About us

CESAB Material Handling Europe was founded in 1942 in Bologna, Italy and our customers have been at the heart of our business ever since then. With its corporate head office and sales support in Bologna and marketing support in Brussels, CESAB has a wide network of 120 independent dealers across Europe to make sure you have excellent service and support whenever you need it.

Luca Giovagnoni - CESAB Commercial Director“By partnering with Cesab, our customers have the perfect combination of high-quality products from a world-class manufacturer and the flexibility of personal service from a local dealer.”
Luca Giovagnoni - Commercial Director CESAB Europe

Our customers receive the highest quality of support from CESAB and our network of dealers with the following services:

  • Consultations during the forklift selection process
  • Operator instruction
  • Safety inspection
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Genuine spare parts sourcing
  • ASEC (After Sales Evaluation & Certification)
  • Repairs

Our forklifts are designed, manufactured and tested in Europe in our factories in France, Italy, and Sweden using the best manufacturing processes in the world.

  • Highest quality
  • Increased flexibility
  • Shorter delivery lead times
  • Reduced environmental impact

CESAB MATERIAL HANDLING UK

Unit 10, Regent Park
Booth Drive,
Park Farm South
Wellingborough
Northamptonshire NN8 6GR
United Kingdom
 

Tel: +44 1933 670 460

Fax: +44 1933 679 854

 

Contact us

History of CESAB

1942

Gallery

CESAB founded by the Maccaferri family in Bologna, Italy.
First CESAB logo introduced.
 

CESAB is an acronym for "Carrellificio Emiliano S.p.A. Bologna", which actually means "Emilian forklift company in Bologna". [Emilia Romagna is an Italian region, whose capital city is Bologna]

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1940's

CESAB commences business activities with products for railways and materials handling sectors.

1951

First CESAB electric forklift produced.

1953

First Italian CESAB dealer appointed 'Marabini F.lli' in Bergamo.

In 1953 Mario Marabini secured the first authorised dealer agreement with CESAB of Bologna. Today brothers Nerio and Maurizio Marabini still manage the CESAB dealership and have seen the company grow strongly over the last 60 years. With more than 40 employees based at the 3000 square metre Orio al Serio, Bergamo site, Marabini are now certified I SO 9001 and operate with a loyal customer base.
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1954

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First CESAB diesel forklift produced.

1958

Joris Van Dijck

First CESAB dealer appointed outside Italy, Joris Van Dijck in Belgium.

Joris Van Dijck

In 1958 Joris Van Dijck started as the CESAB dealer for Belgium and Luxemburg, based in Morkhoven a suburb from Herentals in the Antwerp region.

In 1995 they established their new offices in ‘Herentals-Klein Gent’ an area of 6,000 square meters and next to one of the main highways in Belgium. Chris Van Dijck is still very active in the CESAB dealership which is now an innovative, modern company.

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1960's

Gallery Gallery Gallery

CESAB logo updated
First CESAB high level order picker produced
First CESAB towing tractor produced

1965

CESAB already focused on after-sales with dealer service training.

1970's

Gallery Gallery

Introduction of centaur as CESAB logo.
First CESAB rough terrain forklift produced.
Introduction of electronic control
for CESAB electric forklifts.
CESAB corporate colour changes
from orange to yellow.

1978

First CESAB reach truck produced.

1980

Gallery

One of the first exhibitions with CESAB showing full range helps increase brand awareness in Italian market.

1982

Gallery

CESAB commences focus on the European market. CESAB GmbH founded in Germany.

CESAB Material Handling GmbH was formed in 1982 and is now part of the CESAB Material Handling Europe organisation.With its head office in Eberstadt and an extensive dealer network, CESAB Material Handling GmbH distributes its expanding product range to customers within Germany. This helps customers to have the best of both worlds; high quality products backed by strong local support and rapid response times.
www.cesab-forklifts.de
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1984

First CESAB electric high capacity ECO-P 85 produced.

1986

First CESAB warehouse truck range produced.

1992

GalleryCESAB Ltd founded in UK.

Focus on the European market continues with the foundation of CESAB Ltd in the UK.

CESAB Material Handling UK* was formed in 1992 and is now part of CESAB Material Handling Europe organisation. With its head office in Wellingborough and an extensive dealer network, CESAB Material Handling UK distributes its expanding product range to customers within the U.K. This helps customers to have the best of both worlds; high quality products backed by strong local support and rapid response times. 

* Trading name of CESAB UK Ltd 

www.cesab-forklifts.co.uk
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1993

CESAB logo renewed.

Pininfarina designs CESAB trucks creating the legendary Blitz range.

Pininfarina S.p.A. is a leading Italian design house based in Cambiano, Italy. Founded in 1930 by automobile designer and builder Battista "Pinin" Farina, Pininfarina has been employed by a wide variety of high-end automobile manufacturers. It also has designed trams in France and Greece, high-speed trains in Holland, and trolleys in the USA and since the 1980s Pininfarina has been consulted on industrial design projects with clients including CESAB for the Blitz range of forklifts.

 www.pininfarina.com

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CESAB green introduced as corporate colour.

1994

Foundation of "BTCESAB S.c.a.r.l." a joint venture with BT Italia.

CESAB products recognised with Compasso D'Oro awards for the Blitz and Drago models.

Compasso d'Oro is an industrial design award which originated in Italy in 1954 by the La Rinascente company from an original idea of Gio Ponti and Alberto Rosselli. From 1964 it has been presented exclusively by Associazione per il Disegno Industriale (ADI). The Compasso d'Oro prize acknowledges and promotes quality in the field of industrial design originating in Italy.

www.adi-design.org

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1997

Gallery

1997 foundation of a French distributor.

CESAB Material Handling France was formed in 1997 and is now part of CESAB Material Handling Europe organisation.With its head office in Paris and an extensive dealer network, CESAB Material Handling France distributes its expanding product range to customers within France. This helps customers to have the best of both worlds; high quality products backed by strong local support and rapid response times.
www.cesab-forklifts.fr

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2000

CESAB joins the Toyota Industries Group

Toyota Industries Corporation was founded in 1926 by Sakichi Toyoda to manufacture and sell the automatic looms which he had invented and perfected. Since that time Toyota Industries has promoted diversification and expanded the scope of its business domains to include textile machinery, automobiles, materials handling equipment, electronics, and logistics solutions.

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iF Design award 2000 presented for Drago 250 range

The iF product design award is one of the world’s most important product design awards. Award winning entries are allowed to carry the iF logo, a label that signifies outstanding product design.

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2001

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TPS (Toyota Production System) implemented at the CESAB factory

2005

Acquisition of LTE

Part of the CESAB group, LTE is the European Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) that specialises in the design and production of CESAB forklift masts.

Since the acquisition LTE has invested heavily in new technologies and processes. The investment has included an internal material flow redesign to create a new more efficient layout and support the implementation of Just In Time and Kanban techniques. It has also enabled a new oxi-cut material warehouse to feed the four robot welding lines and a new assembly line able to reach a production capacity in excess of 15,000 masts per year in one shift.

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2009

Decision made to place greater focus on European market. CESAB Material Handling Europe established.

CESAB Material Handling Europe was formed in 2009 and is part of the Toyota Material Handling Group. With its corporate head office in Brussels and sales support in Bologna, CESAB Material Handling Europe distributes its expanding product range to customers in 23 countries through a network of exclusive independent dealers. This helps customers to have the best of both worlds; high quality products backed by strong local support and rapid response times. 

www.cesab-forklifts.eu

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2010

Launch of new CESAB M300 torque converter IC range

The CESAB M300 range has been built to deal with the rigours and knocks of everyday working life. Strong, tough and reliable with capacities from 1.5 to 3.5 tonnes. Every CESAB M300 has been manufactured using TPS (Toyota Production System) widely acknowledged as one of the most successful manufacturing systems in the world.

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Launch of CESAB warehouse range

2011

Launch of the new CESAB Range at CeMAT, Hannover.

CESAB B300

A new range of powerful and efficient material handling equipment was launched by CESAB at CEMAT, Hannover. Ergonomically designed reach trucks, cold store cabins and heavy duty powered stacker and pallet trucks are just some of the new models CESAB brought to the European market in 2011.

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Launch of new CESAB 48V electric forklift range

CESAB B400

From design and manufacture to excellent serviceability, ergonomics and visibility, the CESAB 48 volt B300 and B400 ranges reflect the strengths and experience of both CESAB design and engineering and TPS (Toyota Production System) used in manufacturing. 

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2012

CESAB 70th Anniversary.

2013

Launch of the powerful 80 volt CESAB B600 range

CESAB B600

Aligning with CESAB’s B-series family of electric counterbalanced forklifts, the B600 features CESAB’s Intelligent Mast Design technology (IMD) with the latest advances in productivity and safety features.

The 4-wheel AC electric forklift B600 range has been designed to achieve the highest levels of workplace productivity, with nine models offering load capacity from the 2 tonnes of the new compact B620 model to the high capacity 5.0 tonne B650.

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2014

Launch of the new CESAB R100 reach truck range.

CESAB R100

Form follows function - the CESAB R100 is a practical easy to operate truck which is designed to deliver high manoeuvrability, reliability and safety to reach truck operations through a series of innovative and ergonomic features. Three practical, easy to operate models include offering load capability of up to 1600 kg and lift heights of up to 8500 mm.

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2016

Focus on the European market continues with the foundation of Spanish distributor.

CESAB Material Handling Europe organisation opened an office in Barcelona with the objective of developing and supporting an extensive dealer network.

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2017

New Powered Pallet Truck CESAB P113

cesab powered pallet truck p113

The P113 is the economic solution for pallet handling in lorries, on production lines, in storage facilities, and in retail outlets. The perfect replacement for a hand pallet truck: Compact and easy to use!

 

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New Powered Stacker CESAB S110/110S

powered stacker truck cesab s110

Handling pallets, order picking, adjustable working table, the compact CESAB S110 can master three jobs! The centred mono mast offers perfect visibility under all circumstances.

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2017

cesab r300

Renewal of the successful R300 reach truck range

High residual capacity, a new generation mast with enhanced mast stability, better visibility and a lower collapsed mast height make the improved Cesab R300 reach truck range a powerful asset in high intensity operations, particularly where heavier loads are lifted at height.

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2018

cesab m300h

CESAB adds the new hydrostatic counterbalanced model M300H to its range

After a long and successful career, Cesab Europe announces that the “Compasso d’Oro” rewarded and Pininfarina designed hydrostatic Drago Series was replaced by the hydrostatic version of the well-known and proven M300, the CESAB M300H. Hydrostatic trucks are not new for Cesab as their history goes back to the early 90’s when the first version of the Drago model was introduced. Production started in July 2018 in the Ancenis (France) factory and the M300H model is available in capacities from 1500 to 3500 kg both in Diesel and LPG.

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Cesab launches improved powered pallet P200 and powered stacker S200 truck series

From retail to wholesale, manufacturing to distribution, the CESAB P200 and S200 ranges offer a flexible solution for all operations managed by people on foot.

Both ranges now offer the option of reduced speed when forks are lowered and a low noise hydraulic option, ideal for retail environments, as well as optional speed reduction for travelling around corners.

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2019

cesab simai tow tractors

CESAB adds SIMAI Tow Tractor range to its portfolio

Now available through Cesab’s European dealership network, the three- and four-wheel range is designed for maximum productivity, comfort and safety when towing loads in a wide range of commercial and industrial environments.

With capacities ranging from 1.5 tonnes to 80 tonnes, the range is built to transport goods in all settings where towing is required, including hospitals, shopping malls, automotive, aerospace, manufacturing sites, railways and airports.

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2020

CESAB announces fully integrated and in-house assembled Lithium-Ion solutions.

Cesab Material Handling Europe reveals that starting April 2020, the company will offer fully integrated Lithium-ion batteries across their Warehouse range. The batteries are assembled in-house following the high quality TPS manufacturing standards.

CESAB offers Li-ion solution throughout its extensive warehouse range. Li-ion batteries for the 48 Volt Counterbalanced Lift trucks will follow soon.

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P216i – First powered pallet truck specially designed around our in-house Li-ion energy solution.

As the first low lifting truck to be built around Cesab’s in-house modular Li-ion battery system, the Cesab P216i brings a completely new standard of design to the powered pallet truck market.

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M300 and M300H with Stage V certification.

Cesab’s engineering teams have devised a series of solutions across the Cesab M300 Stage V range that will not only meet Euro V requirements but also deliver even greater business efficiencies, optimise productivity and improve reliability.

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2021

Gallery Gallery

Cesab unveils O-Series low level order pickers.

Built for greater productivity and reduced travel time in every shift, the Cesab O-Series delivers more efficient cycles in every kind of low-level picking operation.
With load capacities from 1000 to 2500 kg, the Cesab O-Series brings high handling performance, travel speed and capacity as well as fast acceleration.

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R300 launch of a completely restyled model.

Offering enhanced technology and higher levels of productivity and safety, the all-new Cesab R300 reach truck has been designed to push the boundaries of any materials handling operation.

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Cesab Material Handling Europe launches the Cesab P013i.

Built to deliver a significant productivity advance on the hand pallet truck, the Cesab P013i is an entry level powered pallet truck offering class-leading handling capacity, lift height, travel speed and manoeuvrability.

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2022

Launch of the new Cesab P013i: compact, manoeuvrable stable and efficient Powered Pallet Truck

2023

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Cesab celebrate 80 years of brand development and growth, years of expanding our network across Europe and growing Cesab family.

 

Cesab Material Handling Europe launched the new S010I Li-ion powered stacker that brings the highest level of productivity, speed and safety