Buffalo Forklift Blog

Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has launched a new range of fully electric forklift trucks in the 9–18 ton range. According to Kalmar, the electric forklift trucks offer the performance of a powerful diesel truck without the accompanying air emissions, noise and vibration, and with reduced operating costs. The battery capacity of the forklifts reportedly enables them to operate for a full eight-hour shift, and Kalmar noted that they are future-proofed to operate with new lithium-ion battery technology. “At Kalmar, we aim for zero emissions in our offering development across the board,” said Peter Ivarsson, Director – Forklift Trucks, Kalmar. “We’re...

As it should, safety superseded speed during the forklift rodeo portion of the Blue Mountain Occupational Safety and Health Conference this past June in Pendleton, OR. Winner Chris Evans, a forklift operator for Elgin Plywood in Elgin, OR, appreciated organizers’ efforts. “They reinforce safety by constantly telling you to look over both shoulders while not looking up, keeping your seat belt on, exiting the forklift with three points of contact and not driving with the lift up,” Evans said. Those are just a few best practices that can be used to foster forklift safety on the job. Safety+Health consulted safety...

COLUMBUS, Ind., Sept. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For 15 consecutive years, Toyota Forklifts has earned the title of the world's top forklift supplier. Peerless Media Network recently released its Annual Top 20 Lift Truck Suppliers list, which ranks forklift brands based on worldwide sales, and once again named Toyota as the #1 supplier. In 2017, Toyota acquired two systems integrators and released new products in several industry categories. The innovations and acquisitions helped keep the company in the top spot with $8.6 billion dollars in worldwide revenue, $2.7 billion more than the next brand on the list. Toyota has more than...

Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. (TMHU), commemorated the 50th anniversary of the first Toyota forklift sold in the U.S. with a special event for dealers, associates, dignitaries and media at its U.S. forklift headquarters in Columbus, Ind. The company, which Modern has ranked the largest forklift seller in the world for 15 consecutive years, sold its first U.S. forklift to a grape farmer in Fresno, Calif., in 1967. Fifty years later, Toyota displayed that very forklift at its Columbus campus as a reminder to visitors of the brand’s longevity. To mark the golden anniversary, Toyota associates custom-designed, engineered and built a...

From their impact on productivity to their cost, poorly managed batteries can reduce the efficiency of a forklift fleet. The challenge is especially difficult in large multi-shift fleets, where state of charge, equalization and abuse require lots of effort to monitor. According to Jim Gaskell, director of global technology and business development at Crown Equipment, battery management solutions have improved, but the marketplace could benefit from diagnostic devices for lead-acid batteries. “An industrial battery is rated at 2,000 cycles, from full charge to discharge, but they rarely last that long.” says Gaskell. “The only time I ever believe a customer...