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 move also brought some ancillary benefits to UniCarriers, our 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.”
