Dawson Materials Handling Equipment has appointed a team to lead the new venture, with 10 dedicated mobile engineers to support customers in Ireland.

Impact Handling has appointed Dawson Materials Handling Equipment as its strategic dealer partner for Cat Lift Trucks in Ireland.

The company will be responsible for sales and aftersales support across the full range of Cat forklifts, which includes engine-powered and electric counterbalance forklifts, pallet trucks, tow trucks, high- and low-level order pickers and reach trucks.

Dawson Materials Handling Equipment's parent company, Belfast Materials Handling Ltd, has been an exclusive distributor of Cat forklifts to Northern Ireland for almost 15 years. Group managing director Karl Dawson says he saw a great opportunity for the business to expand into the Republic of Ireland.

Dawson explains that his company's expertise and goals have resulted in its continued growth, even through the industry's most difficult years.

"This only emphasises the strength of our company strategies, and natural progression dictates that we continually assess opportunities to develop the business further. With current operations commanding a well-established marketshare in Northern Ireland, focus falls naturally on Ireland and an already recovering market," he says.

Dawson adds that manufacturers' data indicates that the Irish market is now improving, and the new partnership will allow his company to provide complete materials handling solutions that combine value, reliability and productivity.

Dawson Materials Handling Equipment has initially appointed a 14-strong team to lead the new venture, with 10 dedicated mobile engineers to support customers in Ireland.

Impact managing director Terry Kendrew says: "We recognise the huge opportunity for Cat Lift Trucks in Ireland, and we were keen to work with Dawson Materials Handling Equipment to ensure we have a strong team on the ground to support local businesses.

"We're confident we have the right partner to provide the highest standards of service for Cat Lift Trucks customers in Ireland."

Belfast Materials Handling was established as a service-based company in 1978. Since then, the family-run business has become a major provider of materials handling solutions. Besides the Cat lift trucks range, it also offers products from manufacturers including Aislemaster, AUSA, Combilift, Lancer Bulmor, Magaziner and Kalmar.

Established in 1985, Impact Handling is wholly owned by Eqstra Holdings and is the sole distributor for Cat Lift Trucks for the whole of the UK and Ireland. Impact Handling operates from nine locations and has more than 250 employees, including in excess of 150 service engineers. It operates a combined fleet of more than 5,000 rental units, and supports 2,000 customer-owned machines and 2,000 used assets.