Hyster Europe has announced that the factories making its Hyster forklifts, warehouse equipment and big trucks have started to resume production.

Hyster has re-opend its European factories

The sites at Craigavon in Northern Ireland, Masate in Italy and Nijmegen in the Netherlands have all re-opened and have been re-organised with social distancing measures. New processes and ways of working are in place to optimise efficiency, flow and capacity.

"In recent months, our workforce has adapted to a 'new normal' - telecommuting and working in line with social distancing guidelines," says Wim van Dam, vice president manufacturing & logistics - EMEA for Hyster Europe. "Working together to find solutions during this time has been crucial for our team and has enabled us to find opportunities to combine our new ways of working with the ability to service the market and its demands."

To make it possible to resume production operations, Hyster has worked closely and collaboratively with suppliers to minimise disruption to the supply chain. Processes are in place so that suppliers can work in a safe way during the current circumstances, while still meeting supply requirements for the Hyster factories.

"To give customers the high-quality products and service they expect, our people are vital. So, we are grateful for the government support we have received to help retain our factory workforce," van Dam says.

As the pandemic continues to evolve in different countries, Hyster will continue to adjust its processes and policies accordingly to protect its team while meeting the needs of customers. The company has planned a phased approach for its wider team to return to work that will vary depending on government mandates, location, business needs, and health and safety.