(L-R) NMHG managing director for EMEA, Ralf Mock with UST dealer principal Andrey Bunetskal.

Yale Europe Material Handling's factory workers should benefit from the appointment of what it says is the Russian Federation's largest forklift distributor as its exclusive dealer in the country.

The agreement between Yale Europe Materials Handling and Universal Spetstechnica LLC (UST) is expected to create the most comprehensive distribution channel of any forklift manufacturer in the Russian Federation.

Yale brand manager Steve Ridgway says the partnership will strengthen the company's manufacturing facilities in Craigavon, the UK, Masate, Italy and Nijmegen, the Netherlands. "The additional orders through the UST agreement will provide enhanced output and richer volumes in our Class 1, 2, 3 and 5 segments in our European factories."

UST operates two main branches and a network of 56 independently owned and operated dealerships, with a presence in all eight of the Russian Federation's Federal Districts.

Fifty dealer representatives from the Russian Federation will mark the introduction of UST into Yale's dealer program with a visit to the company's Craigavon facility to see first-hand the manufacture of the new VL series of electric forklifts.

NACCO Materials Handling Group EMEA managing director Ralf Mock says the Russian market is one of the "most promising areas of growth" for Yale in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.

"With an excellent reputation for high standards of customer service, UST will bring the level of knowledge and expertise we have been searching for to grow our operation in Russia. Their appointment will increase Yale's presence in the Russian forklift market," Mock explains.

Andrey Bunetskal, UST's dealer principal, says that the Russian market is becoming more sophisticated. "Customers [are] demanding more technologically advance materials handling products and solutions, especially in electric counterbalance and warehouse equipment categories."

The UST dealer network will offer Yale pallet trucks, order pickers, stacker trucks, reach trucks, pedestrian counterbalanced equipment and turret trucks from the warehouse range, and the full range of 1-16 tonne electric, LPG and diesel counterbalance forklifts.

At the height of the global recession, NACCO Materials Handling Group cut up to 135 jobs at the Craigavon and Nijmegen plants (Forkliftaction.com News #395).