NACCO Materials Handling Group, Greenville, N.C., produced its 500,000th lift truck at its Greenville plant. The Hyster Co. E80AC, an AC-powered electric rider, rolled off the line and is seen above on the left with Hyster President Paul Laroia sitting in the cab, along with the first truck the plant produced, a Yale Materials Handling Corp. K58 series. Also pictured is Yale President Don Chance, sitting in the cab.

West Chester, Pa.-based MEI’s University Quality Repair Service Training Program for vending has marked its first anniversary as the vending industry’s first program for payment system repair technicians. The program is a professional accreditation that assures MEI equipment owners that they are receiving professional service from an MEI-authorized repair center. To date, MEI University has certified more than 100 technicians from 27 approved service centers.

Nestlé USA has selected Tom Zosel Associates Ltd., Chicago, to support its logistics operations and associated storage. Beginning in January, TZA will develop recommendations aimed at sharpening operational efficiency. The program will kick off with a structured plan to compare processes in all warehousing stages of Nestlé’s distribution operations, including receiving, put-away and replenishment, case picking, pallet picking, loading and shipping.

More than 200 Peterbilt dealership parts managers met in Dallas for the 2005 Peterbilt Parts Leadership Conference, where they attended business strategy meetings, participated in workshops and honored their peers receiving Manager of Excellence awards. Lee Anderson, parts manager for Peterbilt of Utah, received the highest honor, and was named Peterbilt’s North American Parts Manager of Excellence.

Rexam, London, completed the acquisition of Precise Technology Inc., a U.S.-based manufacturer of plastic packaging. Rexam also has secured a long-term extension of its contact to supply beverage cans to Red Bull, for which it has been producing cans since 1987.

Plastic Suppliers Inc., Columbus, Ohio, has been given the Voluntary Protection Program’s Star Worksite status award. The highest ranking a company can hold within the program, VPP promotes effective worksite-based safety and health in four recognition programs that cover management leadership and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training.

Melitta USA, Clearwater, Fla., was awarded the Outstanding Safety Performance Award from Liberty Mutual. Matthias Bloedorn, plant manager, and Jeff Bridges, director of operations, accepted the award on behalf of Melitta. The award recognized Melitta’s success in continuing its safety record by achieving 365 consecutive days without lost-time accidents at its two facilities located in Clearwater and Cherry Hill, N.J.