Yale managers Sergey Vasiliev and Joel Joa play host to customers and UST representatives.

Yale and its Russian dealer, Universal Spetstechnica LLC (UST), have welcomed six key account customer representatives to the forklift manufacturer's Masate warehouse equipment factory, as part of a major accounts initiative in Russia.

The customers from Moscow, Nevinnomyssk and Nizhny Novgorod are in the process of expanding their operations and purchasing new equipment for their materials handling fleets.

Yale Russia and CIS territory manager Sergey Vasiliev and Yale warehouse equipment sales manager Joel Joa hosted the customers and UST representatives.

Vasiliev says: "Russia is currently seeing an increase in demand for materials handling equipment as companies within the country continue to innovate and expand.

"During their two-day visit, our customers took part in an extensive tour of the manufacturing facility at Masate, observed a demonstration of the latest electric counterbalance and warehouse products, and had the opportunity to talk with the warehouse equipment designers and product managers."

Joa says the feedback from the factory tour was extremely positive. "This was the first time that these potential customers had visited one of the production facilities where Yale products are manufactured. The visit gave them great insight into the investment being made in manufacturing in Europe by Yale's parent company, as well as the ergonomic and productivity benefits of the products."

Yale plans to invite more of its customers to visit its Masate plant. Vasiliev says it is important to show the company's large customers the strength and scale of the organisation behind the Yale brand.

Yale Europe Materials Handling is the trading name of NACCO Materials Handling Limited, a division of NACCO Materials Handling Group Inc which employs approximately 5,000 people worldwide. NMHG is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of NACCO Industries, Inc.