July 30, 2010 | Alta Purchases Assets of TEC Material Handling Corp. in Chicago (Press Release)
Taking advantage of the protracted economic downturn, Alta Equipment Company has been snapping up the competition in the Chicago market for industrial forklifts and supplies. After acquiring the assets of two Chicago-area dealerships at the end of 2009, Alta Equipment has just purchased the assets of Addison-based TEC Material Handling Corp. The deal was finalized on July 30, 2010.
Like Aurora and United, TEC Material Handling was in the Chicago forklift business for over thirty years, and the departure of three such longstanding companies is a testament to the hard times facing the industry.
“These are strong companies with a wealth of experienced employees,” says Ryan Greenawalt, Alta Equipment’s vice president of business development. “We’re very excited to bring them on board. The growth potential in the Chicago market is enormous for us, so it’s a great time to invest.”
In January of 2010, Alta Equipment purchased the assets of Aurora Lift Truck Services and United Lift Truck. With these transactions, Alta Equipment gained distributorship rights for Hyster Lift Trucks throughout the Chicagoland area. “Hyster is very well respected in the industry,” says Greenawalt. “But our key strength is customer service. Our employees know that taking care of customers is their primary responsibility. Everything else follows from that.”
According to Greenawalt, Alta Equipment’s expansion isn’t over. The company has plans to upgrade its current operations and to set up new branch locations where demand is high. “We’re actively seeking new growth opportunities, including facilities and dealership acquisitions,” Greenawalt says. “As our customer base expands, we need our service operations in close proximity. That’s essential to providing the level of service we promise our customers. And we’re always looking at new acquisitions. It has proved a great strategy for us over the years.”
May 1, 2010 | New Hyster Sales Manager and Account Manager in Chicago Area
Alta Equipment Company is proud to welcome two new members to its Hyster Lift Truck sales team in the greater Chicago area. Jay McNichols will be taking the helm of the Chicago group, bringing with him a wealth of experience in lift truck sales and management. Jay Denny, a veteran forklift account manager, is taking care of our customers in the northwest Indiana and south Chicagoland areas. We are delighted to add their talents to our group. Both will be working out of our Montgomery branch.
April 1, 2010 | Alta Equipment Company Grows in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois (Press Release)
In the face of a declining market, Michigan-based lift truck dealer Alta Equipment Company has more than doubled its personnel and market potential through strategic acquisitions in 2010.
During the first quarter of the year, Alta Equipment Company completed the purchases of four equipment dealers: two in Michigan and two in the Chicago area. The purchases in Michigan, of competing lift truck dealer Mid State Industrial Equipment and construction equipment dealer Wolverine Tractor, extended Alta’s reach into Indiana and into the construction equipment market in Michigan.
As a result of these purchases, Alta was named the Hyster Lift Truck dealer for west Michigan and northern Indiana, and also the Volvo Construction Equipment dealer for all of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Through the purchases of Chicago-based Aurora Lift Truck and United Lift, Alta expanded its representation for Hyster into the greater Chicago area.
“We are delighted to expand our forklift offerings to represent Hyster,” said Steve Greenawalt, Alta’s CEO and owner. “We plan to bring our unique approach to customer satisfaction to these new markets.”
A Michigan-owned dealer since 1984, Alta has been recognized eight times as a Yale Dealer of Excellence.
January 15, 2010 | Alta Equipment Expands Dealership Territory with Acquisitions - read the article at Rental Equipment Register .
