22.12.2015

Time France to start manufacturing

Long term Versalift distributor and mounting company Time France looks set to launch its own range of van mounted aerial lifts which appear to compete with those it currently sells from Time Versalift.

Time France, which has been owned by Julien Bourrellis since 2002, announced that it was moving into its new 20,000 square metre production facility at Ferrieres-en-Brie last month, and at the same time revealed plans to unveil its own range of van mounted lifts under a new brand - Klubb, early in the new year. This appears to put it in direct competition with Versalift.
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A sneak view of one of the new Klubb van mounted lifts

The company also has its sights set on export, with the ambition to eventually become the European market leader. To this aim the company has hired a team of seven dedicated engineers and expects to begin production shortly after the launch.

Time France dates back to 1980 when the company JF Degrémont became the Time/Versalift distributor in France. When Jean Francois Degrémont retired in 2000 Time Versalift acquired the company and changed its name to Time France, to reflect the fact that as a wholly owned subsidiary its principle business was to mount and sell its aerial lifts in France.

Time then recruited ex JF Degrémont employee Julien Bourrellis to manage the business, he had left a year or two earlier to manage a Software company start-up. In 2002 Bourrellis organised a Management Buy Out of Time France and took over the business. Today he runs 13 companies under the Gelev Group umbrella.
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Time France's new 20,000 square metre facility

Under his management Time France has grown rapidly, from mounting and selling around 30 units a year in 2002 to a claimed 500 units at its peak. Products include: Versalift van, Land Rover and insulated truck mounted lifts as well as Isoli truck mounted lifts and its own custom built 'specials'.

Other companies in the group finance, service or repair the products, while unrelated operations include Mobitec which specialises in the custom fitting out of commercial and utility vehicles and a real estate business.

Vertikal Comment

This is an interesting move on the part of Bourrellis, if the new Klubb range of van mounts does go head to head with Versalift, it will be a major gamble, possibly upsetting what appears to have been a very successful and mutually beneficial relationship. It will also increase competition in the van mounted market, currently dominated by Versalift.

In addition to this move APS in the UK will shortly begin producing the new range of Aldercote van mounts, which is likely to substantially increase the number of Aldercote units sold each year, well beyond anything it has ever managed to achieve on its own.

It could be that additional competition in this market will increase the usage of enclosed van mounted platforms over a wider geographic area?
Interesting times