ULMA Forklift Trucks celebrates 30 years of activity

During a period of great difficulty for the surrounding area, the forklift truck manufacturing and distribution project was a real alternative to save the employment positions that were in danger due to the imminent closure of Chocolates Loyola. Around that time Jose Maria Ormaetxea and Javier Retegui proposed to Jose Maria Loiti as the person responsible for the new promotion and, what was initially proposed as an option to save at least employment positions left by Chocolates Loyola was exceeded because it was capable of absorbing surplus employment from other companies in the area. That way at the end of the eighties it had a turnover of more than 1,600 million pesetas and had created two business lines.

The forklift truck manufacturing and distribution market was going through difficult times, Fenwick the only manufacturer of forklift trucks with Spanish capital, was absorbed by a German company and the only Basque company of the sector had disappeared. The signing of a collaboration agreement with the Japanese company MITSUBISHI was the beginning of the activity and the start of the company.

In 1987, Oiñakar became part of the OÑALAN Group, later ULMA and as from 1988 the cooperative was denominated ULMA Manutencion S. Coop. with two businesses of clearly different activities Forklift Trucks and Handling Systems.

After several decades sharing the same business address in an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 12th November 2010, it was decided by a large majority to make a partial scission of ULMA Manutención S. Coop and the business of ULMA Forklift Trucks became part of the new company called ULMA Servicios de Manutencion S. Coop.

ULMA Forklift Trucks focuses its activity on the distribution of a full range of forklift trucks, suited to the needs of all types of clients and sectors; this activity is accompanied by excellent Customer Service and an extensive distribution network and after-sales service with 100% national coverage.

The various quality certificates held by the company are an example of the commitment and involvement that ULMA Forklift Trucks maintains with its customers.

This project that emerged 30 years ago in order to alleviate an economic situation similar to the present one, which threatened the stability of many jobs, has increasingly converted into a nationwide business reality, thanks to the effort and enthusiasm of all the people involved.