Newsletter #330 (View other news stories)
Briggs broadens US presence
DALLAS, TX, United States
Wednesday, 3 Oct 2007
 Mike Winemiller |
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Yale’s largest North American distributor is expanding in the US with the acquisition of four Atlanta dealerships.
Briggs Equipment has bought the assets of Adobe Equipment Holdings Ltd’s dealerships in Conley, Columbus, Rome and Suwanee. Adobe Equipment previously operated as Lift Systems of Georgia. It is a principal distributor of Nissan forklifts and PiggyBack truck-mounted forklifts.
The Conley, Columbus and Rome locations will operate under the Briggs Equipment name and distribute the complete line of Yale Materials Handling Corp in addition to its old forklift lines.
They will also distribute products from Aisle-Master, Bendi, Broderson, Brudi Bolzoni, Cascade Kenhar, Drexel, Lift-Rite, Long Reach, Pettibone, Sellick and Taylor.
Briggs Equipment president Mike Winemiller explains the Suwanee location will be closed and integrated into the Lawrenceville facility about 3 miles (4.8km) away.
The transaction adds 34 technicians to Briggs’ 300-plus team that services 21 US locations, including the recently acquired Atlanta locations. A fifth Atlanta location is planned by the end of the year.
Winemiller says the acquisition shows the company’s commitment to strengthening its service and support footprint to the materials handling industry’s retail sector.
"Purchasing other forklift dealers will elevate our service capabilities and expand our market served, while increasing revenue to support further growth."
He will not rule out future acquisitions, saying opportunities to buy successful and customer-driven businesses would be assessed when the time comes.
Asked by Forkliftaction.com News if more consolidation among forklift dealers is likely, Winemiller says capital availability to the market makes it possible.
But, "manufacturer restrictions on distribution may impede on consolidation", he says.
Briggs Equipment was established in 1896 as the Briggs-Weaver Machinery Company. It is one of the world’s largest materials handling and construction equipment distributors with operations in the US, Mexico and UK.
The acquisition value is confidential.
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