DGAP-News: Forklift truck manufacturers OM and STILL plan to combine forces

2010-04-30 / 12:00:00

Forklift truck manufacturers OM and STILL plan to combine forces

  • Long-term optimization of product portfolios to strengthen both brands
  • OM to focus on Italian market; STILL to cover other European markets
  • STILL to add torque converter IC truck family to its product line

Milan / Hamburg / Wiesbaden, 30 April 2010 - Two of the leading European forklift truck manufacturers, OM and STILL, are planning to join forces to further enhance their product portfolios and to provide even better service to their customers in the future. Both brands belong to the KION Group, European market leader in industrial trucks and global number two in its industry. 'Combining the forces of OM and STILL will be another step in further shaping our highly successful multi-brand strategy', said Gordon Riske, CEO of KION Group. 'We want to further strengthen the OM brand on its home market Italy and plan to enrich the OM and STILL product portfolios by additional highly attractive product families.'

According to the plans the OM brand sales and service organization with its almost 100 years tradition would concentrate forces on the Italian market and also manage the STILL activities in Italy. In addition, OM would on the long run add products from the STILL product portfolio to its highly competitive full line product range of forklift trucks and warehouse equipment. The OM organization in Italy shall be jointly headed by Daniele Signorini (CEO Operations) and Ettore Zoboli (CEO Sales & Service), who will join the Group effective immediately. Daniele Signorini is going to retire by the end of 2010 to become member of the STILL supervisory board. 'An integrated management of the combined strong sales and service networks of the OM and STILL brands in Italy and an even broader product portfolio will result in a significant boost for our business in Italy, one of the large and important material handling markets in Europe', said Ettore Zoboli. 'Such step will enable us to even better deliver dedicated products and services to our customers in Italy and provide them a significant competitive advantage. We thereby intend to preserve and even further strengthen our leading market position in Italy.'

In 2009 OM and STILL achieved a combined leading market position in Italy. With more than 69 dealers and 6 branches OM and STILL have a unique sales and service network in Italy. OM also is the strongest manufacturer of forklift trucks and warehouse equipment in Italy; a factory in Luzzara is developing and producing warehouse trucks, a factory in Bari is focussed on the development and production of IC and electric counterbalance trucks. OM and STILL jointly employ 1,000 highly qualified people in Italy, 500 in production and 500 in sales and service. In addition some 1,400 people are employed by the strong dealership networks.

The STILL brand shall concentrate forces on the markets outside Italy and also manage the OM activities in other regions of Europe. STILL is to add to its highly innovative product portfolio the reliable torque converter IC truck portfolio of OM. 'This additional product line will allow STILL to even better serve basic customer needs in Eastern Europe as well as in emerging markets', said Thomas A. Fischer, member of the Management Board of STILL and responsible for Marketing, Sales and Service. 'Additional market opportunities, which we will be able to use, have the potential to create a contribution to the utilisation of the Bari factory. Luzzara will continue to serve as an important production facility for warehouse trucks for KION Group and its brands.'

STILL has a leading position on the European market. With some 180 dealers worldwide and 18 national branches STILL has one of the most dense and reliable sales and service networks in Europe, which will be even more strengthened by adding other European networks of OM. STILL employs some 6,300 highly qualified people, more than 2,000 in R&D and production and some 3,700 in sales and service.

The Companies
The KION Group, with its Linde, STILL, OM and Baoli brands, is Europe's market leader in industrial trucks, the global number two in the industry and the leading international supplier in China.

OM, founded in 1917, produces and commercializes counterbalanced and warehouses trucks for the value market segment. OM has some 900 employees and is the market leader for industrial trucks in Italy. Production sites are located in Bari (Italy) and Luzzara (Italy). The company headquarter is in Lainate near Milan (Italy).

STILL is the leading supplier for the intelligent management of intralogistics - the whole flow of material and information. Since it was formed in 1920, STILL have manufactured forklift and warehousing trucks that are innovative, ergonomically advanced and environmentally friendly. The main manufacturing facility and headquarters are based in Hamburg (Germany).

Further information available from
Michael Hauger
Head of Communications and Investor Relations, KION Group
Tel.: +49 (0)611 770 655
Email: michael.hauger@kiongroup.com

Frank Kopfinger
Head of Investor Relations, KION Group
Tel.: +49 (0)611 770 220
Email: frank.kopfinger@kiongroup.com

Matthias Klug
Head of International Corporate Communications, STILL
Tel.: +49 (0)40 73 39 11 69
Email: matthias.klug@still.de

Massimo Riggio
Head of Marketing and Sales Logistics, OM Carrelli Elevatori Spa
Tel.: +39 02 93 76 53 08
Email: massimo.riggio@om-mh.com

 

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