Business News

Jungheinrich Realigns North American Operations

Thursday 13. August 2009 - Jungheinrich AG is realigning its North American business. The company signed several agreements with Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. (MCFA for short) to supply the US, Canadian and Mexican markets to this end. On the strength of its densely spun dealer network, MCFA is set to become the exclusive distributor of Jungheinrich products in North America from January 1, 2010, onwards.

The arrangement further envisions MCFA handling the production of future warehousing equipment developed by Jungheinrich for the North American market. These new forklift trucks will be developed by Jungheinrich in a dedicated design center in Houston (TX).

So far, Jungheinrich has been represented on the world’s third-largest material handling equipment market by a small wholly owned direct sales company, Jungheinrich Lift Truck Corp., Richmond (VA), and a dealer network. Jungheinrich will discontinue these sales channels and transfer its sales business to MCFA. In 2008, Jungheinrich accounted for a 1.2 per cent share of the North American market, selling some 1,900 forklift trucks. MCFA owns more than 10 per cent of the market, ranking among the leading players in North America. “Sales of Jungheinrich products through the MCFA distribution network open up wonderful opportunities to the Jungheinrich brand in North America and strengthen our competitive position, with MCFA benefiting from our warehousing expertise in exchange,” says Hans-Georg Frey, Chairman of the Board of Management of Jungheinrich AG, assessing the agreement.