EKKO is a sister company of Jialift. Just so you know we have $1M of stocked parts right here in Pomona, CA. In case those who is not educated on how big corporations work. Clark, Big Joe, Blue Giant, Hyster, Crown, Toyota, Raymond, MCFA, Doosan, and Unicarriers ALL have factories or their hands in Chinese factories..
EP Equipment manufactures for Blue Giant, Clark and owns Big Joe.
80% of the big brands "American Assembled" is from off short parts and of raw material just put together here or Mexico.. Kind of like your Ford, Chevrolet and Mopar cars.
Anyways, we have over 100 dealer across the nation being Toyota, Clark, Doosan, Unicarriers, MCFA, KION, Crown, Hyster/Yale working with us..
If you don't know, now you know.
duodeluxe
Spot on.
True real life story from my "Selling" days about 2005. Our dealership took on the EP eltric line priamrily for ther 2.2 pallet truck taht was about a grad less than the Clark WP 45. Our deale principle bought a couple units for stock & gave us teh direction to sell these machines. Isold on because of teh price (sold it for full list price) I was happy nice commission. Well the primary controller went out under warranty but..... there wasn't one in the Mainand USA or Hawaii or Alaska. EP sadi it will be 90 before it can ship from China plus transit time & customs clearance. Yes the customer called be everything but right. Got a hold of the EP re & asked them two questions 1.) can you expedit this parts order - answer NO 2.) why isn't there stock in the USA anywhere - their answer we must wait until the population of EP gets much bigger - WTH. i said this is or should be a common replacement it and secondly no one will buy a second machine if they have to wait 90 days+ to get common service parts. Reply" Oh so sorry we will do better next time". I said I will never quote or sell another one in my life time. I lived up to my word 7 then retired in 2007.
Fast forward EP has hooked up with Big Joe and are doing a pretty good business today with reputable dealer representations. I know one of their Product Support Managers from my Mitsubishi days - a good guy and he enjoys the company & he gets a lot of PTO days (hope he reads this blog). But one robin never makes a springtime.
If you look at their website they look like the typical Chinese manufacturer that tries to hide the fact that they are Chinese. They look like they have a very small presence in the US since they just hired their only territory manager.
Of all of the off shore forklift manufacturers, you would think that one of them would learn that in order to thrive, (or survive) in this market that they need aftermarket support.
Why any company would risk laying out $20,000 or more to save maybe 20% without knowing whether they can get any parts or service is beyond me.
If you go back in time there was a forklift line called the "Jet". Kinda' looked like a Toyota but it changed names & colors several times.
Most of these off shore lifts do not have much in the way of after sale support & quality is no so hot but the "price" is right for some people until they can't get a service part then they cuss 'em out.
caveat emptor!!!!!!