Clark Material Handling Co has named Lift Atlanta Inc as an authorised dealer of Clark products in eastern Georgia and western and central South Carolina, effective 1 August.

The Clark appointment involves the markets in the vicinity of Augusta, Georgia and Columbia, South Carolina.

"The appointment expands our scope into Columbia" in South Carolina, says president Mark Milovich. "We do not have that territory for Linde or Hyundai."

Lift Atlanta has a lengthy history with Linde forklifts, extending back to the predecessor days of the Baker industrial truck division of Otis Elevator Co. Lift Atlanta added the Hyundai forklift line in 2006 and also represents Big Lift LLC's Big Joe brand forklifts, Taylor-Dunn Manufacturing Co's personnel and burden carriers and JH Global Services Inc's Star EV electric industrial vehicles.

"Clark is pleased to have the experienced team at Lift Atlanta joining our family," says Clark's Scott Johnson. "Mitch and Mark Milovich bring a wealth of solid materials handling experience, both at an OEM and distributor level, to Augusta and Columbia. Mark, an active leader in MHEDA, is well versed in the many disciplines in how to run a successful and profitable dealership."

The Lift Atlanta headquarters site in Decatur employs 30 and occupies 35,000 sqft. (3,251 sqm), and the Augusta branch employs 10 and occupies about 12,000 sqft. (1,103 sqm).

The Augusta branch and existing employees will provide the momentum in reaching into the new Lift Atlanta territory in portions of South Carolina, Milovich says. "We can handle that for now but hope to add staff and possibly a full-service branch in South Carolina if the growth merits it."

Milovich joined the business in 1986, has served in all departments, performed as Augusta branch manager and was named company president in 2001.

Mark Shields, the dealership's Augusta branch manager, started as a field technician in 1989 and has also served in the roles of customer service representative and service manager.

Mark's father, Mitchell Milovich, founded the business in Decatur in 1975, remains chief executive officer and, while nominally semi-retired, comes into the office at least three days a week. He serves as a sounding board and advisor for the current hands-on management team and "puts in (an opinion) where necessary", according to his son.

Lift Atlanta represented the Bendi and Drexel narrow aisle and very narrow aisle forklift brands of the Landoll Corp material handling division from 2009 until terminating the relationship in March 2013.

Lexington, Kentucky-based Clark has two other dealers representing its brand in the Atlanta regional market: Ogden Material Handling Systems Inc in Atlanta and All-Lift of Georgia Inc in Fayetteville, Georgia.