Forklift News - It’s “business as usual” for NFN

The head of Nacco Materials Handling Group (NMHG) in Australia says National Fleet Network (NFN) customers should not detect any noticeable change in their every-day dealings with the forklift fleet rental business.

The assurance comes despite NFN’s "absorption" into NMHG this month and the uncertainty that surrounds final staffing and office arrangements.

Forkliftaction.com News submitted questions to NMHG managing director Ian Neilson after the April 4 announcement.

Answers, which arrived this week, showed many operational decisions were outstanding.

Neilson insisted, however, that NFN customers – which include industrial heavyweights Visy Industries, Toll Holdings and Mitsubishi Motors Australia – would notice only improvements in their future dealings.

NFN customers were notified of the business realignment by direct contact, letter or telephone.

"In most cases, the same technicians will continue to service their trucks," Neilson said in a statement to Forkliftaction.com News.

"In fact, we believe customers should experience improvements in [several] areas, including sales support, fleet management offerings, product availability and technical support."

Neilson said staffing arrangements had not been finalised.

"The functions of the NFN offices will be merged into either the NMHG Wholesale group or the NMHG Retail group," Neilson said.

"No specific decisions on locations have been announced, since the organisation is still in the analysis process."

With eight offices nationwide and 165 staff throughout the Asia-Pacific region, NFN calls itself "Australia’s largest materials handling fleet management company".

NFN was formed in December 2000 when giant Oregon USA-based forklift manufacturer NMHG Inc, marketer of the Hyster and Yale brands, bought the Australian business operations of Brambles Equipment.

Neilson said feedback from customers and staff had been "very positive".

"Sales and marketing will be enhanced by consolidating the existing NMHG Wholesale and NFN selling organisations," he said.

"Using NMHG’s national dealer network to provide service support will significantly improve responsiveness to customers."

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