14.09.2004

UpRight opens Mexican production facility

It is official, as predicted by us in June, (see UpRight confirm closure of American Plant; June 30th) UpRight is opening a new production facility in Mexicali in Baja California, Mexico. Located close to the Mexican –USA border the plant is expected to ship the first MX19 and TM12 electric scissor lifts within the next two weeks. Boom lifts and diesel scissors are expected to follow soon after. The company has already announced that the new Speed Level will be produced in Ireland from later this month.

The new facility is located on a 280,000 Square feet (28,000 Square metres) site and has the potential to produce significant volumes. The company has said that its Madera plant, scheduled to close in August, is currently still operational. A number of staff have already transferred to the new North American distribution centre in nearby Fresno while others will transfer in the weeks ahead as the Madera plant shuts down.

UpRight president, John Coughlan, told Vertikal.Net that “the new plant is a dedicated UpRight production facility representing a significant investment for the company and has been designed with quality in mind from the ground up based on Six Sigma principles”

“ We have hired a new quality manager who has a black belt in Six Sigma principles” “he said "Staff from the new plant have been in Madera training for their new role and some staff will transfer down to Mexico, some temporarily for the start up and some permanently”

Coughlan also said that the company had finished its fiscal year 2004 profitably and had one of the best order books in years.