The Sabbagh family's G&W Equipment Inc acquired Piedmont Forklift Inc on 30 November. Terms were not disclosed.

Charlotte, North Carolina-based G&W adds Piedmont's representation of Clark forklifts in the Greenville, South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia markets to G&W's existing sites for Clark in the Carolinas. G&W also distributes Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks.

The change is "a good challenge for us", says Michael Sabbagh, G&W president. Piedmont Forklift has been "a major player in Greenville-Spartanburg area".

Sabbagh plans to base G&W's South Carolina operations in the 37,000 sq ft (3,375 sqm) Piedmont Forklift facility in Greenville and operate there as G&W Piedmont Forklift with Jeff Bradley as branch manager. Previously, Bradley managed the G&W branch in Raleigh, North Carolina.

G&W retained 29 of the 30 Piedmont Forklift employees and, in Greenville, vacated a G&W location with 5,000 sq ft (450 sqm).
Piedmont Forklift has serviced the Augusta market remotely with sales and service capabilities. Geographically, Augusta is "new territory for us", Sabbagh notes.

"When the opportunity came for G&W to purchase Piedmont Forklift in Greenville and Augusta, we were thrilled," says Scott Johnson, director of dealer services for Clark Material Handling Co in Lexington, Kentucky. "Jerry Prince and Calvin Bostic have built a solid Clark business in Greenville. . . . We wish to formally thank Jerry and Calvin for their efforts over the decades."

Piedmont Forklift began representing the Clark line in 1952. Prince was Piedmont president and chief executive officer, and Bostic vice president and chief financial officer. Both will help transition the business to G&W. It was "their choice solely" to sell the business, Sabbagh says.

G&W, a family-owned and -operated full-service materials handling equipment dealer, began operations in the Carolinas in 1963, initially dealing mainly with aerial lift equipment.

G&W began distributing Mitsubishi forklifts in 1997 and has a site for Mitsubishi in Greensboro, North Carolina. Tri-Lift NC Inc represents Clark in the Greensboro market.

In September 2006, Clark appointed G&W as the brand's authorised distributor in Charlotte, Raleigh and Hickory, North Carolina and Columbia, South Carolina (Forkliftaction.com News #277).

Prior to the Piedmont acquisition, G&W employed 65 people.