2019: A Forklift Year in Review for Fork Truck Direct

As with every year, 2019 has been an exciting one in the forklift industry. Especially when it comes to new and impressive innovations that serve to make everyone’s jobs easier and that bit more productive. From new launches to industry-wide events, updates to existing systems and brand-new products on offer, this year has been one of plenty – which means we’ve got a wide range of different items to feature on the list.

Whether you’re most excited about the health and safety innovations on the latest equipment, or you’re simply pleased to see the growth of the industry as a whole, this list looks at the best and brightest of 2019, from a number of our top brands. To find out more about what Doosan, Combilift, Flexi and EP have been up to the past year, then read on to find out more:

The best new launches in 2019

2019 has brought a host of new products into the ranges of various industry manufacturers. Whether these have been built on old models, or are entirely new, varies. But each launch adds something more productive, effective and powerful to an industry that is constantly evolving and developing to be bigger and better. Here are some of our top launches of 2019:

Doosan B15R-7 Electric Forklifts

In March of 2019 Doosan officially launched the versatile new 3-wheel B15R-7 series. Designed to be incredibly handleable, as well as offering a robust and high-quality design, these forklifts have quickly become industry standard thanks to their additional manoeuvrability and all-around efficiency in design. Compact and ideal for smaller businesses, the B15R-7 is sure to continue to be an industry favourite into 2020 and beyond. Modern, battery-powered and ideal for indoor and outdoor use, there’s little we can say that’s bad about this particular design.

EP’s entry-level iMOW technology

2019 may not have seen any significant large-scale forklift launches for EP, but the brand certainly hasn’t been resting on their laurels. iMOW is a brand-new innovation from the company that’s set to be a huge success well into 2020, offering entry-level equipment efficiently and effectively to everyone. Currently, the range includes electric pallet trucks and stackers that are basic while still matching the high-quality and safety standards of the EP brand. We can’t wait to see where they take iMOW, and we hope to see more variations on forklifts included within their new China-based range in the future.

Flexi LiTHiON VNA Range

Flexi, in particular, has had a bumper 2019. Both thanks to the launch of their new battery-powered solution, and also because of the VNA space-saving range, made more efficient than ever before. Designed for tight and narrow spaces in warehouses or workplaces, the VNA range can be entirely digitally controlled – an exciting innovation that paves the way for future launches from the well-respected brand. Flexi Lithium is here to stay, and it provides an excellent alternative to the diesel and gas-powered forklifts that have been company and industry standard previously.

Awards and achievements

2019 has been another year of excellence in the forklift industry, with plenty of exciting achievements and even formal awards on the cards for many of our top brands. Some of the top awards and achievements throughout the year have included:

EP Equipment expanding to South Africa

EP has taken their already international range to newer destinations by announcing their distributor in South Africa, an excellent addition to the broader network. Combined with the opening of the EP Showroom in Palestine, the business is more international than ever – which only suggests bigger and better things for the company in upcoming years.

Combilift wins prestigious Design4Safet Award

As presented by BITA, the British Industrial Truck Association, Combilift has been provided with the honour of winning the Design4Saefty award under Industrial Vehicles. This is the latest in a long line of awards for the brand, which always strives to achieve better things and innovate when it comes to health and safety features. The award was presented as part of IMHX, one of the industry’s most significant events of the year.

Flexi produces its 10,000th Flexi truck

As a well-known and industry-leading brand, it’s no surprise that Flexi’s equipment is selling faster than ever. In 2019, Flexi announced that they had produced their 10,000th warehouse truck, which happens to be the incredibly popular Flexi ACiON. Launched this year with its better and more energy-efficient battery, it seems suitable that number ten thousand was this model in particular.

Events and shows

IMHX 2019

As the most significant event in the industry’s calendar, we couldn’t not talk about IMHX when we talk about our roundup of 2019. Described as the UK’s largest intralogistics event, the show was held at the NEC in Birmingham and was a hub for countless industry product launches, events and even awards, in the case of Combilift. With the next event not taking place until 2021, visitors and exhibitors alike made the most of the event with impressive displays and incredible displays. Doosan, in particular, featured a wide array of different technologies, as did Combilift and many other brands.

LAMMA 19

A smaller-scale, industry-specific show, Doosan and multiple other forklift brands attended LAMMA – an exhibition for farm machinery and equipment – at the beginning of the year, with excellent results. Similar farming and construction events have proven successful for the brand, with other companies also attending and finding favourable results.

What will 2020 bring for the forklift industry?

With 2020 just around the corner, 2019 has been a year with many achievements and exciting new launches – with Doosan and EP, in particular, offering exciting innovations that are sure to become industry standard over time. We look forward to seeing what the new year will bring, whether it’s new launches further advancing forklift technologies or advancements on what we already have.

If you’re interested in learning more about the latest launches in 2019, or you want to know more about the forklifts available from our world-class brands, get in contact with us today, or view our full catalogue online now.