JLG and Hinowa owner Oshkosh has agreed the acquisition of Spanish mini telehandler, Rough Terrain forklift and dumper manufacturer Ausa. The transaction, is expected to close in the next 90 days, subject to the usual regulatory and closing conditions.
Based in Barcelona, Ausa was established by three families in 1956 to build cars, given that their import was restricted during General Franco's administration. When the government later introduced a state owned competitor in the form of Seat, Ausa switched tack and began building dump trucks. Rough Terrain forklifts and small telehandlers followed sometime later, with exports getting underway in 1969.
The company is still privately owned, with a second generation of the family retaining shares in the business. The company employs around 350 and builds around 12,000 units a year, with revenues last year of €132 million. It operates through around 600 independent dealers across 90 countries with roughly 70 percent of its sales coming exports.
The Asua product range at its HQ in Barcelona, Spain
Ausa will join JLG, Hinowa and Jerr-Dan in the Oshkosh Access division. Ausa has been working with JLG since 2020 when it started supplying a JLG branded version of its mini telehandler for the North American market.
Oshkosh chief executive John Pfeifer said: “Ausa’s history of producing high quality, purpose built equipment aligns with our ‘Innovate. Serve. Advance’. strategy, allowing us to broaden our product offerings in both current and adjacent markets. We look forward to welcoming the AUSA team into the Oshkosh family.”
JLG/Oshkosh Access president Mahesh Narang added: “We are excited to join forces with a proven partner like Ausa. Combining our advanced technology capabilities and robust training, support and service infrastructures will allow us to better serve customers and enable targeted growth.”
Ausa chief executive Ramon Carbonell said: “We constantly pursue excellence in our products, services and business. A deeper relationship with Oshkosh will expand the reach of our products, which is an objective our companies share.”
Vertikal Comment
This is quite an interesting move, in that it has two aspects to it. Ausa is a leading producer of wheeled dumpers /dump trucks from one to 10 tonnes, while Hinowa builds a range of five tracked mini dumpers with capacities up to 2,900kg.
Together they provide a more varied product line up. JLG - the leading telehandler manufacturer in North America - is already benefiting from the addition of Ausa’s dumpers at the smaller end of the market. Ausa’s dealer network might also provide potential for some JLG or Hinowa products, either through badging or otherwise. The move also rekindles JLG’s telehandler presence in Europe - albeit in a small way - so plenty of ‘synergy’. A good start for such an acquisition.
The Oshkosh/JLG cultures are quite different though, but Ramon Carbonell will know by now what he is dealing with. JLG's takeover of Hinowa at the start of 2023 also seems to have gone quite well in its first year, and may well be a model of how it might manage Ausa?
So, on balance this looks like it could be a good move for both parties and their employees. Time will tell.
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