Equipment Depot receives Clark's Dealer of the Year award.

Operations of Equipment Depot in the Texas market generated 2013 sales of more than USD156 million, accompanied by investment in its rental fleets and sales representative training.

"Equipment Depot operates 12 equipment superstores, strategically located in the major cities along the Interstate Highway 35 NAFTA corridor from Oklahoma to the Mexico border as well as the major Texas ports along the Gulf Coast," says David O Turner, Equipment Depot CEO. "In addition, it operates service depots in 10 smaller Texas cities to provide better service to customers.

"There are more than 550 employees in Texas, including more than 250 service technicians."

The business was founded as Central Texas Clarklift in 1975, changed its name to Equipment Depot in 1995 and, including other US operations and acquisitions, became part of Pon Holdings BV of Almere, the Netherlands in 2000. Along the US-Mexico border, Equipment Depot in Texas provides service to maquiladoras (free trade zone manufacturers) and for other US customers that may have servicing needs from Brownsville to Eagle Pass.

"Since 2000, Equipment Depot has made five major acquisitions in Texas to increase its footprint throughout the state," Turner reports. "It has invested millions of dollars to upgrade and enlarge its forklift and construction rental equipment fleet in Texas."

Currently, Equipment Depot in Texas has more than 900 forklifts in its short-term rental fleet and an inventory of more than 3,000 aerial lifts and other construction equipment.

More than 60 sales account representatives are employed. "Equipment Depot has invested in recruiting and training sales reps in all of its major Texas markets," says Ken Branham, Equipment Depot vice president of sales and marketing.

In February, Clark Material Handling Co presented its Dealer of the Year award to the Texas operations of Equipment Depot.

In addition to the Clark brand, Equipment Depot branches in the south-west region of Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma also represent Cat, Barrett, Doosan, Hoist, Jungheinrich, Linde, Mitsubishi and Nissan forklifts.

Pon Holdings BV and Equipment Depot US

In addition to forklifts, subsidiaries of privately held parent firm Pon Holdings distribute passenger cars, commercial vehicles, trucks, buses, bicycles, tyres and axles and road construction and earthmoving equipment; supply marine and oil-filled valves; and offer shipping, transportation and logistics products.

From its Houston corporate offices, the Equipment Depot materials handling equipment business of Pon operates through three US geographic regions, each headed by a vice president who is based out of a key branch. The alignment for the 14-state market was established in late 2012.

John Ventre is based in Cincinnati, Ohio and is responsible for the eastern region, covering Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, southern New Jersey and eastern Kentucky.

Bob Schermer is based in Louisville, Kentucky and handles the central region, covering Illinois, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Indiana and western Kentucky.

Bryan Monk is based in Houston and is responsible for the south-west region, covering Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

Collectively for the US regions, Equipment Depot operates 37 branches and 20 service depots and has more than 1,500 employees including 700 technicians. Equipment Depot has consolidated some smaller branches. In 2011, there were 40 branches and 26 service depots.

The branches of Equipment Depot encourage community involvement. A company-wide "Time to Help" program allows each employee 16 hours per year to volunteer services with community organisations. Equipment Depot began the program in 2012.

Recently, Pon Holdings sold its European forklift operations to Koninklijke Reesink NV of Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, a steel product maker and machinery equipment distributor. "As a result of that transaction, Pon became a major shareholder in this public company," Turner says.

Family-owned Pon Holdings is a subsidiary of Houdstermaatschappij Wilg BV of Leusden, the Netherlands, which in turn is a subsidiary of Stichting Continuïteit Wilg, also of Leusden.