Aerial view of Hermans's Rijkevorsel headquarters.

1) What are your company's products/services?

Belgian-based Hermans Heftrucks is a specialist in used forklifts at an international level. The company motto is 'When movement gets shape, Hermans Heftrucks gets in the picture'. Hermans has a constant stock of around 300 new and relatively new used machines and can offer the right machine most of the time.

An important part of the business is export and import of forklifts. Hermans distributes many different brands, including Toyota, Nissan, Prins, OMG, and H-Lift. As efficient stocking and placement of goods are important in warehouses today, Hermans provide internal transport material, like pallet trucks and stackers. The company has a mobile repair service, two modern spray cabins, a tyre press with a large stock, modern equipped workshops and trucks to transport machines.

2) Give a brief history of your company's involvement in the materials handling industry.

Front view of headquarters.

Founder Victor Hermans started selling tractors and milking machines in 1959. When each of his sons, Leo, Roger and Patrick, turned 14 (the age Belgian children left school then), they joined him in the family business. Roger specialised in tractors and garden machinery and Leo and Patrick started selling forklifts. Both companies are still growing today. In 1999 the administration office moved to a large, modern building (the current Rijkevorsel headquarters) and more space was added to stock forklifts. Herman Heftrucks is within easy reach of The Netherlands and airports at Antwerp or Brussels. Initially Hermans had three employees, Victor's sons. Today there are 27 employees and the company is still growing.

3) What is your current position in the regional market?

With nearly 50 years' experience, Hermans Heftrucks is prominent in Belgium's materials handling sector. Hermans sells new and used forklifts, has short and long-term rentals and provides after-sales service of all machines. Rentals and after-sales service are offered only for the domestic market.

4) What makes your company outstanding in its market?

Around 300 machines in stock for Hermans.

Hermans works with customers to select the best total solution for the purchase, lease or rent of a machine. Hermans forklifts are solid machines that are fully tested and prepared in the workshops. They are equipped to meet customers' specific demands. The rental services have seen significant growth of 25 per cent in 2005.

5) Tell us your company's future plans?

In the near future Hermans plans to expand its export activities and focus s more on materials handling machines, such as reachtrucks, stackers, pallet trucks and orderpickers. The main export market is eastern Europe. The domestic market goal is to offer a complete range of forklifts and internal transport material. Hermans plans to enlarge its range with heavy forklifts and reach stackers.