Enquiries from Australia, Canada, South Africa and Greece were received by Irish multi-directional fork lift manufacturer Combilift, which this year boasted a bigger presence at Ligna.
Managing director Martin McVicar said the company’s approach was to show that its products could be customised to suite the application. This is reflected in the slogan, which has changed from “long load material handling solution” to “customised handling solutions”.
An example of this was one machine sold to a wood-based panels customer from Germany. The 4.8-tonne capacity unit features wider hydraulic fork positioning to carry panels.
Other models on display included the C5000SL, a 5-tonne capacity vehicle like a sideloader but with multi-directional capability, deck height of 750mm, tilting mast and a cab positioned to give the driver good sight of the forks.
Receiving its Ligna premiere was the Compact 3-tonne machine, aimed at the furniture manufacturing industry.
Mr McVicar said: “We tried to supply the 4-tonne machine into that industry but we realised that it’s too big for their needs.”
Combilift also displayed an electric machine at Ligna for the first time, designed for markets where LPG fuel is not readily available.