Logisnext breaks ground on electric lift truck plant in Houston

Forklift vendor Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas broke ground this week on a Texas production facility that will support growing demand for electric lift trucks and warehouse products.

Located on Logisnext’s Houston headquarters campus, the new facility will support manufacturing of key electric warehouse products across the Jungheinrich, Cat lift trucks, Mitsubishi forklift trucks, and UniCarriers Forklift product lines.

When completed in the first quarter of 2024, the 73,000 square foot facility will expand Logisnext’s current electric manufacturing capabilities by serving as a dedicated fabrication space for in-house welding and painting of masts and frames. The site will also integrate technologies such as Mixed Model Line Design, Industry 4.0 process monitoring, and one-piece flow. The expansion of robotic welding, along with the optimization of paint capacity and weld fixtures, will contribute to Logisnext’s ongoing focus for improved efficiency, the company said.

The move is Logisnext’s latest move to boost its electric vehicle manufacturing might since its parent company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI), in April acquired an ownership stake in PolyCharge, a Tucson, Arizona provider of electric vehicle equipment.

“The material handling industry is rapidly changing, and we’re proud to be on the forefront of this change,” Jay Gusler, executive vice president of Operations at Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas, said in a release. “We’re committed to investing in our manufacturing capabilities and new product development to ensure we continue providing our customers with the most advanced, yet sustainable, electric products and solutions in the future.”