UK Forklift Truck Market Outlook, prepared for BITA, the Oxford Economics consultancy projects 19% growth in bookings in 2021 and 6% growth in 2022.
This article was first published in the August 15th 2021 issue of Warehouse & Logistics News, subscribe to the magazine by clicking here.
Impressive news as Yale Europe Materials Handling has developed an all-new cab for its high capacity trucks. A focus on ergonomics within the cab offers a comfortable working environment for the operator, with all controls within easy reach. The ignition, start-stop button and parking brake are located in close proximity to each other, minimising the time and effort it takes to begin working.
Well done to Mitsubishi whose LPG-powered GRENDiA ES forklift truck offers all the convenience of a diesel but with far lower running costs. Stewart Gosling of RDD, exclusive importers for Mitsubishi Forklifts Trucks in the UK, says the GRENDiA ES “delivers significant benefits over diesel and uses up to 40% less fuel than competitor LPG trucks. Where the customer really wishes to stick with diesel, our robust and powerful new 3.3 litre engine maintains its high-power output and performance in any situation.”
Congratulations to Toyota Material Handling which has launched the first three models in the new BT Reflex family of reach trucks. The latest models – the high-performance R-series, the E-series (which features Toyota’s iconic and unique tilting cab) and the flexible O-series for inside and outside use – set new standards in safety, efficiency and ergonomics. The trucks, which are offered with load capacities of between 1.4 and 2.5 tonnes and lift heights of up to 13 meters, feature a host of innovations – including an updated ergonomic operator compartment that optimises safety, performance levels and operator comfort.
Great to hear that during a challenging 16 months Hoppecke Industrial Batteries has seen a significant uplift in sales against the backdrop of a market downturn. Coping well with the challenges posed by Brexit and the impact of coronavirus, the company continues to make customer support its priority, keeping fork lifts powered all over the UK. Throughout the pandemic Hoppecke has maintained full engineering support for customers nationwide.
It is encouraging to hear that materials handling has a brighter future.
George Simpson
Features Editor
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