Yale dealer Riekes Equipment Co has acquired a West Fargo, North Dakota lift truck service provider that operates now as Riekes' sixth location.

Riekes purchased Valley Forklift Services on August 1 from owner Terry Weigel, who remains with the business as manager of the Riekes West Fargo branch. Weigel founded Valley Forklift Services in 1992.

"Riekes Equipment has been active in North Dakota for years," says Duncan Murphy, president of Omaha-based Riekes.

The West Fargo location has six employees, occupies 8,000 sqft. (743 sqm) and, as Valley Forklift Services, had represented the forklift and pallet truck lines of TCM America Inc.

"We will expand," Murphy reports. Forklifts account for about 50% of the branch's sales volume, mostly involving Yale equipment but also including units from Combilift USA and Landoll Corp.

The new Riekes branch has "quite a bit in storage and handling" equipment, he says.

"It's always great to see our dealers expand and grow," says Bill Pfleger, president of Yale Distribution. "Yale strives to build lasting customer relationships through providing the best quality lift truck in the industry and unparalleled service, which is what Riekes Equipment Co consistently delivers."

In addition to Omaha and West Fargo, Riekes Equipment has branches in Lincoln and Grand Island, Nebraska; Sioux City, Iowa; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in each case representing primarily Yale equipment from the Nacco Materials Handling Group Inc.

Riekes Equipment was established in 1936, has won the Yale dealer of excellence award 12 times since 1995 and achieved Material Handling Equipment Distributers Association MVP status in 2011.