Hyster - Craigavon 35th Anniversary

On 20th and 21st April, Hyster celebrated 35 years of manufacturing tough forklift trucks at its plant in Craigavon, Northern Ireland by hosting an exclusive event for press, dignitaries, VIPs and key staff.
Guests joining the Hyster team were told the story of the forklift factory in the “new town” of Craigavon, which began with the opening of the site in 1981. It showcased the advances at the factory in the past and also celebrated the contribution of the people that have been part of it over the past 35 years.
The interactive event also looked towards a positive future, with the exclusive unveiling of the latest forklift truck to be manufactured at Craigavon for export across the world - the Hyster® XT Series.
The highlight of the celebration was a special ceremony where a tree was planted to acknowledge the contribution of all the staff at Craigavon when it opened. This tree was planted near to the location of an oak tree which has been at the site since before the plant was built and has been respectfully preserved.
“While we have celebrated our past and the success of the plant over the past 35 years, we have an exciting future ahead of us. We have sown the seeds for continued growth and sustainability at Craigavon,” says Alan Little, Vice President Manufacturing & Logistics EMEA.
Alan continues: “We are lucky to have such a skilled and motivated workforce that is, and always has been, central to our high quality standards and has enabled us to reach this fantastic milestone.”
The forklift factory at Craigavon, near Belfast, opened in April 1981 and is by far the largest of the few forklift truck manufacturing plants remaining in the UK today. The plant has been a great success, expanding to over 41,300 m2 and now employing hundreds of people, many of whom have been working at the factory for decades. In fact, 33 of the current staff have been working there since the first year that the plant opened.
2003 saw a significant investment to establish the Northern Ireland plant as a world-class manufacturing centre. Many thousands of trucks are manufactured each year in Craigavon with the vast majority exported to Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East.
On his visit to the plant in November 2012, Prime Minister David Cameron, emphasised the importance of great manufacturing operations like Craigavon to the UK’s ability to compete and succeed in what he referred to as “the global race”.
The plant at Craigavon has also led the way for sustainability in manufacturing, investing several million pounds in strategies and technologies to protect the environment, saving energy and water, and reducing carbon emissions. Planning is also underway for a new solar panel installation on site to create a renewable energy source for the future.
Over the years, the factory has won multiple awards for its commitment both to quality and to its staff, including achieving the Investors in People Gold Award in 2014 and being crowned “Best Place to Work” at The Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards 2013. Additionally, in 2013, Alan Little was recognised for services to Industry in Northern Ireland and was awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire).
“Our work at Craigavon has helped to set the standard for quality in manufacturing processes worldwide. We are pleased to be producing the latest Hyster XT truck here in Northern Ireland and look forward with excitement towards developments and successes we can achieve with our team over the next 35 years,” concludes Alan.
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