The 25th anniversary celebrations of Irish forklift truck manufacturer Combilift were something to behold in September.
The milestone was greeted by new product launches, visits by international press (including TTJ), dealers and customers, with a series of celebrations at historic Castle Leslie, resplendent with Irish music, dancing and a laser light show.
For Combilift it was an opportunity to thank everyone that had participated in its journey, which began with the launch of the C4000 in 1998, its multi-directional features becoming a hallmark for the Monaghan-based company.
The figures for the company, established by Martin McVicar and Robert Moffett, are suitably impressive in its 25th year.
Combilift has a turnover of approximately €450m, employs over 800 staff and in 2022 the factory produced 8,870 units. An exportfocused business, Combilift sends vehicles across the world, with some 80,000 units in operation in 85 countries.
Combilift now has 40 production models, all which had their beginnings in solving problems for customers – which demonstrates the company’s credentials on being built on innovation.
While its beginnings were centred on timber handling operations, it now supplies a multitude of industries, with the wood sector now accounting for “at least 25%” of business, ranging from sawmills, distributors, merchants, manufacturers, DIY retailers and structural timber systems factories.
The latest industry to be served is the offshore wind industry, after already having carried out work on the onshore wind sector. It has developed capabilities to move 150m-long turbine blades with the latest Combi-BM system, a remote-controlled tandem blade mover and load carrier. Combilift is partnering with Siemens on projects.
Combilift CEO Martin McVicar told the anniversary press conference that the company was as ambitious as ever and remained focused on innovation.
“We are focused on niche markets where we can be the number one supplier, we are not in the business of being a mass forklift producer,” he commented.
“We are very receptive to looking at different market needs,” he added.
Recent innovations and product launches include the Combi CB70E, billed as the most compact 7t capacity counterbalance truck on the market, featuring a large wheel base, high degree of operator comfort, aimed at customers such as sawmills. It basically brings multi-directional capabilities to the larger materials handling market.
The Combi Cube features the Dynamic 360O Steering System and patent-pending intelligent seat rotation to maximise driver visibility. And the Combi-AGT (autonomous guided forklift truck) is a forklift that can operate within a guided rail system and road freely in yards.
Mr McVicar highlighted the company’s free warehouse design service, designed to maximise storage efficiency for customers, reduce the number of buildings on site to save costs and basically rethink logistics.
The Combilift core principles remain the same – improve storage, increase efficiency and reduce costs.
The business believes in attending trade shows, exhibiting at 65 events in 2023, while 7% of annual revenue goes into R&D.
Combilift’s output is now approximately 70% electric.
It has recently installed an automatic shotblasting system and a machining centre in an R&D centre to cut and test components on prospective new products.
Another 60 acres of land is owned by Combilift on site to potentially develop in the future.
