Juha Mikkonen

Rocla Oyj has expanded its operations in Denmark with the acquisition of VB Trucks a/s.

Juha Mikkonen, Rocla's vice president of business support, has been appointed Rocla Danmark a/s CEO.

"With this deal we seek a stronger market position and more capacity to service operations," Mikkonen says.

He explains the acquisition has more than doubled Rocla's Danish operations, providing customers with improved service. Rocla now employs about 140 people in Denmark.

VB Trucks has been renamed Rocla Danmark a/s and started operating on 2 June. Rocla has had a subsidiary in Denmark since 2000 and will decide on merging it with the newly acquired company.

Verner Bonde, who founded VB Trucks 24 years ago, expresses confidence in Rocla.
"It was time to make a decision about VB Trucks' future," he says. "I am confident that Rocla offers a good platform for growth and further development for VB Trucks' business and personnel alike."

About 8,800 forklifts were sold in the Danish market in 2007. The market is expected to grow by 14% this year, Mikkonen says.

VB Trucks, headquartered in Stovring, Denmark, is a family-owned company established in 1984. The company employs 90 people and its 2007 turnover is around DKK110 million (USD22.9 million). VB Trucks employees will transfer to Rocla Danmark's headquarters in Kolding. The acquisition value was not disclosed.