New telehandler player Haulotte Group is expanding in the Middle East with a subsidiary in Dubai officially opening this month.

Haulotte Middle-East FZE, in the Dubai Airport Free Zone, is being established as part of the group's "engaged service" policy, according to the group's statement.

Haulotte says its engaged service policy includes "being close to customers to better understand their expectations and to provide them with adapted solutions".

Arthur Danelian, Haulotte Group's sales manager for the Middle East for the last four years, will manage the new subsidiary which covers the Middle East, Maghreb and African countries.

Danelian has "actively promoted and introduced Haulotte brand in this sector" and has extended the distributor network, the statement says.

His tasks include defining sales strategy and marketing the entire Haulotte range in the area. Haulotte has over 50 models in its aerial work platform range, the Multijob full-rotating backhoe loader range and the recently-launched HTL telehandler range.

The HTL telehandlers, with lifting capacities up to 4 tonnes (8,818.5kg) and lifting heights of 14 metres (45.9 feet) and 17 metres (55.8 feet), are manufactured in Santander, Spain (Forkliftaction.com News #324).

Access International magazine reported Haulotte's entry into the telehandler market was influenced by its AWP (aerial work platform) customers' demand for telehandlers. The HTL range will be on show at the Big 5 PMV exposition at Airport Expo Dubai from 25 to 29 November.

Haulotte Group CEO Alexandre Saubot was named 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year for the Rhône-Alpes area in August (Forkliftaction.com News #330).