Nexen’s Suffolk punch

October 14, 2009  

A recent visit to my county of birth, Suffolk, turned up a hidden gem of a company. Tucked away in unfashionable Lowestoft, the most easterly point of the UK, lies the HQ of the Nexen Group. It came as a bit of a surprise to me to learn that Nexen is a manufacturer of fork lift trucks.

Director Pamela Oaks met my colleague Joel and myself this week, and gave us a brief tour of her facility. Its spacious, high-spec purpose-built unit in Lowestoft gave a clue to the company's ambition. But of main interest to me was the chance to get up close to one of its new machines.

Nexen has grown over the years through its rental business, so it was a logical step to move up from manufacturing its own joint-venture truck  to producing outright its own model designed specifically for the rental market.

Designed in Europe and built in Taiwan to exacting European standards, the X Range of forklifts feature some very clever aspects that make it ideal for the rental market.

For example, its counterweight has been sculpted so that the radiator can be removed in less than 15 minutes. Gone is the need to crane off the counterweight. The hood tilts open to offer very easy access to filters, etc. Should the hood need removing for greater access, it can be done so in two minutes. Its heavy-duty side panels are replaceable, meaning it will look good throughout its operational life.

I must admit, I was totally unaware that there is a living, breathing manufacturer of fork lift trucks not a carrot's throw from my birthplace.I wish them all the very best as they set out on their next wave of expansion into the tricky US market.

These days it's known as the host county for the Aldeburgh and Latitude festivals, as well as a football team which used to be one of the best in Europe. Suffolk was also once the home of the famous Ransomes brand, a company which built fork lift trucks alongside its world famous mowers. It's fabulous to learn that Suffolk technology is still taking on the world.