Forklifts and the future of aluminium material handling: How Combilift fits into the frame

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Forklifts, powered trucks that lift and move heavy items, are essential across the aluminium value chain. They carry raw materials in smelters and move billets, slabs, coils, sheets, extrusions and finished products in downstream plants. Good material handling keeps production flowing smoothly. 

As aluminium moves further down the value chain into rolling mills, extrusion plants and fabrication facilities, forklifts become even more important. They handle long, heavy and often high-value products that require careful transportation and storage without damage.

Combilift, an Irish company founded in 1998, is the world’s largest maker of multi-directional forklifts and straddle carriers. It has sold over 95,000 units in more than 85 countries and is a recognised leader in handling long loads.

Forklifts are well suited to aluminium plants because they can move heavy, bulky items like ingots and long profiles in tight spaces. Side loaders and 4-way forklifts lift long items safely in narrow aisles. Trucks with advanced steering turn easily in crowded areas. Heavy counterbalance forklifts hold loads low for better stability and bigger capacity, so they’re less likely to tip. Forklifts move everything from raw materials to finished bars, reducing manual work and protecting stock.  Electric forklifts cut diesel use and emissions, and new autonomous models can further boost efficiency.

The company is well suited to the aluminium industry because it can move long items like extrusions, profiles, bars and bundled stock within tight spaces. Its multi-directional design lets operators rotate travel direction by 90 degrees at the push of a button, so long loads can pass through narrow aisles, standard doorways and crowded production areas easily.

The company also offers a free warehouse and site optimisation service to help customers make better use of existing space. Some users say they gained up to 100 per cent more storage by using Combilift’s solutions. Narrower aisles and improved racking layouts let businesses store more without costly facility expansion.

Explore: The most comprehensive and forward-looking industry-focused report “The World of Aluminium Extrusions – Industry Forecast to 2032”

Combilift supports customers throughout the entire process, beginning with a free site survey and warehouse assessment. Its consultants identify operational requirements, after which design teams develop tailored solutions. Manufacturing takes place at the company's 46,500-square-metre facility in Monaghan, Ireland, before equipment is delivered worldwide. Customers also receive lifetime after-sales support.

Sustainability is another area of focus. Combilift designs its material handling solutions to improve storage efficiency, reduce energy consumption and minimise the need for warehouse expansion. The company uses water-based paints in production to reduce VOC emissions and operates under internationally recognised ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications for quality, environmental management and occupational health and safety.

With more than 800 employees and continuous investment of around 7 per cent of annual revenue into research and development, Combilift continues to develop safer, more productive and cost-effective solutions for industries such as aluminium, where efficient handling of long and heavy products remains critical to operational success.