Doosan Infracore Company, Ltd. is an international enterprise consisting of Construction Equipment, Industrial Vehicles, Machine Tools & Automation Systems, Diesel Engines, and Defense Industry products.

Its U.S. affiliate, Doosan Infracore America Corporation (DIA), headquartered in a 170,000 square foot facility in Suwanee, Georgia, includes a Construction and Compact Equipment division in Suwanee, a Lift Truck division in Cleveland, Ohio, and a Machine Tool division in West Caldwell, New Jersey. The U.S. headquarters also houses a state-of-the-art parts operation supplying over 25,000 line items to support Lift Truck, Construction, and Compact Equipment, and Machine Tool customer needs.

The Forklift group supplies quality material handling equipment to the North American market through a network of 94 independent dealers. DIA lift truck dealers operate over 220 sales and service locations throughout the United States and Canada. The Lift Truck product line includes 63 separate models consisting of 82 various engine/battery configurations of Internal Combustion and Electric-powered vehicles in capacities ranging from 3,000 to 33,000 pounds. All trucks are manufactured in a ISO 9001 certified facility. The U.S. Lift Truck division located in Cleveland is staffed by highly experienced Sales, Marketing, Purchasing, Logistical, and Technical Support personnel committed to providing the optimum level of customer service to Doosan Infracore Lift Truck users - which has made Doosan Infracore America the fastest growing lift truck company in the North American market.

Start-up of the forklift business

In the late 1960s, Korea's domestic forklift market was an open-import type market, when the Korea Machinery Co., Ltd. began to import assembled forklifts as part of a national industrial machinery expansion project. Sales of this initial equipment focused on state-run corporations, large business groups, and the armed forces. This led to a merger into Daewoo Heavy Industries Ltd. in 1976, and the Forklift Division opened business outlets throughout Korea to sell and service this equipment. In 1978, a forklift production plant was completed, and efforts were focused on developing products and improving quality through continuous technical training.

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Expansion of forklift exports

Operating as Daewoo, domestic forklift business, began in 1967 and grew to 90% market share in Korea. Entering the 80s, Daewoo's technological improvements and sales success positioned them for significant growth of their forklift business. Caterpillar Industrial Inc. of the USA, proposed a forklift joint-venture project in 1981 to address competitive pressures in the US material handling industry which significantly expanded Daewoo's forklift sales. In 1984, construction was completed on a new plant which helped establish the foundation for the manufacture of high added-value products for export. By 1993, the company established a worldwide sales network and began to export models, developed through in-house technology, as an independent brand. The company then acquired certifications from UL of the USA, CE of Europe, and ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, promoting expansion into overseas markets.

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Development of new models

In 1998, the Forklifts group developed proprietary models starting with the G5 series (4,000 - 6,500 lb internal combustion trucks). A 3-year R&D development program resulted in the development of core technologies for engines, transmissions, and hydraulic systems. Product quality has been validated through a variety of performance and durability tests. Product reliability of major components has been achieved through the company’s world-famous reliability evaluation centers.

Significant improvements in operator comfort and environmental friendliness has resulted in high levels of customer satisfaction. The sales division conducted large-scale field after sales surveys as part of a customer-oriented marketing strategy for this new family of trucks. The G5 model is recognized throughout the world for its durability, reliability, and operator friendly features.

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Worldwide dealer network

To expand overseas markets, the Forklifts group has established sales corporations and parts supply bases in the USA, Belgium, Brazil, and Singapore. The company has also developed a dealer distribution system of over 500 locations in 90 countries around the world. This dealer network distributes 71 different lift truck models, both internal combustion and electric powered, to meet a wide variety of customer needs throughout the material handling marketplace.