05.11.2008

Holland Lift opens new facility

Holland Lift, the Hoorn, Netherlands based heavy duty scissor lift manufacturer has officially opened its new production facility opposite its existing plant.

The ceremony held for employees, included the official opening by the Mayor of Hoorn, Onno van Veldhuizen and also marked the 25th anniversary of the company.
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Hoorn Mayor Onno van Veldhuizen operates the controller to open the new facility

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The unveiling of the 25th anniversary banner opens the new facility

This is the second new facility that the company has added in the past three years as it expands to cope with growing demand for its large scissor lifts. The new building, which is located on a 6,000 square metre plot, with 3,000 square metres under roof, will include fabrication testing and inspection prior to paint, and include storage of all unpainted components.
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Work stopped as employees attended the ceremony

A section of the building has been walled off to serve as a new Dutch facility for Servi Tec, its German based after sales and rebuild business. The workshops will be use for major repairs and refurbishments of not only Holland Lift equipment, but eventually other brands as well.

The 2,500 square metre building that was opened in 2006 will now be dedicated to sub assembly and product finishing and final inspections as well as storage or painted items such as covers.
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Pieter Boogert addresses employees prior to a celebratory lunch

The latest expansion will allow its original plant to be dedicated to final assembly on an almost production line basis, helping increase and streamline production. The company is currently sitting on an order book that takes its deliveries into 2010.

Holland Lift was founded at the end of 1983 by consulting engineer Martin Haak and began production in 1984, its first units were sold to Hooghovens steel works, and its first production model the 41ft 125EV.
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Martin Haak in the background at yesterday's ceremony

The company was acquired by MBB in 1993 and then by Terex in 1998. Terex almost sold the business to Haulotte in 2001, but Roger Tracey of Stoneham Equipment stepped in an acquired the business from Terex in 2002 with the two directors, Menno Koel and Pieter Boogert taking up part of the equity.
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(L-R) Pieter Boogert, mayor Onno van Veldhuizen and Menno Koel

Late last year Koel and Boogert teamed up with a small Dutch private equity firm to buy the company from Tracey, increasing their stake significantly at the same time.

It then acquired a 25 percent stake in its UK distributor Russon Access, which it has recently raised to 40 percent.

The company is planning to host an open days for customers in April or May of next year, by which time the reorganisation between the three buildings will be complete.