Hyster Forklift

Hyster Forklift Training Burlington - Hyster is a global corporation that builds in excess of 300 distinct types of lift trucks. However, it started as a manufacturer of lifting machines and winches. Most of its production was focused in the northwest United States and dealt primarily with the lumber and logging industry. A couple years after the first forklift trucks were invented Hyster became synonymous with quality production. Over the last 80 years Hyster has continued to expand and increase its product line. The expansion of its products coupled with its wish to stay service oriented has allowed Hyster to mature into the international player it is at the moment.

Some of the main inflection points in Hyster's past occurred between the 1940's and the 1960's. In 1946, Hyster opened a plant in Danville, Illinois that was fully committed to bulk producing trucks. This allowed Hyster to drive its costs down and, simultaneously, offer a better quality product at industry aggressive rates. 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 continued to aggressively expand its manufacturing operations throughout the fifties and 60's. They began constructing 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 enabling a lift truck to go both forward and backwards using the same pedal. This pedal was labeled as the Monotrol pedal, which revolutionized the industry. Later on in the decade Hyster opened a R&D centre in Oregon that was concentrated 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 industry was shifting towards bulk manufacturing. To keep up with the times Hyster was inclined to focus on the evolution of these mass markets. Hence, in 1970, the XL design philosophy was born. The XL design philosophy allowed Hyster to provide superior quality at a more inexpensive cost. A further expansion in manufacturing capabilities was necessitated by the demand in Europe for Internal Combustion Engine Trucks. To fill this gap, a plant in Craigavon, Ireland was opened in 1980. Through the eighties Hyster continued to focus on developing industry leading forklifts. The Hyster company name was known throughout the world for its commitment towards superiority. This attention to excellence produced several suitors for the business. In 1989, a large multinational business based in Ohio called NACCO Industries purchased Hyster and began an aggressive growth strategy. NACCO quickly changed the XL philosophy with a more driver oriented truck that focused on operator comfort, which is well-known as the XM generation of forklifts.

The evolving requirements of Hyster's clientele, led by changes in supply chain management, required Hyster to constantly innovate and make investments in modern manufacturing technology during the next few decades. Acquisitions and investments were made in the US, Italy, Netherlands, and lots of other places all over the world. All of these investments have made Hyster a international leader in the forklift market. Recently, Hyster celebrated its eightieth anniversary as an industry leader of materials handling equipment, which includes over 300 different models of forklift trucks.

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