Combilift
Combilift New Factory.jpg

Combilift Opens New HQ and Forklift Manufacturing Plant in Ireland

May 15, 2018
Combilift's new HQ features what's believed to be the single largest manufacturing operation under one roof in Ireland.

Forklift manufacturer Combilift officially opened its new global headquarters and manufacturing facility in Monaghan, Ireland, in April, at a ceremony presided over by the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. The new facility, which occupies 500,000 square feet and was built at a cost of $58 million (€50 million), will allow the company to double production.

Combilift was founded in 1998 by Martin McVicar, managing director, and Robert Moffett, technical director, when it launched a multidirectional, all-wheel drive, IC engine-powered forklift. The company has greatly expanded its product offerings over the past 20 years and currently has 40,000 forklifts in operation in over 85 countries. It is believed to be the single largest manufacturing operation under one single roof in Ireland.

The company invited international press journalists (including yours truly) to the ribbon-cutting ceremony and to tour the new plant. As McVicar explains, “It is Comblift’s intention to significantly expand its pedestrian forklift range,” driven by safety concerns where employees are in the vicinity of operating forklifts.

To facilitate the increased production, Comblift plans to create 200 new jobs in the next three to five years. The company currently employs 550 people, and plans to hire skilled technicians, design engineers, logistics and supply chain specialists and those with mechanical and electrical mechatronics skills.

About the Author

Dave Blanchard | Senior Director of Content

During his career Dave Blanchard has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. He also serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.