09.06.2022

Kalmar to expand Kansas plant

The Kalmar division of Cargotec is to upgrade and expand its manufacturing plant in Ottawa, Kansas, where it currently produces terminal tractors.
The company is investing around €20 million, which it will says will eventually lead to the possibility to double the annual production, making it the largest terminal tractor manufacturing facility in North America. The investment is driven by a growing demand from the logistics industry for more environmentally friendly solutions.
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The Kalmar Ottawa plant

The project includes a purpose-built extension to the factory to manage the increased flow of incoming materials along with a new assembly line feeding technology to reduce the use of forklifts and minimise materials and movements in the production area.
The existing line will be converted to a high speed line along with a completely new ‘flex line’ to enable high volume production of Kalmar’s fully electric and high end terminal tractor models.

The new additions will employ environmentally efficient lighting, maximise the use of renewable energy and reduce material handling processes to minimise waste.
Michel van Roozendaal, president of Kalmar Mobile Solutions said: “We are very excited about taking this huge leap forward in the North American market. When the addition to the plant opens in 2023, we will have achieved our vision of a Kalmar smart factory with fully digitalised assembly processes. Not only will it be the biggest terminal tractor manufacturing facility in North America by some distance, but it will also be a true American powerhouse for the manufacture of eco-efficient cargo-handling equipment.”
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Last year the Kalmar plant in Ottawa shipped its 75,000th tractor unit

Alan Wilson, director of operations for the Ottawa plant added: “This investment puts us in an excellent position to strengthen our market leadership in North America. The new smart factory will drastically reduce our lead times while increasing the overall safety, quality and efficiency of our production process. We have a long history here in Ottawa and are excited to continue our growth in this community.”