The last week of September, I was invited to attend Irish company Combilift’s 25th anniversary celebrations at their headquarters in Monaghan, Ireland. It was a unique experience I couldn’t pass up. About 140 industrial media from all over the world came together to learn about the largest global manufacturer of multi-directional forklifts. They ship many of their products to American companies, as well as many other countries.

During my time there, I was able to tour their manufacturing plant and even test drive one of their newest products, the Combi CB 70E, which is described as the most compact truck available on the market with multidirectional ability.

The company touts safety and efficiency as part of its success. Martin McVicar, co-founder and CEO of Combilift, said that “improving efficiencies and safety should be a higher priority for warehouses.”

One thing that stuck with me was their focus on sustainability, both in manufacturing and in their products. They’ve designed their facility and products to focus on maximizing efficiency while improving safety. Just a few of the steps they’ve taken are:

• Over 90 percent of the components used in the assembly of their vehicles are recycled. 
• Over 60 percent of their forklifts are electric
• 90 percent of their batteries are recyclable.
• Switching to water-based paints, reducing their VOCs.
• 30% of their roof space is covered in skylights, enabling staff to work in natural daylight with 173% more white light exposure creating better employee working conditions.
• Using LED lighting with PIR sensor lights allowing for daylight dimming and areas of the factory not in use to be switched off automatically.
• Installing solar panels that generate 10% of their daily electricity usage.
• 110,000-liter rain water collection system, which is used in jet washing and in the plant’s restroom facilities.

Chief Editor Benita Mehta was able to test drive a Combi CB 70E, one of their newer products.

Offshore wind handling

As part of their anniversary celebrations, the company also launched a few new products. One of the most interesting is the Combi-LC Blade Mover, which is Comiblift’s entry into the offshore wind sector. Developed at Combilift’s headquarters and manufacturing plant in Monaghan, Ireland, in collaboration with Siemens Gamesa, the Combi-LC was designed to facilitate the movement of wind turbine blades and towers through various production stages and onto storage locations.  

Autonomous forklift

Another neat addition to Combilift’s portfolio is the Combi-AGT Autonomous Guided Forklift Truck, which we were able to see in action. Currently, only an American company utilizes this truck, but they are planning to expand. Using the latest in smart technology to safely and efficiently carry heavy loads in tight spaces and narrow aisles, it can operate for hours, eliminating the need for extra workers and focusing on productivity. 

This autonomous forklift can operate in guided aisles, ensuring optimal space utilization, and can also roam freely when necessary. It offers users the flexibility of manual driving when required.