MAJOR TCM PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENTS SET TO FURTHER LIFT SHARE OF AUSTRALIAN MARKET

Leading Japanese industrial forklifts manufacturer, TCM, has introduced a string of new products to boost its already significant 10% share of the Australian market.

At the Australian launch in Melbourne earlier this month (15 February 2006), TCM unveiled a family of iNOMA four-wheel counterbalance internal combustion forklifts, announced its FTB VII Series of three-wheel battery electric offerings and introduced its skid steer loaders to Australia.

The world launch of the products is set for Bangkok, Thailand, next month.

The iNOMA products further enhance the company's successful one-to-three-tonne range while the FTB VII Series is set to strengthen TCM's position in the rapidly growing battery electric class - in both Australia and the world. Finally, the launch marks the first time in TCM's history that its skid steer loaders, a longstanding success story in Japan, have been made available to the Australian market.

The launch event, one of the most significant in recent TCM history, was hosted by the company's national distributor for Australia, NTP Forklifts Australia, and attended by TCM's General Manager: Marketing, Masa-aki Sumida; and Regional Manager for Asia Pacific, Hiroshi Narukawa.

Mr Sumida told the launch audience - made up of major account customers, dealers, and NTP administrative and factory staff - that as part of its commitment to innovation, TCM introduces new models every three years, as opposed to the industry standard of eight to 10 years. Existing products, he added, are fine-tuned and enhanced during the intervening years.

Sharing the platform with Mr Sumida, NTP Forklifts Australia Managing Director, John Naffine, noted that the TCM announcement ensures that Australian customers remain at the forefront of forklift technology.

"These products are testament to TCM's commitment to the Australian market, to providing it with innovative, reliable and robust machines that cost less to run and maintain," he said.

The revolutionary iNOMA (an acronym for Innovative Machine) family of internal combustion forklift trucks comprises a two-tonne, a 2.5-tonne and a three-tonne model. All models retain the engineering toughness and durability hallmarks of their TCM predecessors while introducing new features to enhance performance and productivity.

These include the Nissan K-Series engine that offers greater responsiveness, a roomier interior for increased operator comfort, an integral side shift that brings less lost load and better forward visibility, and an array of design features that allow for enhanced safety, easier maintenance and quieter operation.

TCM's new FTB VII Series of electric three-wheel forklift trucks builds on the company's reputation as an environmentally responsible manufacturer. The Series is aimed specifically at the more sensitive work environments like those found in the food processing industry and features two models, the FTB16 and the FTB18.

The former boasts a maximum capacity of 1,600kg and the latter a maximum capacity of 1,750kg, with both offering benefits such as enhanced battery power that delivers eight hours of continuous operation; a selection of economy, power or super travelling and lifting speeds, and numerous safety devices and ergonomic features. Its tight turning radius allows it to address materials handling challenges where space constraints dictate the need for forklifts that - while not required to lift particularly heavy items - offer great manoeuvrability.

TCM skid steer loaders have long enjoyed a dominant share of the Japanese market. The introduction to Australia of the groundbreaking new 7 Series is expected to be well-received by the local construction, engineering, livestock and agriculture sectors, especially as it is packed with features required to take on and beat the established competition. The six models in the robust range all come with plenty of power, agile movement, enhanced operator comfort and attractive styling.

The new family of TCM products will be widely available in Australia from March 2006. For further product information, please call your TCM State Distributor on 1300 367 011 or visit

www.tcmforklifts.com.au.

TCM Four Wheel TCM Electric Forklift Trucks - 1.6 to 1.8 tons (FTB16-FTB18)

Electric three wheelers are extremely maneuverable, which enables easy and quick material handling within very confined and aseptic workplaces such as food-processing plants. With their unique characteristics, they continue to maintain a substantial share worldwide among industrial vehicles and North American and Europe claim an especially large market. Thus, TCM recently redesigned its three wheelers as FTB-VII series, specially focusing in upgrading basic performance improving ergonomics, adding numerous safety devices and simplifying maintenance. In addition,
TCM believes that the smart and impressive fresh vehicle appearance is sure to gain the favorable attention and support of its customers.

TCM Forklifts 1-3 tons (FG/D 10-30 series)

Ideal, handy engine-powered pneumatic tire models are available, offering many benefits achieved through extensive years of refinement. In particular, this series has been recently redesigned as the Dynamic J. Line series, with advanced features such as
a fresh appearance to represent new generations-mounted with
a high-power engine, improved maneuverability, increased safety and dependability, and environment-friendly standards that clear worldwide 2nd stage emission controls. Hi-power types are available in addition to gasoline/LPG models.

TCM Four Wheel Electric Forklift Trucks - 1 to 3 tons (FB10-30 series)

CM products solve customers' forklift operational concerns: tricky material handling at cramped worksites; tiresome and, frequent battery replacement and the need to improve work efficiently. These have been largely improved by the state-of-the-art FB-VII series TCM electric forklift through superb functional breakthroughs that include the most compact b ody, easier access by more comfortable step and seat, sufficient battery power, and three operational mode shifts to perform the best suitable operations. TCM recently released eight new 1-3 ton FB-VII series models.
In addition, four high-power models (1.5-3 ton) are available for our customer's selection.

TCM Forklift truck - 37 to 43 tons (FB370-FB430)

I.C. Forklift Trucks equipped with special spreaders to easily and efficiently lift cargo filled heavy containers. The largest model, FD430-3 can easily stack up five loaded containers with faster lifting speeds. Other custom made top-lifters for container handling at rail terminals and Ro-Ro ship operations are available.

Being equipped with special spreaders to safely, neatly and quickly handle empty containers at the terminals, TCM developed the new type vehicles focusing on several crucial features-excellent visibility, by high-mounted pillar-less cabin, wider view mast, easy and tireless maneuverability, increased operation efficiency and operator friendly as well.

TCM Forklift tracks - 10 to 15tons (FD100-150 series)

There are several groups of models, depending on their applications, six models having lifting capabilities of 10-16 tons, four models for 16-23 tons, two models for 25-28 tons, two models for 28-30 tons, each group being equipped with high-tech features, distinct for their low noise levels, three-speed transmissions,
and powerful engines-the fastest lifting speed in this class.

Various unique and convenient attachments are available too, depending on your specified operations.

TCM company

As primary means of industrial goods transportation, forklift trucks play major roles in the material-handling fields of every industry worldwide.

Forklift trucks were first innovated as industrial vehicles in the U.S. as early as the 1930s. Subsequently, during the 1940s after the World War II, the conception of forklifts as a handy and efficient material-handling equipment spread worldwide, and Japan was not an exception.

In 1949, Mr. N. Niwa established TCM (originally founded as Toyo Carrier Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and later renamed Toyo Umpanki Co. before being known as TCM Corporation) for the manufacture of Japan's very first forklift truck.
In ensuing years, TCM forklifts have earned a reputation as a world leader in forklift manufacturing and simultaneously have been introduced into global markets.

Since the 1980s, TCM began to deploy forklift manufacturing sites outside Japan under its globalization programme, and is currently engaged in forklift manufacture at three foreign factories-in the United States, Europe and China.