Coinciding with the 4th National Forklift Safety Day (NFSD), UniCarriers Americas president and past NFSD chairman James J. Radous III visited legislators in Washington to discuss the critical impact forklifts have on commerce and the importance of creating more Illinois jobs.
Mr. Radous met with the staff of Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Representatives Peter Roskam (R-IL), Randy Hultgren (R-IL), and the legislative assistant to Senator Dick Durbin. Positioning UniCarriers as a trusted advisor in the industry, Radous discussed the Illinois manufacturer’s success in continuously creating more jobs, offering continued education for its employees, and supporting state commerce. UniCarriers currently employs over 500 personnel at its Marengo, IL facility. Radous also asked each legislator to help continue to support fair trade, to support UniCarriers to remain competitive in Illinois, and asked for an open discussion on tax reform.
“Illinois needs jobs and we’re a company that knows how to do it,” Radous said. “Whereas many manufacturers are replacing workers with robots, UniCarriers is retraining current employees as well as bringing in more people to work alongside our advanced automation, all of which is done right here in Marengo.”
In addition, Radous cited a 2017 report conducted by Oxford Economics entitled “Lifting America: The Economic Impact of Industrial Truck Manufacturers, Distributors and Dealers,” which highlights the large financial footprint industrial trucking has on the United States economy – an estimated $25.7 billion. This astounding figure includes $5.3 billion in taxes paid by the industry, as well as generating $13.6 billion in labor income. Of equal importance, it’s stated that for every forklift job, an additional 3.5 jobs are created. The industry had the largest economic impact in Illinois, followed by Texas.
The report, which was commissioned by the Industrial Truck Association, illustrates the great economic impact the industrial trucking has on dealers and distributors nationwide.
“Forklifts are the heart of commerce,” Radous said. “Industries require forklifts to get things moving. Last year, over 231,000 forklifts were sold in the United States. They create business, they generate revenue, and they add jobs.”
“We take forklifts for granted, but they really are a fundamental part of the economy,” Radous added.
Senator Dick Durbin will be visiting the UniCarriers Americas facility on August 21st.
Beyond emphasizing the GDP impact that forklifts provide to the economy, Mr. Radous’s meeting signifies UniCarriers as a successful Illinois manufacturer adding new jobs and as a model of American business: essential people making essential products.
