H&K Equipment remembers Richard A Rich

Pennsylvania, United States

Pennsylvania-headquartered materials handling equipment provider H & K Equipment, has announced the passing of Richard A Rich who worked with the company for more than 27 years.

Rich was a respected figure in the materials handling sector and is being remembered as “one of the most accomplished salespeople” to ever work at the business.

“[He was] a tireless worker, fanatically devoted to his customers, with a deep understanding of the material handling industry,” the company states in a LinkedIn post. “He was a visionary who pioneered online equipment sales long before they became standard, creating innovative systems that transformed how buyers and sellers connect.

“But Rich's real strength wasn't in selling equipment. It was in how he helped people. He measured his own success by how well he helped others. With a remarkable memory for both machines and people, he remembered your family, the things you cared about, and he genuinely cared too.

“He was a partner to some, a mentor to others, and a friend to everyone. His presence and impact on our industry will not be forgotten.”

BlackForxx breaks ground on new site

Lower Saxony, Germany

German-based used forklift and warehouse equipment business BlackForxx, has broken ground on its new 20,000sqm campus in Bremen.

The new site extends overs three buildings and will mark the first time all the company’s business areas will be united in the one place.

Occupancy is scheduled for 2026 with administration and sales, rental equipment for specialised applications and used forklifts for the secondary market to operate, from the site.

“Our previous infrastructure has historically grown with the company,” states Christof Samson, managing director of BlackForxx. “Among other things, this results in decentralized distribution and a distance of over 20km between our locations.

“By pooling our resources at a central and state-of-the-art location in the future, we will be able to streamline our organizational and logistical processes, increase productivity and focus even more on our customers and their needs.”

Hangcha strengthens “globalisation drive” with agreement

Hangzhou, China

Hangcha Group has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with German independent testing and certification organisation TÜV Rheinland, which the Chinese equipment producer says strengthens its “globalisation drive by building on a partnership that began in 2008”.

TÜV Rheinland also issued Hangcha new product certifications, including a CE-MD Certificate for Hangcha’s empty container handler, “further validating the company's quality, safety, and technical innovation for overseas markets”, Hangcha says.

The new strategic cooperation agreement covers certification, technical standards alignment, market entry support, and joint initiatives in low-carbon solutions.

“We have relied on TÜV Rheinland's rigorous, independent testing and certification for many years,” says Yuson Li, deputy general manager of Hangcha Group. 

“This strategic agreement deepens our long-standing mutual trust and accelerates Hangcha's high-quality international development.”