Forklift manufacturer and material handling solutions provider Combilift has officially opened its new global headquarters and manufacturing facility in Monaghan, Ireland. The company, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, expects to create 200 new jobs in the next three years and double production within five.
Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar officiated at the opening ceremony and said: “Combilift is an incredible home-grown Monaghan success story. When the company was founded 20 years ago, it had three employees, a brilliant concept, and the ambition to make it a reality. I would like to congratulate Robert Moffett and Martin McVicar and everyone at Combilift on their achievements to date and wish them every success for the future.”
The €50m 46,500m2 (500,000 sqft) plant will allow Combilift to realise its ambitious growth plans. Managing director Martin McVicar said: “We have employed an additional 230 people since we announced our plans for this factory in 2015, and the combination of this state-of-the-art production plant and the growing skilled workforce will allow us to double production within the next five years.”
Combilift currently exports 98% of its products to 85 countries through a 250-strong international dealer network. The workforce stands at 550 people and the new employment opportunities will be for skilled technicians, design engineers, logistics and supply chain specialists and those with mechanical and mechatronics skills.
Mr McVicar attributes the company’s growth to mass customisation. “Combilift has set the benchmark for the mass production of customised innovative products. We listen to and take feedback from our customers and dealers to identify solutions that match their specific needs.”
Established by Mr McVicar and technical director Robert Moffett in 1998, Combilift developed the world’s first multidirectional all-wheel drive internal combustion engine powered forklift in 1998. In the first year of operation it produced 18 units,17 of which were exported. The company now has 40,000 units in operation in over 85 countries.
It focused on niche products and has a track record of launching one or two new products annually. After focusing on the long-load material handling sector with its multidirectional range for 10 years, between 2008 and 2018 it diversified its product range with a number of space-saving warehouse and heavy load handling products, the Aisle Master articulated truck and the Straddle Carrier (Combi-SC). Pedestrian products were introduced into the range in the last five years, with the Combi-WR, Combi-WR4 and the Combi-CS, which incorporate Combilift’s patented multi-positional tiller arm technology.
The company invests 7% of its annual turnover in research and development and offers a free logistic and warehouse design service which enables customers to see the benefit that its products will bring to their business.
The new factory is one of the largest manufacturing operations under a single roof in the Republic of Ireland. Four 90m assembly lines produce a finished truck every 15 minutes. There are 60 welding bays, two plasma cutting machines, three paint lines, which use sustainable water-based paints, and three automatic shot blasters. In addition there is a 50-seat cinema training room, 5,000m² of office space and an R&D development and testing centre.
