[Case Studies] How Poclain Helped Hyster-Yale Group Reinvent Their New Forklift Cabins

Poclain has had a working relationship with HysterYale Group (HYG) for years. Our Product Portfolio Manager Primož Pangeršič has over ten years of experience in the field and had the perfect criteria to help HYG meet their needs and expectations.

HYG is an example where Poclain proved a reliable supporting partner to grow business by understanding their needs and expectations beyond the initially given request: new cabins for their forklifts. The older models were functional, but HYG was looking to improve on operator comfort.

The Challenge for Poclain and HYG

HYG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. with revenues of $3.5 billion in 2022, is a leading lift truck designer and manufacturer. They deliver lift trucks with capacities ranging from 2,000 to 105,000 lbs (1 to 48 tons). They wanted to increase the operator comfort of their cabins, provide improved responsiveness, and offer other features for operators. The HYG units included larger forklifts and container handlers to move containers, which can weigh up to 40 tons each. They wanted to be cautious on every detail of these costly machines. The ultimate goal was for operators who spend hours at a time in the field to have a good working environment that is fine-tuned when working with large containers and weights.

The New Solution

HYG never stops striving for improvement, which aligns perfectly with Poclain’s goals. One of the most important aspects of winning the job was our chemistry with the client, by understanding their expectations, presenting possible solutions and options to improve outcomes even more, honest communication, and creating trust among teams. HYG felt comfortable with Poclain from our initial contact to engineering team and project manager.

“Initially, we don’t normally ask questions when we have what the client wants, but whenever we notice areas for improvement, we ask if the customer would be interested,” offered Primož Pangeršič when discussing their earliest meetings. “Poclain delivered the brake valves and pedals for the cabin. We came up with several different ergonomics and shapes for the pedals and valves, as well as influenced other design aspects before the final configuration was selected and approved. Together with HYG, we went through a few iterations, which eventually evolved into a final solution that we were all extremely proud of.”. The new HYG next generation operator cabins feature everything from comfortable seating to responsive pedals and brakes resulting in a working environment any operator would be proud to work in.

“It was a success because we created a bond with the customer. We showed our ability for agile and proactive support in the development phases, following each step with the utmost care. Finally, we met the project targets and milestones as part of helping HYG release the cabins to meet their timeline.” said Primož Pangeršič. “As we are an innovative company, we are also working on a new study focusing on the benefits and challenges of electrification in our braking controls in this and other industries.”

Primoz PANGERŠIC

Valves Portfolio Manager at Poclain Hydraulics

For more information, contact us.