Four-way side-loading forklifts Combilift

Founded in 1998 by Robert Moffett and Martin McVicar, Combilift was established with the aim of creating innovative forklifts that would facilitate space management during the transport and handling of long and cumbersome loads.

The company’s mission was to provide customers with an alternative to conventional methods, enabling more balanced management of loading, transportation, and handling of goods in warehouses. Combilift integrates the functionalities of loading and unloading forklifts with the ability to operate in narrow aisles, offering several benefits, including a reduction in the number of forklifts and operators needed, streamlining logistic processes, and minimizing the risk of damage to non-palletized goods.

By 2001, Combilift’s production had increased to nearly 450 vehicles annually, with products also finding buyers outside the wood, PVC, and construction industries, including in the steel and aluminum sectors. That year, the company’s achievements and its founder, Martin McVicar, were recognized—Combilift won the Exporter of the Year title, and McVicar was honored with the Entrepreneur of the Year award by Ernst & Young. Following these successes, Combilift continued to expand, extending its sales network to over 40 countries.

A key moment for the company came in 2003 with the acquisition of a factory that, after modernization, became a technologically advanced production center covering 9 hectares. This facility also includes an administrative center and a dedicated research and development block, enabling the production of nearly 2000 forklifts annually within a five-day workweek.