Keeping up with lift trucks

The first lift trucks in the U.S. with AC drive motors are about to debut.

By -- Modern Materials Handling, 4/1/2000

These are clearly interesting times in lift trucks. Lift trucks, you say with a hint of surprise. Yes, lift trucks.

In December, OSHA' s new lift truck training guidelines took effect. Now we hear that the first AC-driven forklifts are about to be introduced to the American market. Meanwhile, lift truck suppliers are gearing up to meet new, tough emissions standards that go into effect next January in California. And you thought lift trucks were pretty much static. Not these days.

As our lead news story this month reports, lift truck operator training programs are in full swing. And while this is a new OSHA-mandated requirement, our readers don' t seem to think it is all that onerous a reg. At least that' s what they had to say in response to our exclusive Modern Materials Handling survey conducted in late January. About 80% of the respondents are doing their training in house. Furthermore, just over 80% expect to spend $10,000 or less on training. And not only that, but 76% say the record-keeping required by OSHA is "fair, easy to comply with."

From there we move on to a lift truck first in America. Later this summer, Toyota will introduce to the U.S. the first lift trucks with AC drive motors. Although new here, the technology is already established and widely used in Europe and Asia. As Tom Feare' s special report on pg. 42 explains, there' s more oomph to AC power compared to DC even when the battery is discharged by as much as 80%.

But there is clearly a question if AC motors will have legs in terms of sales in the U.S. market. It' s too early to tell right now how this will go. But if you and others like the AC motor approach, there are several other suppliers ready to join in. Our story covers who and what they have to say on the subject. In any case, we' ll track this and keep you posted.

And then there' s the not so small matter of California' s exhaust emissions standard ready to take effect January 1, 2001. The California Air Resources Board has demanded a 75% reduction in emissions. The standard is so tough that some say it is 50% more demanding than the current standard on passenger cars.

In the story, OSHA regs alter operator training , Tom Feare details the options being considered by lift truck suppliers. And what they decide will have a much greater impact on their bottom line than just what they sell in California next year or the year after. According to Larry Borre, the Industrial Truck Association' s past president, California is just the warm-up for a single national regulation in 2004. Needless to say, we' ll keep an eye on this one too.

As you can easily see, it' s anything but business as usual with lift trucks these days. But that' s what makes a special issue such as this one so interesting for us and important to you.