Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. (MCFA), manufacturer of forklifts under the Cat® lift trucks, Mitsubishi forklift trucks and Jungheinrich® brands, celebrates a major milestone this month, marking 25 years of quality material handling production and distribution. The company has continued to grow each year, expanding its 40-acre, Houston-based manufacturing facility and lift truck product offering to drive quality customer support throughout North, Central and South America.
“MCFA has undergone a remarkable transformation over the last 25 years,” says Ken Barina, president of MCFA. “From a small operation of 335 employees to the nearly 1,200 we have today, MCFA has continued to make significant strides in not only the Class IV and V internal combustion forklift market, but also in the electric segment with our innovative Class I, II and III warehouse products.”
Founded July 1, 1992, MCFA has undergone an expansion of its Houston-based manufacturing facilities over the last several years to accommodate product growth as well as the industry’s growing demand for electric forklift products. The portfolio of products manufactured at MCFA are distributed and supported by an extensive network of local dealerships.
“Our dealer network remains one of the most experienced and dedicated in the industry,” says Barina, “They offer comprehensive customer support programs in all our markets, ranging from highly-trained technicians to extensive parts availability.”
Over the last quarter of a century, MCFA has made several advances in its drive to be the leading manufacturer of forklifts. These include:
• The addition of Jungheinrich-branded warehouse products to MCFA’s existing Cat lift trucks and Mitsubishi forklift trucks product lines – providing customers with access to all five classes of lift trucks through MCFA’s dealer network
• Opening a new electric assembly facility on MCFA’s manufacturing campus, a move that brought a 40% increase in production capability and created new manufacturing jobs in Houston
• Localizing the production of several key forklift products, such as the Cat lift trucks and Mitsubishi forklift trucks 6-16 ton internal combustion models to Houston to reduce lead time.
• The launch of Warehouse Navigation technology in North America, offering customers a semi-automated approach to operating lift trucks within narrow aisles
• A joint venture with Jungheinrich AG to form Industrial Components of Texas, LLC (ICOTEX), a new company that will manufacture industrial components. Construction of a dedicated 71,000-square-foot facility is underway in Conroe, Texas, and is scheduled to open in August 2017.
MCFA will celebrate the production of its 450,000th forklift later this year – marking another huge milestone for the company. Later this month, the company will also begin a second expansion of its electric assembly building, doubling the amount of production space for electric forklift models on MCFA’s Houston campus.
