01.03.2006

Russon Access platforms Ltd

The new Russon Access Platforms Ltd is now well established and operatimg from new offices at The White house, Station Road, West Hagley, Stourbridge.

Until late last year Russon Access was a trading name of Gamble Jarvis Plant hire Ltd. However after the sale of the business by Ian Gamble, Alan Russon resigned and left the company.
Meanwhile the new owners decided to pull out of aerial lift sales.

Russon is joined in the new venture by Russell Rowley on sales, Mel Neal, running the company, and Ian Day on service. The company has been appointed as the UK and Ireland distributor for Holland Lift scissors and as the access hire company dealer for Manitou Boom lifts.

In spite of the difficulties imposed by the changes of the past six months or so, the two manufacturers both had record years in the UK, with the UK becoming the largest export markets for both. Manitou in particular saw its UK sales jump by 477 percent according to Dave Faultless, UK product manager for ManiAccess.

With the new Russon Access now in place 2006 has started out well ahead of 2005, with a strong order book for both scissors and booms.
Manitou sales have been split roughly 70/30 between Rough Terrain boom lifts and the 120AETJ industrial narrow aisle boom lift.

On the Holland lift side the new 1.2 metre wide, 16.5 metre high, electric scissor lift is proving to be very popular. The company has also booked orders for the 32 metre platform height Holland Lifts, the largest to be imported into the UK.
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Manitou and Russon Access with representatives from the Access Link

Last week Manitou and Russon Access kicked of the new venture by hosting the Access Link meeting at Manitou UK’s Verwood facility. This event was also the last one attended by Panther Platform Rentals as it retired from the Link following its takeover by the Lavendon Group.
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Vertikal Comment

The entanglement of Russon Access in the Gamble Jarvis sale caused a fair bit of personal disruption to the Russon staff and their suppliers, mainly due to the fact that the Russon business was only a sideline to the Gamble deal. The manufacturers moved swiftly though taking back their distribution rights, as is normal when distributorships change hands and helped ensure that minimal disruption was felt by customers.

With a new, even more focussed venture now up and running, the two manufacturers are certain to continue their growth in the UK market, almost with out missing a beat.

The structure of the distribution agreement, particularly between Manitou and Russon, is unusual and yet a very practical way to handle the UK market. Russon has an experienced and yet low overhead operation, focused on the customer, while the manufacturer looks after the capital intensive part of the business from an existing facility and resource. Inventory storage, PDI, replacement parts and some of the routine service is handled by Manitou, leaving the Russon team to act as the front line point of contact as well as handling the more specialised product support tasks.

Manitou is able therefore to sell through a dealer in what is essentially a direct sale market, while the fleet buyers do not have the usual dealer overhead costs built into their prices.