The US operation of Barloworld Handling is adding distribution of forklifts from V Mariotti SpA through 30 sales and full-service branches in eight south-east states.

Smith-Gramley Ltd, a Mariotti master distributor since 2002, began discussions with Barloworld about 10 months ago, and the parties signed an exclusive agreement effective from 1 March, says John Smith, president of Smith-Gramley.

"These small electric forklifts give us yet another solution to offer our customers," says Scott Alexander, vice president of sales and marketing for Charlotte-based Barloworld Handling. "Mariotti is an excellent complement to our current offerings." Barloworld Handling is a business of Barloworld Ltd of Sandton, South Africa, near Johannesburg.

The US network of Barloworld Handling, historically representing Nacco Material Handling Group Inc's Hyster brand, has more than 400 road service technicians in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas.

At its factory in Grugliasco, Italy near Torino, Mariotti manufactures forklifts that are considered to be the most compact electric riders on the market. Widths as narrow as 31 inches (80 cm) and heights as low as 75 inches (1.9 m) allow operation in limited space.

Generally, a Mariotti forklift is useful for lifting loads from 800 pounds (360 kg) to 2,800 pounds (1,260 kg). A Mariotti user in most situations needs to "lift bulk rather than weight", Smith notes.

Smith-Gramley of Loves Park, Illinois has responsibility for Mariotti in US states east of the Mississippi River and all of Canada. Now including Barloworld, Smith-Gramley distributes Mariotti forklifts in its territory through 14 dealerships with more than 55 locations.

Another Mariotti master distributor, MH Distribution of La Vista, Nebraska near Omaha, handles business in US states west of the Mississippi River and all of Mexico. In addition, MH Distribution oversees all Mariotti parts and service functions through the brand's North American dealerships.

Smith-Gramley and MH Distribution share responsibility for the Mariotti USA website.

In a few months, Mariotti intends to bring to the US market a re-engineered forklift line now being sold in Europe.

Barloworld Ltd has represented the Hyster brand for at least six decades and, in 1979, acquired an existing Hyster dealership in Charlotte to begin the process of establishing its presence in the US.

In addition to materials handling, Barloworld Ltd has three other operational business units: equipment principally through a long-time partnership with Caterpillar Inc; automotive including motor vehicle dealerships and rentals; and logistics operations such as supply chain management, transport services, freight handling and warehousing.