Sandy MacKinnon

A multibrand forklift dealership in the south-east US plans to adopt MacKinnon Equipment and Services as its new name, effective 1 April.

Sandy MacKinnon acquired the Tampa dealership in 1982, when it was known as Yale Gulf Atlantic, and has seen the business grow beyond its origins.

The current name is Yale Lift Trucks of Florida and Georgia. The company says that name no longer fits the scope of the dealership's business.

The new identity does not signal any change in product line, policies or ownership. The dealership remains family-owned and independent with headquarters in Tampa and other locations in Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida and Tifton, Georgia. The dealership also serves the Florida communities of Cape Coral, Venice, Daytona Beach, Tallahassee, Lakeland, Port Charlotte and Ocala.

"Since I purchased the Tampa dealership in 1982, the Yale name has been a part of our brand," says MacKinnon. "My entire career has been devoted to promoting the Yale brand in some way or another." He progressed from Yale Materials Handling Corp salesperson to national sales manager prior to acquiring the dealership.

"I hope to keep MacKinnon Equipment and Services a family-owned business for generations to come," he says.

In addition to Yale, the dealership represents other brands including Terex Corp segment Genie aerial work platforms, Princeton Distribution Systems' PiggyBack forklifts, Allied Specialty Vehicles subsidiary Capacity yard spotters, Taylor-Dunn Manufacturing Co personnel carriers, RPS Corp's Factory Cat floor cleaning equipment, and, since March 2010 through a subsidiary, JCB North America construction equipment.

The dealership has received Yale dealer of excellence recognition for 16 years, and the JCB of Florida and South Georgia unit was named JCB 2010 new dealer of the year.

In addition to Sandy MacKinnon, other owners include John Christiansen, president; Lisa Rauchmiller, vice president and controller; and Alex MacKinnon, vice president.

Nacco Materials Handling Group Inc, a subsidiary of Mayfield Heights, Ohio-based Nacco Industries Inc, designs, engineers, manufactures, sells and services forklift trucks and aftermarket parts under the Yale and Hyster brand names.