G&W Equipment Inc is adding the Cat and Jungheinrich brands to its Mitsubishi representation in the western portions of North Carolina and South Carolina. G&W began handling Mitsubishi forklifts in the territory in 1997.

Gregory Poole Equipment Co continues representing the three brands in the eastern portions of North Carolina and South Carolina plus Virginia, according to an announcement from joint-venture original equipment manufacturer Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc (MCFA).

Houston, Texas-based MCFA distributes Cat lift trucks, Mitsubishi forklift trucks and Jungheinrich warehouse products through an extensive dealer network in North, Central and South America.

MCFA's 3 February announcement did not mention the role of longtime Cat construction and materials handling equipment dealer LiftOne, a division of Carolina Tractor & Equipment Co. LiftOne executed a letter of interest and may acquire a portion of the Barloworld Handling US operations involving the Hyster forklift brand (Forkliftaction.com News #549).

LiftOne is based in Charlotte, has eight branches in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia and, in various locations, represents Cat lift trucks, Linde lift trucks, Ottawa/Kalmar lines and Jungheinrich products.

Regarding the MCFA assignment, "G&W is thrilled to add these two premium lines to our offering," says Michael Sabbagh, president of the Charlotte-based family-operated G&W dealership. "This will be a seamless transition" because "our technicians, parts personnel, technical communicators and sales staff are already well versed with MCFA".

Kent Eudy, MCFA vice president for sales and services, observes: "G&W has been a longstanding and reliable partner to MCFA" with G&W's Mitsubishi experience now being extended to include the Cat and Jungheinrich brands.

G&W began operations in 1963, dealing mainly with aerial lift equipment, now including Genie, JLG and Skyjack aerial work platforms. The Sabbagh family acquired the business in 1988.

Clark Material Handling Co appointed G&W in September 2006 as an authorised distributor for forklifts, parts and service in three facilities in the Carolinas and in November 2009, following G&W's Piedmont Forklift Inc acquisition, as a Clark distributor in an additional South Carolina location and one site in Georgia.

In addition to the sale, service and rental of forklifts and materials handling equipment, G&W Equipment offers reconditioned lifts, racks and shelving products, engineered systems and dock equipment. The dealership focuses on sites in Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina; Greenville and Columbia, South Carolina; and Augusta, Georgia.

Gregory Poole Equipment of Raleigh, North Carolina has an extensive history with the Cat brand across a wide range of construction and materials handling products since 1951 and, in various markets, also markets the Crown, Mitsubishi, Linde and Jungheinrich forklift lines.