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 Hyster is globally accepted as an industry leader in the forklift manufacturing business. However, it started as a manufacturer of lifting machines as well as winches. Most of its production was concentrated in the Pacific Northwest and dealt primarily with the lumber and logging industry. A couple years after the first forklift trucks were invented Hyster became synonymous with quality production. Over the preceding 80 years Hyster has continued to expand and grow its product line. The growth of its products coupled with its desire to stay service oriented has allowed Hyster to mature into the global player it is at present.
Hyster experienced major improvements through the 1940's and 1960's. In 1946, Hyster opened a plant in Danville, Illinois that was exclusively committed to mass manufacturing trucks. This allowed Hyster to drive its expenses down and, simultaneously, offer a better quality product at industry competitive rates. In 1952, Hyster began its first foray in to the international production market through opening its first plant in the Netherlands. The Netherlands plant was originally designed to produce two products: Hyster 40" and the Karry Kranes.
Hyster, along with the whole forklift industry, continued to spread out into different product lines throughout the fifties and 60's. They began constructing container handlers in the US in 1959 to satisfy the ever growing demand for transportation goods. In 1966, Hyster developed a technique for allowing a lift truck to go both ahead and backwards using the same pedal. This pedal was referred to as the Monotrol pedal, which revolutionized the industry. Later on in the decade Hyster opened a research and development centre in Oregon that was concentrated on improving the design and performance of forklifts. The centre is still one of the world's top testing facilities in the materials handling industry.
The 1960's was characterized by rapid growth throughout the whole materials handling industry. Due to this, Hyster needed to refocus its approach towards these growing mass markets. As a result, in 1970, the XL design philosophy was born. The XL design philosophy allowed Hyster to provide superior quality at a more affordable cost. A further expansion in production capabilities was necessitated by the demand in Europe for Internal Combustion Engine Trucks. To fill this gap, a plant in Craigavon, Ireland was opened in 1980. Through the 80's Hyster continued to concentrate on developing industry leading forklifts. The Hyster company name was recognized throughout the globe for its commitment towards quality. This attention to excellence produced numerous suitors for the business. In 1989, a large multinational corporation based in Ohio called NACCO Industries bought Hyster and began an aggressive expansion plan. NACCO rapidly replaced the XL philosophy with a more driver oriented lift truck that focused on operator comfort, which is well-known as the XM generation of trucks.
The shift in supply change management to a much more just-in-time focused arrangement has meant that Hyster has had to continually make investments in brand new technologies. Acquisitions and investments were made in the United States, Italy, Netherlands, and various other places throughout the world. All of these investments have made Hyster a world leader in the lift truck market. Recently, Hyster celebrated its eightieth anniversary as an industry leader of materials handling equipment, which consists of over 300 various models of lift trucks.
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