(L-R) Mike Dixon, managing director of FTD and Stephen Culham, sales director of FTD.

Doosan has made a major capital investment in its top regional distributor Fork Truck Direct (FTD).

The Essex-based dealer sells over 100 new Doosan forklifts each year and aims to increase its annual turnover, currently over GBP3.5 million (USD5.6 million), by 30-35% in the next three years.

The move follows Doosan's recent decision to create a new affiliate company, Doosan Industrial Vehicles Co Ltd (DIV). DIV oversees all Doosan's global forklift activities and focuses on growing the forklift brand.

DIV UK director and general manager Tim Waples says the "six-figure investment" will enable FTD to expand its coverage, as well as recruit additional sales and service personnel, and help Doosan to become the UK's dominant forklift player.

"Fork Truck Direct has always delivered, both in terms of being a successful Doosan dealer and in offering a superb regional service. We believe the company has massive growth potential and our investment demonstrates our commitment to the company and our own long-term growth plans," Waples says.

FTD managing director Mike Dixon sees the investment opening new doors to many business opportunities in the dealer's Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and London territories.

"We have a long history with Doosan and are delighted to enter into this new partnership with them. The company has always been very flexible and responsive to both our and our customers' needs," Dixon says.

He adds that the investment will help to improve FTD's efficiency through the purchase of new IT systems, workshop equipment, additional service staff recruitment and training programmes.

Doosan's plans to continue growing its brand in the UK have been further boosted following the creation of DIV. Removing some of Doosan's non-forklift-related cost burdens and allowing further independence has stimulated greater focus on new opportunities, including closer ties with dealers. The company recently purchased a majority stake in one of its top-performing dealers, Huntingdon-based Genesis Forklift Trucks Ltd (Forkliftaction.com News #509).

FTD's senior management team remains unchanged. The company has been established for over 15 years.

"We have recently appointed additional, experienced area sales managers to further promote and develop our business. Our aim is to create a more efficient and dynamic working environment," Dixon says.

"Doosan's confidence and support to a UK company like ours is a great boost, helping us to grow our short-term hire fleet by over a third and sending us well on the way to achieving our overall growth plans," he adds.