22.10.2007

H&A takes on Link-Belt

H&E Equipment has been appointed as a Link-Belt dealer for excavators, forestry equipment and cranes for the mid-Atlantic region.

The Link-Belt product range will be offered in the majority of the locations acquired through the recently completed J.W. Burress acquisition.

John M. Engquist, president and chief executive officer of H&E said: “Link-Belt is a very high quality product that we are proud to represent. With the quality of the Link-Belt products and H&E’s commitment to product support, we are confident we will be very successful selling and renting Link-Belt products throughout the mid-
Atlantic region.”

Vertikal Comment

The announcement makes no reference to the fact that Burress is a distributor for Hitachi, the retention of which is tied to the final price that H&E will pay for the business. In addition both H&E and Burress are long time distributors for Grove and more recently the Manitowoc crane group.
It seems a little surprising for H&E to have taken on the Link Belt account so soon, one assumes that this appointment is an indication that any doubts over the retention of the Hitachi franchise have now passed?