-- OM Pimespo (UK) Ltd, a subsidiary of Fiat OM Carrelli Elevatori SpA, will market and sell Komatsu and OM Pimespo forklifts and warehouse trucks in the UK following an agreement between materials handling giants Linde AG and Komatsu Forklift Co Ltd.

The agreement, signed this month, will see Fiat OM, a Linde subsidiary, distribute Komatsu trucks in Europe under the Komatsu brand name via the present dealer network. Fiat will also manufacture some Komatsu products at its Italy plant.

Komatsu has, through the deal, acquired a 10 percent interest in Fiat OM, and Linde has taken a 10 percent share of Komatsu.

OM Pimespo (UK) Ltd general manager Vanda Morris said the change in structure should increase sales "significantly".

"The decision by Linde and Komatsu to cooperate on a global basis puts OM Pimespo UK in the best possible position to further grow our market share in the UK, allowing us to develop independent routes to market the Komatsu and OM Pimespo product ranges," he said.