UniCarriers Americas Corporation hosted U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren of Ill. at its headquarters for the Americas in Marengo on October 15. The representative met with the UniCarriers Americas executive team prior to touring the facility and participated in a town hall-style meeting with more than 30 of the forklift manufacturer’s employees. “It was our pleasure to host Representative Hultgren for the afternoon and discuss UniCarriers’ continued growth, job creation and commitment to investing in our Marengo facility,” said Anthony Salgado, president at UniCarriers Americas. During the visit, Hultgren remarked that UniCarriers Americas represents an example of the future and complimented the company on offering quality products made by quality people. Since Hultgren began representing the 14th District of Ill., the company has increased its workforce by more than 30 percent and plans additional workforce growth. UniCarriers Americas expects to continue this growth through localizing research, on-shoring key suppliers and insourcing component production for its products.
“All of our activities, including on-shoring and vertical integration are supported by UniCarriers Americas’ increased productivity and technical skills,” Salgado stated. “Every time I visit one of the many flourishing manufacturers in the 14th District, I am amazed by the innovation and expansion that’s taking place right here in Illinois. UniCarriers in Marengo boasts hardworking employees who manufacture a complete line of forklifts, including the Nissan Forklift,” said Hultgren. “We must continue to support our manufacturers through smart legislation and regional initiatives. Northern Illinois is undergoing a manufacturing renaissance, and I look forward to seeing UniCarriers continue to expand operations and hire more workers. I’m proud to represent them in Congress.”
UniCarriers Americas is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified and, and working toward ISO 18001 certification in early 2015. In 2013, the company produced nearly 13,000 forklifts at the facility for four of its brands: Nissan Forklift, TCM, Barrett and UniCarriers. The visit to its nearly 600,000-square-foot facility included a tour of its state-of-the-art manufacturing practices showcasing the company’s robotic-welding and laser-cutting machinery, powder-coat paint, assembly lines as well as speed and quality tests.
“During the tour, the congressman commented on a testing area where a lift truck was being tested with a 4,000-pound pallet,” said James Radous III, executive vice president sales, Americas at UniCarriers Americas. “He remarked that the need for focusing on safety is evident within this market and offered support for Forklift Safety Day as well as other issues that are pertinent to our industry.”
One of UniCarriers Americas’ top priorities is safety. Radous represents the company as a member of the National Forklift Safety Taskforce. Hultgren’s visit directly stemmed from meetings held with UniCarriers Americas executives in Washington, D.C. for the first National Forklift Safety Day in June.
