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The History of The Fork Lift Truck
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 Episode 12: The Marshall Plan
Warehouse & Logistics News is proud to bring you the 12th instalment in our exclusive series on the history of the forklift truck, which over the decades has revolutionised the face of materials handling around the world.
Our writer is James Brindley, an acknowledged authority on forklift trucks. James's distinguished career has involved engineering and management roles with BT Rolatruc and serving as a Director of the Fork Lift Truck Association, before he set up the National Fork Truck Heritage Centre in 2004 as Britain's first such collection open to the public.
The Heritage Centre continues to need your support, and if you or your company would like to help in any way, you can contact James on the number below. Now sit back and enjoy the latest part of this fascinating series.
By James Brindley, Director, National Fork Truck Heritage Centre
 On 5 June 1947 the American Secretary of State George C. Marshall made a speech at Harvard University about the deteriorating social and economic situation in the European countries. He proposed a solution to the widespread hunger, unemployment and housing shortages facing Europeans in the wake of the World War II conflict. Food and raw materials were in short supply, and the physically damaged industries needed machinery and capital before they could resume production again.
Better known as the 'Marshall Plan,' he suggested that the Europeans themselves set up a programme of reconstruction with assistance from the United States. Under the plan the Americans would provide immediate help with food to prevent starvation in the worst hit areas. It would also provide financial aid to buy the much-needed machinery and materials to repair and rebuild the damaged domestic and industrial infrastructure.
 Their offer, whilst appearing altruistic, benefited them with reliable and valuable partners for trade and helped develop friends and allies among the Western European countries. It also helped them with two major political aims, the first being to prevent the spread of communism into these countries and the second to develop free market economies. By April 1948 the "Plan" was given approval by Congress and was put into action.
Politics aside, the monies were gratefully received and subsequently supplied customers for a growing materials handling industry across many European countries as well as America.
The "Marshall Plan" initiative coincided with Yale moving into their new manufacturing base in Philadelphia and their agreement with the Fenwick Company in France to manufacture the Yale counterbalance range under licence. This agreement allowed distribution throughout France, Italy, Spain and Northern Africa.
 In Britain, after many months of negotiations, the building of a new factory for Lansing Bagnall was started at a site alongside the Kingsclere Road just outside Basingstoke. At about the same time their prototype truck the model "P" was displayed at the Mechanical Handling Exhibition at Olympia. Being the first powered pallet truck to be designed and built in Britain. it attracted a great deal of interest but customers had to wait for the production models. This was due to the Isleworth facility being at full stretch with existing orders.
Also shown at the 1948 Olympia Exhibition were three new models from Conveyancer. The Mk2 and the Mk8, which were petrol driven, had lifting capacities of 30 cwt and 15 cwt respectively and the Mk 6, also with a lifting capacity of 30 cwt, was battery operated.
Wingrove and Rogers (BEV) also put in an appearance with their 1 ton H.23 model and 2 ton H.45 model battery operated counterbalance trucks. Exhibited for the first time was the revolutionary "Electric Eel" platform truck. This was manufactured by Steels Engineering and relied on the operators transferring their bodyweight from side to side for steering. If anyone remembers, this is the same company that produced the world famous "Coles" cranes.
If you would like to support the National Fork Truck Heritage Centre, call James Brindley on 0780 195 4167.
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