Hans-Georg Frey

Jungheinrich AG has signed several agreements with Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc (MCFA) for the company to produce Jungheinrich forklifts and be its exclusive distributor in North America next year.

From 1 January 2010, MCFA, which has a comprehensive dealer network in North America, will supply Jungheinrich forklifts to the US, Canadian and Mexican markets. In future, MCFA will produce the forklifts developed by Jungheinrich for the North American market. Jungheinrich says it will develop the forklifts in a dedicated design centre in Houston, Texas.

Before, Jungheinrich was represented in the world's third-largest materials handling market - the US - by a small, wholly owned direct sales company, Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corp of Richmond, Virginia, and a dealer network.

In 2008, Jungheinrich, which has a leading marketshare in Europe, accounted for a 1.2% share of the North American market, selling about 1,900 forklifts. MCFA owns over 10% of the market and is among the leading players in North America.

"Sales of Jungheinrich products through the MCFA distribution network open up wonderful opportunities for the Jungheinrich brand in North America and strengthen our competitive position, with MCFA benefiting from our warehousing expertise in exchange," comments Hans-Georg Frey, Jungheinrich AG chairman.

Jungheinrich says it will "discontinue [its existing] sales channels" in the US and transfer its sales business to MCFA.