Lucas Liftruck and the Niagara Industrial Association poised to show well in 2015

Lucas Liftruck is a member of one of the Niagara regions premiere industrial associations. As members in good standing with the Niagara Industrial Association, Lucas Liftruck has access to the leading voice and advocate of the manufacturing sector in Niagara, Ontario, Canada.

The Niagara Industrial Association is a committed organization which influences government policy in the interests of the manufacturing sector. The NIA pursues business development opportunities, provides members with important industry information, builds strategic partnerships and leverages the various programs and services that exist to support industrial development.

The Niagara Industrial Association has heightened the collective profiles and new business opportunities for Niagara-based manufacturing companies since 2007. As they put it in a 2014 article; innovation is the key to survival in the Niagara region, and with the addition of the Stärke brand of lift trucks and forklifts, which offer a complete line of material handling equipment, Lucas Liftruck has positioned itself to thrive in 2015.

The Niagara Industrial Association also holds events where members and non-members can attend as guests. These offer Niagara’s industrial leaders a glimpse into our region’s economic past, present and future. With multimodal transportation and excellent proximity to the United States border while keeping within an hour of the GTA, Niagara is situated to serve both markets.  Coupling location with manufacturing expertise, Niagara manufacturers working together can meet virtually any manufacturing need.

Material handling goes hand in hand with manufacturing; and so Lucas Liftruck in Thorold is poised to have another great year selling and servicing product to many of our NIA member companies along with the other over 800 manufacturing companies operating in the Niagara region.

For more on Lucas Liftruck and the materials handling products and services provided, visit our website.

Getting Your Forklift Ready for Winter.

It's common sense; be prepared and you'll be in a better position to endure winter's rage, incur less downtime and burn less fuel. Generally winter will have you burning more fuel due to cold starts and increased idling to warm up the engine.

Recently I spoke with Stärke Material Handling Group's Technical Advisor, Arnold Poulsen on how to prepare a forklift for the wrath of winter, and keep it working efficiently. Arnold advises the following:

1. Use of block heaters for ease of starting and minimal warm-up time conserves fuel
2. Store forklifts indoors for warm starting conditions…conserving fuel
3. Ensure engines are properly maintained and tuned-up; ready for winter and quick start-ups
4. Use proper oil for your environment. Recommend 15W-40 in moderately cold temperatures to -15 degrees C. For extreme cold over -15 degrees C he recommends a 5W-20 grade. Consult with your forklift technician for an oil that suits your application.
5. If your forklift has a cabin; make sure that your wiper(s) are in good condition, your heater is functioning properly and that the seals on the cabin are keeping cold air out.

With regards to winter tips, keeping your forklift running and safe; a blog post by Jason Fancy of Forklift Central really states things best. You can see this article here.

For more information contact your local Stärke Material Handling Dealer located near you in Canada or the USA.