In March 2009, Komatsu Forklift U.S.A., Inc. announced
that it would close its production facility in Covington,
Georgia, and transfer forklift production to Komatsu
America Corporation’s production facility in Newberry,
South Carolina. This move was partly due to a decision
by Komatsu corporate headquarters in Japan to combine
all of its U.S. entities under one umbrella. As a result, Komatsu Forklift U.S.A. was sold to Komatsu America Corporation, which retains 100% ownership. Komatsu corporate was able to reduce costs further by combining the production
of forklifts and construction equipment at the Newberry facility. Production of forklifts in the Newberry facility is now
underway.
Komatsu Forklift’s new production facility in Newberry, SC
Since its beginnings in 1945, Komatsu Forklift Co., Ltd.
has grown tremendously, building on its superior design
and manufacturing capabilities to build the type of rugged and dependable forklift trucks that customers the
world over have come to depend on. Komatsu Forklift
U.S.A., Inc. was established in 1976 to meet the ever-growing demand for its products in North America.
Komatsu Forklift U.S.A. has also moved their headquarters to the Komatsu America Corporate offices in Rolling
Meadows, Illinois. “Through this transition, we will be cu tting capacity costs through KAC shared service groups and
other back office support functions such as human resources, accounting, and information technology,” says Keith
Allmandinger, Senior Manager of Marketing at Komatsu Forklift, “This will help us further reduce our costs and allow
us to be more competitive in the marketplace.”
Dealer and Customer Support
With Komatsu America taking over forklift production, Komatsu Forklift is left to focus on customer support, sales, and
marketing. “We are taking advantage of the synergies of Komatsu America Corporation, focusing on our dealers and
loyal customers, and striving to keep this transition as seamless as possible.” Allmandinger says. Dealers will have
access to an extranet that will allow them to obtain information 24/7 and to communicate with the manufacturer more
frequently. In addition, a new LMS system for managing product, sales, and service training will give dealers a better
product knowledge base.
New Products
To further Komatsu ‘s commitment to the North American market we are introducing new products. That product expansion is already underway as Komatsu rolls out new offerings for our customers. The new products include three-wheel and four-wheel TOTAL AC models of electric cushion tire and pneumatic tire lift trucks in addition to narrow-aisle reach trucks. “The market has been gradually changing to more electrics, and as regulations mandate cleaner
engines, we continue to anticipate more companies looking toward greener alternatives with less environmental impact.” Allmandinger says. “We wanted to
introduce products that would provide those alternatives to our customers.”
There are many changes happening at Komatsu Forklift, U.S.A., but our commitment to the North American market and, in particular, to our distribution
channel, has not wavered. As Allmandinger says, “We are still here and prepared to take care of customer needs.”
For further information, feel free to visit our website at www.kfiusa.com
Komatsu Forklift U.S.A.
One Continental Towers
1701 W. Golf Road
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008
