Inside Ireland's Lean, Green Forklift Plant

July 20, 2018
The verdant Irish countryside between Dublin and Belfast hides a brand new forklift factory expertly crafted to double production with lean operations and a mastery over efficient use of space.

In April, I journeyed to Ireland to cover the opening of Combilift's new 500,000-ft² manufacturing facility, where they design and produce mass-customized material handling equipment. I wasn't familiar with the company until an invite hit my inbox, but the tour revealed this to be a true gem of lean manufacturing hidden here in the Emerald Isle's northern foothills. From its green initiatives to its efficient use of space and laser focus on R&D, this plant highlights how to stay modern without the use of robots or IIoT.

You can check out what makes their material handling solutions so valuable to manufacturers and distribution centers in my feature story over at NewEquipment.com, or just click the slideshow to take a virtual tour of the County Monaghan factory.

About the Author

John Hitch | Senior Editor

John Hitch writes about the latest manufacturing trends and emerging technologies, including but not limited to: Robotics, the Industrial Internet of Things, 3D Printing, and Artificial Intelligence. He is a veteran of the United States Navy and former magazine freelancer based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Questions or comments may be directed to: [email protected]
 

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