UNICARRIERS AMERICAS BRINGS TRANSMISSION PRODUCTION IN HOUSE
UNICARRIERS AMERICAS BRINGS TRANSMISSION PRODUCTION IN HOUSE TO IMPROVE RELIABLITY
posted on 4/26/2017 12:27:00 PM
MARENGO, IL — UniCarriers Americas Corporation has begun manufacturing transmissions for their internal combustion forklift models in the company’s 120,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Marengo, IL. As a result, the engines and transmissions are now manufactured together, and in the same location where the forklifts are assembled.
“By manufacturing the major drivetrain components together, we have far more control over the quality of the product and the reliability it provides to end-users,” says James J. Radous III, President, UniCarriers Americas. “This was a strategic decision driven by our focus on quality and to improve upon our industry-leading reliability.
The strategic move to insource transmission production results in greater control over reliability, costs and productivity.
“The move also brought some ancillary benefits to UniCarriers, our forklift dealers and their customers in the form of greater production efficiency, lower costs and reduced lead times,” added Radous.
“We’re not just improving quality and reliability,” says Dale Mark, Vice President of Manufacturing Operations. “Our in-house manufacturing operation allows us to control costs, manage inventory for just-in-time replenishment and eliminate the cost of shipping the transmissions to the factory altogether. All of this contributes to improved efficiency, more control over lead times and lower inventory and manufacturing costs.”
“At a time when most manufacturers are outsourcing parts and components, we’re going the other way,” says Sam Mizukami, Manager – Manufacturing Engineering. “But it makes sense for a company that has built its business and reputation on the superior reliability of its products. We don’t want to relinquish control over the manufacture of our components, or the responsibility we have to our dealers and their customers to provide them with the best forklifts possible.”
UNICARRIERS FORKLIFT – History
While the UniCarriers name has only been around a short while, the story of our company is, in reality, the history of three companies that span more than 100 years.
Barrett Industrial Trucks was founded in 1914, and was a pioneer in bringing a new generation of electric powered equipment to the material handling market.
TCM founded the forklift manufacturing industry in Japan, producing the first ever Japan-made forklift in 1949.
Nissan Forklift began operations in 1957. With its acquisition of Barrett in 1988, it became the first Japanese manufacturer of all five classes of material handling equipment in the U.S.
Today, UniCarriers provides forklifts throughout the world. The UniCarriers Americas facility in Marengo, Illinois, sets the standard for forklift manufacturing. And we continue to push the envelope, bringing new technology and innovation to our equipment…and the material handling industry.
