Forklift market soars in 2021

The demand for forklift equipment grew in 2021, largely on the back of orders cancelled in 2020 now filtering through. That’s according to Shumani Industrial Equipment MD Victor Nemukula.

Now the largest black-owned and managed industrial equipment supplier in South Africa, Shumani is an appointed dealer for all Goscor Group companies that import industrial equipment for the South African market. It supplies world-class equipment across the breadth of the industrial and construction sectors.

Brands on offer include world-leading names like Bendi, Crown, Kalmar and Doosan in the forklift market. Construction equipment brands include Bobcat, Sany, HPower, Weima, Luthian, Ozen and Sullair. In the cleaning-equipment market segment, Shumani offers Tennant, Genie, Sentinel and HighPoint.

The secret to the ongoing success of Shumani is the longstanding partnerships it enters into with key customers, according to Nemukula. As a new kid on the block in 2015, Shumani was awarded a key contract by Imperial Fleet Management to supply and maintain materials-handling equipment for Transnet.

A recent example is clinching a major contract to supply close to 50 forklifts to logistics service provider Liquor Runners for a leading beer producer in South Africa. This flagship contract is cementing Shumani’s presence in the food and beverage industry. The 3,5 tonne units are capable of handling two pallets at a time for maximum stacking and offloading efficiency.

As the largest industrial equipment supplier in the food and beverage industry, this remains the main focus for Shumani at present. However,
the mining industry is also riding high on the back of rising commodity prices. Most of the equipment s
upplied by Shumani is used in the stores and logistics departments of both construction and mining companies. “We are set on competing in this space as well, as we have a significant value proposition,” adds Nemukula.

“Our key offering remains forklifts, which will lead the way in terms of growth. We think there’s still a lot of scope for Shumani in the market, which offers a one-stop shop. We believe the construction and mining sectors will offer support for our ongoing expansion,” he stresses.

“Shumani’s employees are its greatest asset; they have carried the business with loyalty and dedication over the years. They’ve really come together in 2021 to take us to the next level. In addition, without constant support from our customers, Shumani would not have gained such significant traction. Some of our blue chip customers in particular entrusted their entire operations to a young up-and-coming business at the time. This has allowed us to continue to grow as a business.”