The History of The Fork Lift Truck
Episode 15: 1950-51: UK government policy slows MHE growth
To complete 1950 it was The Yale Company once again that led technical advancement by adding LP-gas and diesel-powered counterbalanced trucks to its range. These machines introduced, for the first time, fluid coupled transmissions and hypoid drive axles to forklift trucks. The Lyon-Raymond Corporation also claimed another first for America when it built the first narrow aisle straddle truck, in anticipation of it being granted a patent for the "narrow aisle" truck concept.
 In Europe there was news of further advancement from a German manufacturer. The Sichelschmidt Company entered the materials handling business with the production of its first electric forklift truck, the 'Recke 500E.'
As 1951 dawned, the now established BT Company in Ulvsanda, Sweden started the manufacture of pedestrian-operated hydraulic lift stackers. The subsequent rise in demand for their equipment led them to the conclusion that the Ulvsanda factory was too small for any appreciable increase in production, and new premises were sought in Mjolby.
In Britain, Conveyancer unveiled their new model 'D6-20P.' with a 6,000 lb lift capacity to 14 feet. Powered by a Perkins 6-cylinder diesel engine, the truck was fitted with a torque converter drive. (Photo) Conveyancer also produced the model 'E2 20/3W' electric three-wheel counterbalance with a lifting capacity of 2,000 lb to 6, 9 and 12 feet. (Photo) To help with corporate recognition, and for safety reasons, the company at this time changed the colour of its equipment to orange/red. The new livery was demonstrated at the British Industries Fair later in the year.
 By April the UK started to experience an increasing shortage of imported iron and steel feedstock, and by September this added pressure to demands for an increase in prices for home-produced products. World prices of imported iron ore, scrap, pig iron and semi-manufactured steel were also rising sharply. Together with recent increases in labour, transport and fuel costs at home, this made an increase in the UK Government subsidy between import and home prices unbearable.
The questions of feedstock shortages were more complex, and mainly the product of UK government policy. Their earlier decision to limit the amount of ferrous scrap coming from Germany was now cutting heavily into British raw materials imports. The situation was made worse by a more recent decision, which limited the amount of iron ore that could be delivered. This was obviously unforeseen at the time by the government, which was concentrating on exports, inadvertently diverting shipping from this task to the carriage of coal.
The increase in price and the shortages hit the whole of British industry, but were of particular concern to UK producers of materials handling equipment. Post-war government policy was to divert the majority of steel supplies to the production of armaments and export products. This plan, whilst seeming commendable, lost sight of the fact that materials handling equipment was also helping with armaments production and the export drive by speeding up supplies to and from the production lines. Such was the position by the end of 1951 that some manufacturers of mechanical handling equipment were virtually brought to a standstill.
To be continued
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If you would like to support the National Fork Truck Heritage Centre please contact:
James Brindley
07801 954 167
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