Hyster Forklift

Hyster is a global company that builds over three hundred different types of forklifts. However, it began as a manufacturer of lifting machines and winches. Most of its production was concentrated in the northwest United States and dealt primarily with the lumber and logging industry. A couple years after the 1st forklift trucks were invented Hyster became synonymous with quality manufacturing. Over the previous 80 years Hyster has continued to expand and develop its product line. The expansion of its products coupled with its wish to stay service oriented has allowed Hyster to develop into the international participant it is now.

Through the three decades between the 1940's and 1960's, Hyster made significant strides on its way to becoming the worldwide leader in the forklift industry it is at present. In 1946, Hyster opened a plant in Danville, Illinois that was entirely dedicated to mass manufacturing trucks. This allowed Hyster to drive its costs 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 entire forklift industry, continued to expand into different product lines throughout the 1950's and 60's. They started constructing container handlers in the US in 1959 to meet with the ever growing demand for transportation goods. In 1966, Hyster developed a technique for enabling a lift truck to go both ahead 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 research and development centre in Oregon that was concentrated on improving the design and performance of forklifts. The centre is still one of the world's greatest testing facilities in the materials handling industry.

As demand for materials handling equipment continued to expand swiftly through the 60's, Hyster needed to reorient its focus towards these new mass markets. Thus, in 1970, the XL design philosophy was born. The XL design philosophy allowed Hyster to offer better quality at a more affordable cost. A further expansion in production capabilities was necessitated by the need in Europe for Internal Combustion Engine Trucks. To fill this gap, a plant in Craigavon, Ireland was opened in 1980. Through the 1980's Hyster continued to focus on developing industry leading forklifts. The Hyster brand name was recognized throughout the world for its commitment towards superiority. This attention to quality brought many suitors for the company. In 1989, a large multinational company based in Ohio called NACCO Industries bought Hyster and started an aggressive growth strategy. NACCO promptly changed the XL philosophy with a more driver oriented forklift that focused on operator comfort, which is well-known as the XM generation of lift trucks.

With the global shift towards just-in-time administration practices, Hyster has been required to keep up with the trends through investment in new and diverse technologies. Acquisitions and investments were made in the United States, Italy, Netherlands, and a lot of other places all over the globe. All of these investments have made Hyster a international leader in the forklift market. In 2009, Hyster celebrated its 80th anniversary as an industry leader of materials handling equipment, which comprises over 300 different styles of lift trucks.

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