Hyster Forklift

Hyster Forklift Training Kingston - Hyster is a global business that builds more than 300 diverse types of lift trucks. However, it began as a producer of lifting machinery and winches. Most of its production was focused in the Pacific Northwest and dealt primarily with the wood and logging industry. A couple years after the first forklift trucks were invented Hyster became synonymous with quality manufacturing. Over the last eighty years Hyster has continued to get bigger and grow its product line. The expansion of its products coupled with its desire to stay service oriented has allowed Hyster to grow into the worldwide player it is at the moment.

Hyster experienced major improvements through the 1940's and 1960's. In 1946, Hyster opened a plant in Danville, Illinois that was completely dedicated to mass producing trucks. This allowed Hyster to drive its expenses 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.

Hyster, along with the whole forklift industry, continued to spread out into different product lines throughout the 1950's and 60's. They started building container handlers in the United states in 1959 to meet with the ever expanding demand for transportation goods. In 1966, Hyster developed a technique for allowing a lift truck to go both ahead and backwards using the same pedal. This pedal was called the Monotrol pedal, which revolutionized the industry. Later in the decade Hyster opened a R and D centre in Oregon that was focused on enhancing the design and performance of forklifts. The centre is still one of the world's best testing facilities in the materials handling industry.

In the 1960's Hyster experienced rapid expansion. Much of the manufacturing was shifting towards bulk production. To keep up with the times Hyster was inclined to focus on the evolution of these mass markets. Thus, in 1970, the XL design philosophy was born. The XL design philosophy allowed Hyster to supply better quality at a more reasonable price. A further expansion in production capabilities was necessitated by the need in Europe for Internal Combustion Engine Trucks. To plug this hole, a plant in Craigavon, Ireland was opened in 1980. Through the 1980's Hyster continued to focus on developing industry leading lift trucks. The Hyster brand name was recognized throughout the world for its commitment towards quality. This attention to excellence brought numerous suitors for the company. In 1989, a large international corporation based in Ohio called NACCO Industries purchased Hyster and started an aggressive growth plan. NACCO promptly changed the XL philosophy with a more driver oriented forklift that focused on operator comfort, which is recognized as the XM generation of lift trucks.

The shift in supply change management to a much more just-in-time focused approach has meant that Hyster has had to frequently make investments in new-found technologies. Acquisitions and investments were made in the United States, Italy, Netherlands, and countless other places throughout the world. All of these investments have made Hyster a international leader in the lift truck market. Recently, Hyster celebrated its eightieth anniversary as an industry leader of materials handling equipment, which comprises more than 300 different types of forklift trucks.

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