Hyster Forklift

Hyster Forklift Training Hamilton - Hyster is currently a world leader in lift trucks as well as warehousing solutions. However, it started as a producer of lifting machinery and winches. Most of its production was focused in the Pacific Northwest and dealt primarily with the timber and logging industry. A couple years after the 1st forklift trucks were invented Hyster became synonymous with quality production. Over the previous eighty years Hyster has continued to expand and develop its product line. The expansion of its products coupled with its wish to stay service oriented has allowed Hyster to grow into the international player it is now.

Through the 3 decades between the 1940's and 1960's, Hyster made substantial strides on its pathway to becoming the global leader in the forklift industry it is at present. In 1946, Hyster opened a plant in Danville, Illinois that was fully committed to bulk producing trucks. This allowed Hyster to force its costs down and, at the same time, offer a better quality product at industry competitive prices. In 1952, Hyster began its first foray in to the international production market through opening its first plant in the Netherlands. The Netherlands plant was originally designed to produce two products: Hyster 40" and the Karry Kranes.

Between the late 1950's through the sixties, Hyster continued to expand into new markets. They began constructing container handlers in the US in 1959 to satisfy the ever expanding demand for transportation goods. In 1966, Hyster developed a system for allowing a lift truck to go both ahead and backwards using the same pedal. This pedal was known as the Monotrol pedal, which revolutionized the industry. Later on in the decade Hyster opened a R&D centre in Oregon that was focused on improving the design and performance of lift trucks. The centre is still one of the world's top testing facilities in the materials handling industry.

As demand for materials handling equipment continued to expand rapidly during the 60's, Hyster considered it necessary to reorient its focus towards these new mass markets. Hence, in 1970, the XL design philosophy was born. The XL design philosophy allowed Hyster to supply superior quality at a more inexpensive price. A further expansion in production capabilities was necessitated by the demand in Europe for Internal Combustion Engine Trucks. To plug this gap, a plant in Craigavon, Ireland was opened in 1980. Through the 80's Hyster continued to concentrate on developing industry leading lift trucks. The Hyster brand name was recognized throughout the world for its commitment towards superiority. This attention to excellence brought numerous suitors for the business. In 1989, a large multinational corporation based in Ohio called NACCO Industries bought Hyster and began an aggressive growth plan. NACCO promptly replaced the XL philosophy with a more driver oriented forklift that focused on operator comfort, which is recognized as the XM generation of trucks.

The shift in supply change management to a much more just-in-time focused system has meant that Hyster has had to frequently make investments in new technologies. Acquisitions and investments were made in the US, Italy, Netherlands, and numerous other places all over the world. All of these investments have made Hyster a worldwide leader in the lift truck market. Recently, Hyster celebrated its 80th anniversary as an industry leader of materials handling equipment, which consists of over three hundred different models of lift trucks.

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