A port equipment manufacturer is expanding driven by the huge boom in demand for eco-efficient solutions
Kalmar is expanding and upgrading its manufacturing plant which is home to the company’s terminal tractor manufacturing operations in North America.
The investment in Ottawa, worth close to €20 million, will eventually enable the plant’s annual production capacity to be doubled, making it the largest terminal tractor manufacturing facility in North America.
“When the addition to the plant opens up in 2023 we will have achieved our vision of a Kalmar smart factory with fully digitalised assembly processes,” said Michel van Roozendaal, president, Kalmar Mobile Solutions.
”Not only will it be the biggest terminal tractor manufacturing facility in North America by some distance, but it will also be a true American powerhouse for the manufacture of eco-efficient cargo-handling equipment.”
Sustainability focus
Kalmar’s project will see a purpose-built extension added to the factory to manage the increased flow of incoming materials. It will also have a new assembly line feeding technology to reduce the use of forklifts and minimise materials and movements in the production area.
The existing line will be converted to a high-speed line for ‘rapid build’ distribution terminal tractors and a completely new ‘flex line’ with state-of-the-art technology will be added to enable high-volume production of Kalmar’s fully electric and high-end terminal tractor models.
Sustainability is at the core of the expansion project, with the plant employing eco-efficient lighting, maximising the use of renewable energy and implementing material handling processes designed to minimise waste.
