Oy Meclift Ltd, a Finnish manufacturer of variable reach trucks and side reach stackers, has acquired all rights to Normet Oy's five to 11 tonne variable reach trucks.

Meclift managing director Vejio Miihkinen said the company sold the forklifts to Normet in the 1990's but had now bought them back to expand its product range.

"Normet stopped producing the variable reach trucks a few years ago to concentrate on its underground machinery. The trucks are so good that we decided to take them back to our production line," he said.

"By doing that we expand our product range to smaller (capacity) trucks as well. In recent years, we have only manufactured trucks with a capacity above 12 tonnes.

"The issue of whether existing Normet distributors will continue selling for us has not been addressed. But of course we want to use all the distributors who are already familiar with the product and hence can sell them."

Miihkinen said Meclift designed the original version and Normet had added technical improvements to it.