I find it "interesting" (in a Star Trek's "Mr Spock" sort of sense) that we are concerned about the effect it will have on "the dealers" but not on the customers, without whom the dealers could just go away, anyway.

Brian if you have worked with them for a few years why are you surprised !!!?

Leopards never change spots

The same has happened for years and years.

Yeah it's great for MCFA dealers but what about us Jungheinrich dealers who have now lost our class II, III and a great I product line? This is affecting so many dealers here in the US and the worst possible time. We Jungheinrich dealers found out only a few hours before this artice was posted. We were supposed to be given 6 month notice under our contracts. But Jungheinrich talks about how great and "wonderul" this is for them. I don't think their employees in Richmond VA who are loosing their jobs feel that way either!!

Wonder what this happens now? You know that MCFE Purchased controling interest in ROCLA. Thought that would be MCFA's new Narrow Aisle Equipment.

I kind of doubt (but have no real information) that current world economic conditions would have much effect of something like this, I seems to me far more likely this would have been in the pipeline for some long time. I hardly ever see really big companies move quickly, it is usually very slow and takes years to negotiate something like this. MCFA has been selling (under their own brands) Jungheinrich walkie products for a few years now, and hasn't had a newly manufactured order picker (man up truck) since about the time of the Toyota/Raymond purchase/merger, which, at least as far as I was concerned, really hurt MCFA dealers ability to compete, even though man up trucks only account for such a small percent of over all sales, it gave a foot in the door to other dealers in what otherwise might have been an exclusivly MCFA customer.