Combilift Celebrates 21 Years in Australia in Partnership with Adaptalift

By Niall Casey

Combilift, the specialist in material handling, celebrated its 25th anniversary last year with the launch of five new products. Additionally, the company is now marking 21 years in Australia in partnership with Adaptalift. To mark the occasion, a celebratory event was held in Melbourne on November 22nd, hosted by Martin McVicar, Combilift’s CEO and co-founder.

Innovation is in Combilift’s DNA. The groundbreaking multidirectional forklift C4000 was first designed in 1998, and since then, the Irish-based manufacturer has developed an extensive range of innovative material handling solutions. Its product lineup includes multidirectional forklifts such as the C-Series and the Combi-CB, the Aisle Master articulated narrow aisle forklift, compact pedestrian stackers, powered pallet trucks, sideloaders, the Combi-CSS for safely loading and unloading containers, straddle carriers, and mobile gantries for handling oversized loads.

In its first year in operation, Combilift manufactured 18 forklifts, 17 of which were exported. Fast forward 26 years and more than 90,000 units have been exported to over 85 countries with around 5,000 currently operating in Australia. Despite the great distance between Ireland and Australia, advancements in exports and the support of a skilled dealer network have made Australia Combilift's fifth-largest market.

Recently, Combilift was honoured with the prestigious Manufacturing Exporter of the Year award, as well as the ultimate recognition of being named Overall Irish Exporter of the Year. This accomplishment highlights the company’s strong commitment to international trade.

Martin McVicar remembers his first business trip to Australia vividly. His first meeting was with a steel tubing and pipe manufacturer in Sydney for a demonstration of the C-Series multidirectional forklift. As a result of that visit, Combilift secured an order from the company. “I have many stories from over the years, but this one encapsulates an important aspect of the Australian materials handling market, which is its receptiveness to innovative products,” explains Martin. “Australian businesses are highly focused on improving efficiency. During that demonstration, the tubing company immediately saw how our product would help them handle six-meter tubing more efficiently and safely. It was a no-brainer for them.”

Martin attributes Combilift's popularity in Australia to the company's focus on customisation and customer-oriented solutions. For example, the Combilift Walkie Reach was developed from an initial order from Australia’s Bunnings; we custom-built it to meet their specific needs. Currently, our pedestrian range comprises five models, with approximately 3,500 units in operation worldwide.”

The pedestrian range is equipped with the patented and award-winning multi-position tiller arm, ensuring maximum safety for the operator and pedestrians nearby while greatly improving visibility. The tiller arm can be turned to the left or right and allows the rear wheel to be turned parallel to the chassis and back again at the touch of a button. This feature allows warehouses to narrow aisle widths by placing the operator beside the truck. This position is the safest when working in tight spaces, as it keeps the operator at the side of the truck rather than at the rear.

The success of Combilift in the Australian market has only been possible with the support of long-term partner, Adaptalift Group. The Adaptalift Group, a fully family-owned enterprise with its own 45 year history has grown to be one of Australia’s largest independent materials handling provider. Peter Whiffen the founder of Adaptalift said of the relationship  with Combilift, “We are customer-driven and it is through close collaboration with our customers that we have been able to develop some of our latest innovations, such as the Combi-LC Blade, which was designed in collaboration with Siemens Gamesa,” says Martin.

The Irish company entered the offshore wind sector with the Combi-LC Blade in 2023. This innovation has recently won two awards: ‘Manufacturer Product Innovation of the Year’ at the UKMHA Awards; and the EMA ‘Design Team of the Year’, which recognises the exceptional collaboration between Combilift’s Heavy Equipment Team and Siemens Gamesa in the design of the blade.

The multidirectional Combi-CB70E, which was one of the five products launched to celebrate Combilift’s 25th anniversary, was also developed based on feedback from the Australian plasterboard company CSR. Its small footprint and sideways movement facilitate seamless navigation through confined spaces and narrow aisles while handling long loads. Designed with driver’s comfort in mind, it was awarded the UKMHA ‘Ergonomic Innovation of the Year’ for its remarkable design. One standout feature is the Auto Swivel Seat, which automatically swivels the seat and armrest 15° to the right or left, following the direction of travel, significantly reducing driver strain, especially when travelling in reverse.

As seen in recent product launches, the majority of Combilift products are now electric, reflecting the company’s commitment to a greener future. “Over 70 percent of the vehicles we currently produce are electric, and about 98 percent of our research and development has been focused on electric-powered equipment,” explains Martin. “The increased capacities that we are offering in our electric range will answer the demand for ever more powerful products which at the same time help companies to achieve their aims for more sustainable operations”

Martin emphasises the three core pillars of Combilift: enhancing safety, maximising storage capacity, and boosting efficiency. “We have always seen Combilift as much more than a designer and manufacturer of forklifts and other material handling solutions. Space is one of the most valuable assets our customers possess, and if our trucks can make it work better for them in terms of storage density then everyone benefits. The ongoing demand for warehouse space coupled with ever-rising business costs means that space optimisation is now more important than ever. Additional benefits of course also include avoiding the operational headache for management and the workforce of relocating to new premises, the lack of bureaucracy associated with new builds or extensions, and the expense of leasing extra offsite storage.”

The company has a team of experienced design engineers who can provide customers with a free-of-charge warehouse design and layout service, demonstrating how they can unlock every inch of storage space effectively.

Discover how Combilift can enhance your material handling operations by making them safer and optimising existing space. Visit combilift.com for more information.