 Richard Close |
Briggs Equipment UK Ltd, the exclusive UK dealer for Yale Europe Materials Handling products, will acquire the assets and facilities of Barloworld Handling UK. Barloworld Handling UK is the exclusive Hyster materials handling products dealer in the UK.
The transaction is expected to finalise by 30 September and Briggs will then be responsible for sales and service for both the Hyster and Yale brands of forklifts in the UK. Briggs says the acquisition will result in it having the "largest, multi-skilled engineering workforce in the UK".
Briggs Equipment UK CEO Richard Close says the agreement displays the company's commitment to the UK and reflects its aspiration to "invest, grow and expand; and build on its platform of success" since acquiring Yale UK two years ago
(Forkliftaction.com News #536).
Ralf Mock, managing director of NMHG EMEA, says Barloworld is a longstanding and valued partner of NMHG and will continue to work in partnership with Hyster on its dealerships in the Netherlands, Belgium and South Africa.
Briggs Equipment UK Ltd, a Sammons Enterprises Inc company, is a subsidiary of Briggs International. Briggs International has dealerships of Yale and Hyster products in the southern US and in Mexico. Both Hyster Company and Yale Materials Handling Corporation are operating divisions of NACCO Materials Handling Group (NMHG).
Peter Harvey, the new CEO of the UK-based Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA), says while the association does not get involved in the commercial aspects of the forklift industry as it exists to support the common interests of its membership, "only time will tell as far as any impact upon the industry resulting from this acquisition".
Harvey adds: "We promote the ethos of our association to the membership and look to raising standards where and when appropriate."
Briggs is understandably busy prior to the completion of the acquisition and has told Forkliftaction.com News that more details are forthcoming in a few weeks' time.
The
Forkliftaction.com Forum is abuzz with activity since news broke on the acquisition. Here's what some of our members are saying.
"Well, it looks like I now work for Briggs! Hope they get shot of all the dead wood in management. I think most of us will embrace the change with open arms." "
Darkarcherfrom Wales, UK
"This should give Briggs the scope to be a viable competitor to Linde, Toyota and Jungheinrich. Not so good for customers as the choice of supplier is getting less and less. With 65% of the market between four suppliers, it shouldn't be too difficult to "manage" the industry pricing. I think you could say that Briggs is now in the Premier League."
millreef from Staffordshire, UK
"Really sad day after hearing the news that Barloworld Handling UK will not be a forklift truck supplier after the 30th September. I remember in the 80's nobody could touch them and all today's big boys (Linde, Toyota, Jungheinrich) looked up to them."
Liftuptoo from Oklahoma, US
"Speculating about what will and won't happen won't help the Barloworld employees. We won't now until the day it is done. My advice to the employees is to keep your head down and get on with the job at hand. I for one will be doing that.
philm from West Yorkshire, UK