Homestead's Roanoke facilities

West Virginia's Homestead Materials Handling Co. has become one of the first dealers to offer KION's Baoli line in the United States.

President and CEO Richard Sinclair tells Forkliftaction News Homestead will add Baoli and Linde to its existing range of Crown, Clark and Doosan equipment as it expands operations into Richmond and the Norfolk-Chesapeake areas.

"We chose to expand because this is new geography for us and we need to grow and believe that we can gain a toehold with these two brands, given our culture and history," he says.

"I think we will attack the heavy-duty applications with the core Linde product and perhaps go after the price-sensitive buyer with the Baoli product. We will certainly add both products to our rental fleet."

With locations in Roanoke, Chilhowie, Lynchburg and Verona, Homestead sells, services and rents forklifts, conveyors, cranes and hoists and supplies parts.

The move into Richmond has already seen the addition of a new staff member as branch manager, and Sinclair says the company has 10 other vacancies currently listed and "we will hire to meet the market".

Homestead has operated in the Virginia market since 1961, when Joe Jefferds bought the Clark franchise. The dealership is wholly owned by Jefferds Corporation which is based in St. Albans, WV.

KION North America recently introduced the economy Baoli line to US dealerships, with more than 50 dealers eligible to carry the brand, according to Jonathan Chen, KION vice president of strategy and business development and general manager of Baoli.