China: China's forklift exports rise to the occasion.

Storyline China's forklift exports rise to the occasion Fueled by robust overseas demand, China’s forklift exports are going up this year, with manufacturers ramping up production to meet a rush of global orders. At this factory in east China’s Zhejiang Province, electric forklifts roll off the assembly line every two minutes, with 90 percent of them heading overseas. Company officials say strong international demand has prompted them to expand production capacity by 40 percent this year. But even that may not be enough, with orders now stretching through the fourth quarter. Liao Fapei, secretary of the board, EP Equipment: "Latin American revenue has increased by over 40 percent, while growth in the African market has surpassed 50 percent." Elsewhere in the province, another manufacturer is also pushing production into overdrive, churning out both internal combustion and electric forklifts. On this particular day, 80 containers packed with nearly 400 forklifts were shipped overseas. Chen Huahong, head, Sales Management Department, Hangcha Import and Export Co., Ltd.: "We've seen particularly strong growth this year in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and other regions. Growth in the Asia-Pacific market has exceeded 30 percent. We now have over 20 overseas subsidiaries, which marks a shift from simply exporting products to building a global manufacturing presence." Data from the China Construction Machinery Association shows that the country’s forklift exports topped 380,000 units in the first seven months, a 22-percent increase from a year prior. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]