01.04.2006

Facelift deal surprises

Facelift the Hickstead based powered access specialist, surprised everyone yesterday when it confirmed, what is JLG’s second largest order ever from a European buyer. The order includes over 200 of the company’s 1250AJP Ultra booms, along with a large number of the company’s mid to large range diesel scissors.

Neither Facelift nor JLG would comment on the value of the order with neither wishing to discuss details prior to a formal press announcement planned for monday. It is understood that while delivery of the new lifts will be staged throughout the rest of the year, Facelift has managed to take advantage of a sizeable order cancellation in North America.

The first 20 units to be delivered were spotted being set up along with a shipment of Haulotte diesel scissors at a nearby hotel in Hickstead, that Facelifts uses for product launches and events. One assumes that the announcement ceremony will be held there?
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A large number of Haulotte H15SXL diesel scissors and JLG 1250 Ultrabooms in the car park of a Hickstead hotel yesterday

We managed to reach Facelifts managing director, Gordon Leicester, but he was uncharacteristically reluctant to provide any details. We were told that JLG and Facelift are in the process of preparing a press announcement that will be issued around midday on Monday.

Leicester did however tell Vertikal.Net that that a good number of the units are destined for end user sales, and to this end a significant quantity of smaller booms have also been ordered. “The time is right for us to move, in the past two years we have tested self propelled booms and scissors in our fleet and been delighted with the results. It is clear that we can generate the demand as long as we have the kit” said Leicester.

“We want to invest in our future and prepare for far higher sales volumes, this is what we have been preparing for over the last two years. I am now quietly confident with our catalogue and website success, we have all the necessary tools in place” He said.

No one at JLG was prepared to make an official statement concerning the deal, and was only prepared to confirm that a substantial order had been received, and that a press statement would be issued next week. One member of staff at JLG told us that the effect that such a sizeable order might have on the company’s stock price, prevented anything from being said until a formal announcement was placed on the news wires.

While it appears that JLG has been the biggest beneficiary of Facelifts spending, (a surprise given that the company has not been a JLG buyer in the past) We understand that a few other manufacturers have also benefited.

Including Haulotte which has received and order for 450 45ft booms and 600 mixed scissor lifts. On the truck mounted side, Bronto has taken an order for 42 of its XDT high capacity, truck mounted lifts.

For more photographs and comment on this surprising deal click here