Hermans Heftrucks' new curtain side trailer

Belgian equipment hire firm Hermans Heftrucks continues to expand its fleet, adding more than 100 new machines so far this year.

According to rental manager Geert Hermans, the investment of more than EUR3 million (USD3.48 million) was needed to meet growing demand. "Over the past two years, we realised sales growth of 50% with our rental department. That would never have been done without a young, reliable fleet," he explains.

The expansion has not been limited to inventory. Hermans has expanded its workshop by one third, also replacing the roof and fitting it out with LED lighting to reduce energy costs and their ecological footprint.

Two new spray booths have also been added to cater for the increasing demand for refurbished equipment.

To cope with the expansion, Hermans says the company "is regularly looking for enthusiastic new colleagues".

Hermans traces its origins to 1962, when founder Victor Hermans started trading horses. As horses made way for machines, he started trading Volvo tractors as well. The business moved into materials handling in 1990, when it moved to its current location in Rijkevorsel and diversified from agricultural machines to forklifts.