23.03.2004

Who is buying Manlift ?.

Following the closure of the Manlift Boom and scissor production announced last November we understand that JLG, Haulotte and Skyjack have all been picking over the remnants of the Manlift business. Certainly the Manlift boom designs would be an excellent re-entry into the boom market for Skyjack. The only question is whether parent Linmar is ready to increase their already significant exposure to the aerial lift market. While Skyjack is beginning to do well again, Linmar are understood to have paid well over the odds when they acquired the Canadian scissor lift producer.

As to Haulotte, they would have little to gain, from picking up Manlift assets and have already scrutinized the Toucan business when they came close to purchasing it a few years back. It is hard to see how Haulotte could justify such a move to their shareholders although the Liftlux range would certainly add to their already extensive range.

JLG on the other hand, already a neighbor of the Toucan plant in Tonneins, with the rebuild centre they purchased from Access Industrie, would benefit from gaining the market leading Toucan range, not to mention the Toucan Junior which, with some scissor lift distribution and marketing, could challenge Genie and UpRight for the bottom end of the scissor market with the Mast style self propelled product. JLG would also benefit from the Liftlux scissor lift range, which they could easily build at their Belgian assembly plant. Giving them greater strength in the big scissor market and providing a range of products that their German and Benelux distribution chain would be delighted to have access to.

If JLG does have plans to acquire parts of the Manlift business, next week would be an ideal time to announce it, with all of their distributors and major customers visiting them at Bauma.

Watch this space!