TPi January 2016

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January 2016 Tube Products International 7
business & market news
Combilift breaks ground on €40mn
manufacturing facility
Combilift Ltd, a supplier of four-way
forklifts and other materials handling
equipment to a wide variety of industry
sectors, has formally inaugurated the
construction process of its new €40mn,
46,000m² manufacturing facility and
global headquarters in Monaghan,
Ireland.
In the presence of local dignitaries
and Combilift’s workforce of 350,
managing director Martin McVicar and
technical director Robert Moffett turned
the first sod on the 40-hectare site
that will house a multi-function facility
including a dedicated R&D building,
purpose-built testing area and adjoining
administration offices. The facility is
larger than originally announced, and
the expansion will position Combilift to
double its current €150mn turnover by
2020.
The initial phase to level the site was
expected to last for ten weeks, and 200
personnel will be employed throughout
the construction period of 18 months.
A further 200 jobs are set to be created
in the next five years, mainly for skilled
technicians and design engineers.
Mr McVicar commented, “We are
delighted to break ground on our new
facility which shows our commitment to
manufacturing in Monaghan as well as
to the regional economy.”
Combilift is also a workplace partner for
the Assembly Technician Traineeship
course, which started this year at the
Monaghan Institute.
This traineeship, together with a recently
approved Apprenticeship for Original
Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)
Technicians, starting in 2016, will ensure
the supply of locally qualified personnel.
Combilift is best known for its wide
range of multi-directional forklifts,
Aisle-Master articulated trucks and
material handling solutions such as the
Combilift Straddle Carrier, designed to
handle large containers and over-sized
loads.
Combilift Ltd – Ireland
Building work started in August
Flowexpo 2016
Flowexpo, an international trade fair
for valves, fittings and water treatment
systems, will take place from 31 March
to 2 April 2016, at the Pazhou Poly
World Trade Expo Center, Guangzhou,
China.
The exhibition is estimated to cover
an area of 15,000m2, with around 300
exhibitors. 10,000 visitors are expected,
including 8 per cent of overseas visitors
from more than 40 countries and
regions.
The range of exhibits will include valves
and pipe fittings, ball valves, butterfly
valves, gate valves, electromagnetic
valves, relief valves, drain valves, blowoff
valves, stop valves, plunger valves, plug
valves, check valves, throttle valves,
diaphragm valves, reducing valves,
isolating valves, actuators, regulators,
valve bodies, valve fittings, fluid equip-
ment, process equipment, pumps, com-
pressors, vacuum equipment, sealing,
instruments and pressure vessels.
Guangzhou FlowExpo Co, Ltd – China
www.flowexpo.asia