Fairchild Equipment has acquired the assets of Lift Truck Specialists in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. The purchase will allow Fairchild Equipment to provide additional convenience to local customers and house optimal building space to support its products and service range.

Fairchild Equipment says the expansion will add valuable resources that will enable growth in Southern Wisconsin.

Fairchild Equipment will be increasing its space with an 18,000 sqft. (1,672 sqm) building which will house its service department and provide additional office space to accommodate the growing number of staff. Additionally, the building is currently equipped with a paint booth and overhead cranes which will take heavy equipment servicing and refurbishing to a new level of customer service.

Van Clarkson, president of Fairchild Equipment's southern division, says the acquisition includes "many skilled and qualified employees of a business that had been in this market for over 31 years, along with a service facility that is first-class, fit-for-purpose, and right in our current back yard".

"Eventually, the buildings will be connected by a conjoined driveway to initiate a degree of convenience and will allow for continued growth for future expansion."

Fairchild executives expect the expanded facilities to house a full rental fleet, provide a larger in-house servicing platform, maintain diverse parts inventory, hold larger on-site safety training courses and store new and used equipment inventory.

"We have an aggressive five-year growth plan, be it via organic growth, additional lines to complement our Hyster-Yale offering and, of course, through acquisitions," says Gary Fairchild, group president and CEO. "At the end of the day, if it allows us to better service our customers in Southern Wisconsin and brings more good people into our growing family, sign me up."

Lift Truck Specialists was a Tailift dealer, and it's not immediately clear if Fairchild will retain the brand.

Fairchild Equipment is a leading distributor for materials handling, warehouse, construction and agriculture equipment in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan and Northern Illinois. The company has been recognised by Hyster-Yale as a distinguished dealer for its products and has also received the MVP award by MHEDA (Materials Handling Equipment Distributors Association).