lifting expectations Bolzoni

LIFTING ExPECTATIONS

Bolzoni is a global leader in the design and manufacture of lift truck attachments, forks and lift tables. The company continues to see strong growth in its global markets through a programme of consistent investment in new technology and strategic acquisitions. Recently the company has been the subject of a takeover itself by US forklift giant, the Hyster-Yale Group, thus enabling it to offer an even wider product portfolio and enhanced global growth options. Philip Yorke reports.

The Bolzoni Group has been active for over 70 years in the design, production and distribution of lift attachments, and industrial material handling equipment. The strategic and organisational capabilities of this large group with its strong commitment to innovation and quality have enabled it to meet the global expectations of forklift OEMs throughout the world.

The company was founded in 1945 by Luigi and Livio Bolzoni for the manufacture of agricultural machinery. In the early 1950s Bolzoni entered the attachment business with a unique brick transportation system and this was followed by a range of forklift truck attachments, which quickly became its core business. Since 2006 Bolzoni has been listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.

Today the Bolzoni Group has six production facilities worldwide and employs more than 3500 people. With well-known global brands such as Bolzoni, Auramo and Meyer the company’s products are in demand in a wide range of manufacturing industries including those involved in white goods, paper and beverages. Recently the group established new offices in Pune, India, to better support its north Indian operations. This is in addition to its existing exclusive distributorship that it operates in Southern India and is managed by the ‘Factory Products’ company located in Bangalore. unique solutions for industry

When it comes to materials handling equipment, Bolzoni brands are the products of choice for many customers. The company has connections with all segments of industry as a result of its innovative solutions and close cooperation with users and its ability to provide unique, high-tech customised products. For example in the Paper industry the company has specialised know-how regarding material handling attachments for forest products handling, which is sold to countless transport, shipping and logistics companies worldwide. Bolzoni’s close cooperation with the global paper industry allows it to provide the best and most innovative and cost-effective solutions for forest product handling operations.

Today the world’s diverse beverage industries also benefit from the unrivalled expertise offered by Bolzoni. The company provides a wide selection of pallet handling models, capacities, widths and fork openings, which are supplied to meet the challenging requirements of industries where there is a heavy handling requirement for palletised loads, and in particular for the soft drinks industries, breweries, mineral water bottling plants and food industries. In addition, a wide range of carton and appliances special clamps have been developed for the safe and damagefree pallet-less handling of white goods and high volume carton boxes.

Highly efficient materials-handling equipment has also been developed for the beverage and warehousing industries. Bolzoni is also happy to develop tailor-made solutions in the event of different combinations of load types and configurations, typically required when handling washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens and televisions etc.

New horizons

Thanks to a significant acquisition of Bolzoni shares by the leading US forklift truck manufacturer, Hyster-Yale Materials handling Inc., Bolzoni has new horizons to explore in terms of both its technological capabilities and its global reach and international sales networks.

Hyster-Yale Materials Handling Inc., headquartered in Cleveland Ohio through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, Hyster-Yale Group, Inc., designs, engineers, manufactures and markets a comprehensive range of lift trucks and after-market parts globally under the Hyster® and Yale® brand names. Nuvera Fuel Cells LLC is a subsidiary of Hyster-Yale Group Inc., and is an alternative power technology company focused on the development of fuel cell stacks and related systems for on-site hydrogen production and dispensing systems.

The recent acquisition by Hyster-Yale’s holding company, Penta Holdings SpA, provides exciting opportunities for Bolzoni to significantly expand its global reach while increasing its depth of penetration in certain overseas markets. Bolzoni’s CEO Roberto Scotti said, “Today Bolzoni provides attachments and components to forklift OEMs, their sales networks and customers, and the company ensures that the integrity of information is maintained at all times. This core operating principle will not change as a result of the acquisition.”

Hyster-Yale Group president and CEO Colin Wilson says its product offering would be broadened by the new deal with its long-term partner as both companies look to the future and new market opportunities. “Bolzoni is well known as a reliable world-class supplier of attachments and has become the preferred supplier for Hyster and Yale products,” said Wilson.

Recently Bolzoni has been investing in the expansion of its manufacturing capacity and recognises the latest opportunity to leverage this is by absorbing Bolzoni’s unused capacity. Traditionally Bolzoni’s strength has been in Europe, which still offers it many growth opportunities; however, Bolzoni has also been expanding in the Americas and plans to significantly increase its presence in China. n

For further details of Bolzoni’s innovative material handling equipment and services visit: www.bolzoni-auramo.com