Solideal USA Inc of Charlotte, North Carolina has acquired assets of the Kines family-owned and -operated Forklift Tire of Florida Inc effective from 1 June. Terms were not disclosed.

The heirs of Silas Otha Kines Jr were the sellers of the distributor of forklift and off-road tyres. Jacksonville native Junior Kines purchased Forklift Tire of Florida in 1998. He died on 11 January at the age of 74 after a year-long illness.

Providing sales, repair, replacement, on-site road service and fleet checks, the operation serves the greater Jacksonville region including north Florida and south Georgia, according to a son, Bill Kines, who continues as service manager for the market.

The location complements the buyer's other Florida sites in the Orlando, Tampa and Miami markets among Solideal's 36 service centres and four distribution centres in the US, says Bob Bulger, sales, distribution and marketing vice president for the Americas with Solideal USA.

Bulger says the team in Jacksonville has "over 77 years of cumulative tyre industry experience". Including a recent addition, Forklift Tire of Florida has six employees.

Solideal USA is a subsidiary within the global business development group (GBDG) of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada-based Camoplast Solideal Inc.

Materials handling industry requirements account for about 55% of the GBDG business, with compact construction equipment accounting for the remainder, Bulger notes.

Camoplast Solideal has subsidiaries worldwide and focuses on the design, manufacturing and distribution of off-road tyres, wheels, rubber tracks, undercarriage systems, body dressing parts, under-the-hood plastic components and assemblies, moulded skis, engine covers and thermal and air induction systems.