Hugg & Hall Equipment Co of Little Rock has added branch locations and Big-Red-brand representation with its acquisition of Arkla Taylor Inc of Ruston, Louisiana.

Principals of the firms began talking in mid-2010 and concluded the transaction on 13 May, says Robert Hugg, president of the purchaser. Terms were not disclosed.

Now with a total of 16 locations, the combined entity has "a little overlap, but we do not see eliminating any branches", Hugg notes. Each of the entities will continue to "operate as it is" with current management remaining in place.

John Hugg, chairman of Hugg & Hall, says, "Our customers will appreciate the opportunity to get Taylor equipment parts and service from Hugg & Hall."

Arkla Taylor founder and president George Parkman sold an entity representing Taylor Machine Works Inc in markets covering most of five states. "I've enjoyed my 30 years of growing this business with the help of many fantastic employees," he says. "I'm also very pleased that Arkla Taylor will continue on in the hands of a highly respected family company."

Pre-acquisition details show Hugg & Hall employs about 270 staff, represents the Toyota, Crown, Doosan, Eaves, Drexel, Hoist and SkyTrak forklift brands and the Bobcat and Volvo lines and serves construction and materials handling customers through Arkansas facilities in Little Rock, Fort Smith, Springdale, Camden, Conway, Jonesboro, El Dorado and Texarkana.

Arkla Taylor employs about 50 people, exclusively represents Taylor and, in addition to Ruston and servicing Missouri, has physical sites in Blytheville and El Dorado, Arkansas; Broussard and Houma, Louisiana; Longview and Lufkin, Texas; and Tulsa, Oklahoma. For Arkla Taylor, Dan Sills is general manager and Andy Mays is operations manager.

Arkla Taylor adds: "We have been dedicated to serving our customers in the paper, wood products, steel, concrete, oil service, stevedoring and boat marine industry."

Equipment manufacturer Taylor Machine Works of Louisville, Mississippi approved the change in ownership but did not have a material role with the negotiations or transaction.