Forklift Articles - Serving Forklift Operators Since 1999
RAISING THE PRODUCTIVITY BAR
Most of the inventions in the almost century-old history of the materials handling business were a response to a specific need – and there have been quite a few forklift-related inventions since the industry began. Competing companies lay claim to particular inventions, but one that is often overlooked is an item that is common to most of the lifts in the industry: namely, the shipping pallet. Recently, Modern Materials Handling Magazine’s Executive Editor, Bob Trebilcock, wrote an article attributing the invention of the shipping pallet to George Raymond, Sr. (an efficiency engineer) and Bill House. They were executives with the Lyon Iron Works of Greene, New York, the predecessor of The Raymond Corporation, one of today’s leading forklift manufacturing companies. According to George Raymond’s grandson, a Raymond forklift dealer today, his grandfather got a patent on the pallet in 1939. That was after he and Bill House had created a forklift prototype called a skid handler.
Considering that billions of pallets have been sold since 1939, the Raymond Corporation takes pride in having been an integral part of the industry from the beginning. Raymond trade industry literature makes no excuses for claiming that “no one has more experience than Raymond” when it comes to quality forklifts. Their engineering and sales personnel can be found walking the floors of warehouses worldwide analyzing company operations to develop the custom warehouse solutions their customers need in the same spirit as George Raymond, Sr. back in 1939 when he participated in the invention of the pallet.
With nearly 90 years in the industry and millions of hours researching and analyzing hundreds of types of warehouses and distribution centers, Raymond Forklift Corporation has the expertise necessary to satisfy any need their customers may have – “better, smarter and faster than any other” is their claim. From family-owned beginnings in 1922, to their position as the North American leader in electric lift trucks, Raymond has proven expertise developing and deploying custom material handling solutions that increase efficiencies and boost productivity. Raymond is widely recognized for its innovation and its consistent ability to improve warehouse operations. The Raymond Company introduced the narrow aisle concept in the 1950s, with the first Reach-Forklift truck. They introduced the Swing-Reach truck in the 1970s. As technology rapidly improved, they launched the first microprocessor controlled lift truck in North America in 1986.
Something that sets the Raymond Corporation apart from its competitors is special attention to the product-specific needs of certain customer categories. For instance, it recognizes the special needs of seasonal demand swings of the retail industry by offering a variety of options for optimizing warehouse space by manipulating fleet size through purchase, renting or leasing.
In order to cater to industries in need of lifts which operate in sub zero conditions, Raymond engineers have replicated the harshest conditions in their factories where they intelligently design and test lift trucks equipped with robust control systems adaptable to extreme cycles of freezing and thawing. Similar individual attention is given to other industries with special needs, such as the Furniture and Food Processing industries. Unique engineering decisions have to be made in those industries requiring equipment that is resilient enough to withstand brine, caustics, and other fluids while holding up to frequent wash downs. Raymond offers the food processing industry the most complete range of electric lift trucks and technological solutions that are optimized to satisfy diverse processing environments, no matter what the requirements.
Raymond Handling Solutions is also committed to partnering with their customers with what they refer to as “Customer Focus.” In this regard, their mission is to partner with their customer to increase productivity, optimize their storage cube and reduce costs. This partnering approach is a reflection of their commitment to excellence – and the reason Raymond Forklift Corporation has been successful in building long-term relationships with their customers.
Staffed by professionals and highly trained technicians, and located in more than 100 key locations throughout North America, Raymond’s Sales and Service Center network has the extensive experience in all facets of material handling necessary to be a continuously valuable asset to each corporate client.
With 21 centers across North America, their customers are afforded the unique advantage of the network’s integrated ability to provide their trade-marked “CustomCare” and consistency of service and the ability to mobilize quickly. They also offer three easy and convenient lift truck training location options: training at Raymond headquarters, field schools delivered at your facility and training at your local Raymond Sales and Service Center.
In a recent Annual Report from the Raymond Corporation, the following statement summarizes the Raymond Mission and pledge to its customers: “In support of our mission, it is every employee’s responsibility to assure products and services are free of all defects and ‘Right from the first day’. Quality is the foundation of everything we do at Raymond and is designed and built into our products, services and processes. We offer superior value through effective and efficient materials handling solutions, emphasizing the use of appropriate technology, ergonomic design, innovation, productivity, reliability and maintainability. We support an intelligently managed, financially sound, progressive business organization that practices high ethical standards in all its relationships with employees, customers, suppliers and the community.”
The Raymond Corporation
22 South Canal Street
Greene, New York, 13778-0130
Phone: 1-607-656-2311
