23.09.2008

40 years and going strong

Dordrecht, Holland, based rental company Riwal celebrated its 40th birthday at the recent APEX show. The company celebrated with a big party on its stand for customer’s suppliers and colleagues.

During the party, attended by JLG, Riwal's largest equipment supplier took the opportunity to present a special birthday present the company and its owners with a finely detailed one off hand made model of a JLG 860 SJ boom lift.
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(L-R) Dick Schalekamp, Craig Paylor of JLG, Doron Livnat, Jaap Schalekamp and founder Dick Schalekamp-Snr celebrate 40 years

The presentation was made by JLG president Craig Paylor to founder Dick Schalekamp and current owners Dick Schalekamp- jnr, Doron Livnat and Jaap Schalekamp.

Riwal's history dates back to 1968, when Dick Schalekamp established Richards & Wallington International, the Dutch division of the UK based crane rental company.

He bought the business out in 1980 after the Richards and Wallington group ran into financial difficulties. The business was renamed Riwal in 1987 when it added an access division, Doron Livnat began co-operating with the company from this period, buying into the business in 2000.

Since then the company has grown rapidly and consistently, and now operates a fleet of well over 11,000 aerial lifts along with telehandlers and other products across 15 countries from Croatia to Spain to Brazil and beyond. It pulled out of the original crane business earlier in 2007, when it sold the division to Sarens.