Introducing Hangcha
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China's No 1 Forklift Arrives in Australia... The transition of China from the World’s cheap goods factory to a source of quality products is following the path Japan and Korea have already travelled. Like everything China does, however, the pace of the journey is rapidly accelerated by a Government focused on achieving, or surpassing, Western standards; not only to prove the Country’s capabilities but for reasons of national security and political stability. A good indication China has reached manufacturing maturity is when a company like Caterpillar invests millions in production capability for export markets. With its global reputation on the line with every machine produced, you can be certain Cat knows its Chinese facility is world class in terms of technological capability and production quality. Automotive manufacturers like Toyota, BMW, GM and Volkswagen have also established Chinese manufacturing facilities and although these are initially to satisfy the voracious domestic appetite for ‘prestige’ products, you can be sure export capability is part of the plan. To understand the economies of scale associated with Chinese production, consider that in 2011 Chinese domestic vehicle sales will top 14 million units. At that rate they would manufacture Australia’s annual new car sales volume in about three weeks. |
So it should come as no surprise that along with earthmoving equipment, cars and trucks, China is poised to dominate global markets in materials handling equipment. Consider forklifts; average annual sales in Australia and New Zealand combined amount to about 15,000 units, yet the leading Chinese forklift manufacturer – Hangcha – has the capacity to produce a staggering 80,000 units. Hangcha, which began manufacturing forklifts in 1974, has a range of models across varying price points, with their top-spec series equal to any in terms of quality, equipment and sophistication. Hangcha is so fixated on quality that it has held ISO 9001 Quality Management Certification since 1995 and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Certification since 2002. This commitment to quality is also reflected in Hangcha’s chosen component suppliers. Chassis are made of steel produced from Australian iron ore and power comes from Japan in the form of Nissan engines. Impressively, Hangcha’s factory complex comprises more than 60 acres of buildings with five forklift assembly lines; multiple testing, painting, axle, mast and finishing lines and a workforce exceeding 2500.
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