Hyster Invitation to Compare Gains Momentum

Innovative North American tour offers customers a first-hand, side-by-side comparison of top-brand reach trucks

(Greenville, North Carolina, USA: August 21, 2007) Hyster Company introduces the Invitation to Compare II (ITC II) reach truck challenge. With events scheduled across North America throught November 2007, ITC II lets dealers and customers experience live, side-by-side comparisons of AC-powered reach trucks from Hyster®, Crown™, and Raymond™.

During the comparison event, customers watch as Hyster engineers perform live evaluations of Hyster, Crown and Raymond reach trucks. Each truck is put to the test through a controlled lifting and lowering cycle. Energy usage per cycle is measured to determine overall battery drain. Ergonomic and serviceability features of all three trucks are also highlighted and discussed in detail.

 As the tests are performed, customers in the audience use a Reach Truck Value Index Worksheet to evaluate the three based on productivity, uptime, and value characteristics. The worksheet also includes weighting factors, enabling customers to base the comparison on what is important to their warehouse operation.

"At ITC II, customers see first-hand how the new Hyster reach truck design features provide high efficiency with low lifetime operation costs," says George Marshall, Hyster's director of sales development for warehouse products. "ITC allows us to show the clear advantages of owning a Hyster and how the performance of our reach trucks offers customers a high return on investment."

Attendees of ITC II receive a packet of materials that includes official test data comparing capabilities of the three trucks, obtained over a five-month period at the Hyster Warehouse Development Design Center in Greenville, North Carolina. The packet also includes actual OEM-to-OEM replacement part data to further help customers compare the overall cost of owning a reach truck.

Hyster has scheduled ITC II events at more than 20 dealers across North America. The first ITC II was held at Barloworld Handling in Charlotte, NC on April 27, and the event continues through the fall with stops in cities including Seattle, Washington; Dallas, Texas; and Atlanta, Georgia.

"ITC II has demonstrated why our customers chose the Hyster team as their partner in material handling solutions," says Paul Laroia, president, Hyster Company. "Hyster Company's latest product offering was a direct result of listening to our customers' needs. With the best dealer network in the industry, Hyster is the safe choice for customers looking to improve their operations through better productivity and lower cost of ownership."

The last scheduled ITC II reach truck event will be held at Equipco in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 16, 2007, but increased interest has already led to more stops being added to the tour. "There is no timeline for the end of ITC II," Marshall adds. "It will be just as relevant six months from now as it is today, and we will continue to offer ITC events as long as there is still demand."

About Hyster ZR Reach Truck

The new Hyster ZR Class 2, narrow-aisle reach truck helps customers improve narrow-aisle warehouse and distribution center productivity. The energy-efficient, AC-powered ZR reduces operating costs while providing increased dependability, ergonomics, and serviceability. Hyster ZR reach trucks feature mutliple programmable vehicle modes, electric power steering, and automatic drive tire centering at key-on, saving time and money and conserving operator energy and battery life. 

About Hyster Company

Based in Greenville, North Carolina, Hyster Company (www.hysteramericas.com) is a leading lift truck designer and manufacturer in North America. Hyster offers more than 130 models configured for gasoline, LPG, diesel, and electric power, with the widest capacity range in the industry — from 2,500 lbs to 105,000 lbs. Supported by the industry’s largest and most experienced dealer network, Hyster builds durable lift trucks that deliver high productivity, low total cost of ownership, easy serviceability, and advanced ergonomic features; accompanied by outstanding parts, service and training support.

Hyster employs approximately 7,000 people worldwide as part of NACCO Materials Handling Group, Inc. (www.nmhg.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of NACCO Industries, Inc.

Hyster is a registered trademark of Hyster Company, Crown and Raymond are trademarks of their respective companies.