The trucks manufactured at LMV were primarily used in sawmill yards. That is the actual point of contact with the forestry industry. Over the years, successful work was conducted at LMV to develop the trucks and increase efficiency. An example is the side-loading truck developed in 1969, which also saw use in handling components for prefabricated timber houses. The trucks were also used for container and goods handling in ports and onboard ships.
During the association mergers in 1964, LMV came into Södra's ownership. Ten years later, in 1974, the facility was sold to Kalmar Verkstad AB, which also had truck manufacturing in their program.
In its last year under Södra's management, 1973, LMV turnover was 31.6 million kronor. The production consisted of front- and side-loading forklift trucks along with pulpwood and saw log handling equipment. Over 40 percent of sales were exports. The number of employees was 175.
In 2016, truck manufacturing in Lidhult ceased and was moved to Stargard in Poland.
The text is an excerpt from the book "On Pulp, Boards, and the Smell of Tar…” by Ingvar Karlsson, 2006