Japan’s first forklift manufacturing plant in the...

Japan’s first forklift manufacturing plant in the United States is expanding production at its La Palma, Calif., facility. Komatsu Forklift Manufacturing Co. is installing a fully automated assembly line to replace the semiautomatic line that is turning out 200 forklifts a month, according to Douglas W. Nuttall, controller at Komatsu’s La Mirada headquarters.

Komatsu, a Tokyo-based heavy equipment manufacturer, began operating out of the former Rockwell International plant last October. The plant employs 40 people. Employment is expected to rise to 70 to 75 when Komatsu executes plans to produce three forklift models with different capacities out of the California plant.