08.02.2005

Manitou and Russon team up

Manitou, the French producer of Telehandlers and aerial work platforms has concluded an agreement with Russon Access for the distribution of the ManiAccess boom range to UK based rental companies.

Manitou dealers will retain the rights to sell all ManiAccess products within their territories, but will concentrate on end users. At the same time Manitou has announced an agreement with a number of Toyota forklift dealers to form a ManiAccess Industrial distribution division. Several Manitou dealers in the UK already handle both Manitou and Toyota product lines, such as Anchor Fork Lift in Kent, FTM Materials Handling in South Wales and Truck Master in Lincolnshire.

The Manitou distribution follows Russon’s acquisition of the Holland Lift account in 2004 having lost the Liftlux product range when Manitowoc shut it down at the end of 2003. Since taking on Holland Lift, Russon has been looking for a quality boom line that would sit well alongside the Holland Lift range.

Allan Russon, the principle at Russon Access believes that he has found what he is looking for in the ManiAccess line. “The new 180ATJ is a fantastic piece of kit, with its speed of operation, additional outreach and the sheer quality” say Russon,

“Manitou is a global name with great product support and a determination to be in the access market for the long term. The VJR mast booms and the little 120AETJ are also great products that will do well here in the UK”

“ We are delighted to be working with them and feel that they will go very well alongside Holland Lift, they are both top quality products” He continued.

Russon will not be handling the Manitou scissor range, “We are committed to Holland Lift and we have made this clear to Manitou, who are happy with the arrangement” said Russon.

The Manitou Toyota dealer network will handle the scissor lifts many of which are targeted at industrial applications and end users.

The arrangement with the Toyota UK industrial dealer network builds on Manitou’s relationship with Toyota industrial forklifts which dates back to 1972, when Manitou set up CFM to distribute Toyota in France. Today Manitou build Toyota fork trucks for the European markets, under a joint venture Toyota Industrial Equipment with a large production facility in Manitou’s home town of Acenis. Toyota also owns a three percent equity stake in Manitou.

Dave Faultless, the ManiAccess sales manager in the UK will remain with Manitou and will work with Russon and the dealer networks as a regional manager.

Vertikal Comment

This is a clever move on Manitou’s part, the company is totally dedicated to selling its products exclusively through dealers and yet, the multiple dealer type of network that Manitou UK use for its Telehandler range will never succeed with most British Access rental companies. A single specialist, national distributor like Russon with its contacts and market knowledge, combined with strong manufacturer support, including a large inventory, financial support and after sales back up that Manitou will provide, should work well.

In addition to this if Manitou can create enough interest among dealer salesmen to promote the ManiAccess range to end users, it could have the best of both worlds.

We think that when the numbers are added up this time next year, the results will show a substantial increase in Manitou’s share of the UK market.