Lisman reaches its milestone 100,000th used forklift.

European used forklift wholesaler Lisman has reached its milestone 100,000th used forklift, as the company celebrates its 45th anniversary this year.

The company started numbering its stock about 30 years ago and its ERP system automatically assigns an internal number when a new machine is added to the system.

"[We had] no influence on which machine would get the internal number 100,000. We are lucky this machine ended up to be a great Kalmar 8T electric forklift, delivered to us on a deep loader truck," says CEO Koen Lisman.

After being processed in Lisman's production line, the forklift was photographed and its image posted on the company website, where it is offered for sale to any of the 80 countries in which Lisman is actively doing business.

With the recent incorporation of Asian subsidiary Lisman Forklifts Asia Sdn Bhd in Malaysia (Forkliftaction.com News #562), Lisman is now keen to reach its 200,000th forklift milestone.

"Lisman has a business model based on volume and we aim to be a global network of purchase and sales partners," Lisman explains.

He adds that Lisman Forklifts Asia has "made a flying start" since opening officially on 25 April. "The stock has soon increased to over 350 units in our Malaysian warehouse and it is being replenished with new arrivals on a two-weekly basis. As in The Netherlands, the complete range of products, brands and specifications is widely available. The sales staff has just been increased to three, each covering various parts of South East Asia from the sales office located in Klang."

Lisman celebrated its 45th anniversary by giving a toy forklift to its materials handling customers. The wholesaler has seen the market change significantly since Anton Lisman senior established the business in Voordorpsedijk in Fort Blauwkapel, in 1967. It credits its strategic choices, like not renting and selling to end-users, for OEMs choosing to remarket their trade stock through them.

The Dutch-headquartered company now offers over 1,600 used machines from three show rooms in IJsselstein, covering 24,000 sqm (258,334 sqft.).