22.04.2026

CMC 'consolidates' Nordic distribution

Italian spider lift manufacturer CMC has signed an agreement with Swedish forklift distributor Maskin Experten, which will see it take over the distribution of CMC spider lifts across the entire Nordic region.

It begins with an exclusive appointment for Sweden and Finland, which was signed last week. If all goes well, the agreement will be rolled out on an exclusive basis to Norway, Denmark and possibly Iceland, although the announcement is not that specific.

CMC says that the move is part of an ongoing 'consolidation strategy' that aims to expand its “network of qualified partners” internationally. Its current dealer network includes around 50 dealers across 30 countries. It added: “By virtue of this understanding, clients within these markets will gain direct access to a comprehensive range of CMC platforms, whilst benefitting from prompt, localised customer support.

Based in Kungsbacka – south of Gothenburg, Maskin Experten currently focuses on fork truck and pallet lift, sales, leasing and service, and is a distributor for the Chinese forklift manufacturer EP Equipment. Its customer base is largely made up of industrial companies and logistics providers.

It prides itself on the quality of its parts and service support, across Sweden, with strategically located mobile service workshops/vans and local specialist partners, as well as its long term outlook for customer relationships. As far as we know, this is Maskin Experten’s first aerial lift account, although we do believe that it will look after platforms and telehandlers for those of its customers who request it. It also says that it can provide spare parts for Aichi, Dino lift, Genie, Grove , Haulotte, Holland Lift, Iteco, JLG, Liftlux, Manitou, Nifty lift, Skyjack, Snorkel and Upright.

Based in Bari, southern Italy, CMC has been controlled by Italian private equity firm Metrika since 2022 when it acquired 70 percent of the company’s equity, with the founding Mastrogiacomo and Moretti families retaining the balance. CMC’s revenues are now in excess of €80 million, with around 200 employees.

CMC sales & marketing manager Alessandro Mastrogiacomo said: "With this agreement, we are strengthening our presence in the Baltic region, a strategic area for our brand consolidation policies across the Old Continent. In Marcus Berg and Maskin Experten, we have found shared values, aligned goals, and a shared long term vision."

Maskin Experten chief executive Marcus Berg added: "Maskin Experten is now the exclusive dealer of CMC Lifts for Sweden, Norway, and Finland. This represents a tremendous growth opportunity for both of us within the Nordic region."

The announcement went on to say: “The partnership represents a significant turning point for the lifting market in the Nordic countries. By combining CMC’s technological leadership with Maskin Experten’s expertise in providing services and spare parts, the agreement aims to supply Scandinavian clients with a complete range of solutions for working at height, whilst strengthening the Italian brand’s presence in an area with a strong industrial vocation.”

Vertikal Comment

This appears, at least on the surface, to be a slightly ‘unusual’ appointment for CMC and for Maskin Experten. It even begins with one party saying that the agreement currently covers Sweden and Finland, with Norway as a future possibility, while the other seems to believe that it is already a ‘done deal’. On top of this, Maskin Experten does not appear to have any coverage or experience in the Finnish market

But far more importantly, Maskin Experten is largely focused on the industrial market, for which spider lifts are hardly the most suitable or desirable work platforms. One would think that slab electric scissor lifts and narrow aisle booms would be more appealing.

Add to this the fact that Sweden and Finland, as well as Norway, have major forestry industries, so you would think that a strong arboreal focused distributor might be a better bet, given that spider lifts are very popular with this market.

Having said all this, we have learnt over the years that you should never, ever underestimate CMC – it will surely have a plan here that in a year or two might look like a case of strong long-term planning or even genius?

Watch this space!