Industry News
Yanmar acquires ASV Holdings; JCB network expands in Alaska with Equipment Source Inc., John Deere announces registered apprenticeship program, PERC offers resource about propane equipment, Doosan adds upstate New York dealer.
Yanmar acquires ASV Holdings
Yanmar Holdings has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ASV Holdings Inc. (ASV) which makes compact tracked loaders (CTLs) and skid-steer loaders (SSLs).
Yanmar is to acquire ASV through the mechanism of a statutory merger.
“We believe that the Yanmar Group’s acquisition of ASV will significantly bolster Yanmar’s compact equipment offerings in the loader segment, a product range vital for success in the all-important North American market,” says Giuliano Parodi, executive officer of Yanmar Holdings, “With its highly-skilled workforce and quality CTL/SSL lineup, ASV is a great fit for both Yanmar’s focus on quality, and our growth and expansion plans in the North American and global markets as it will create a comprehensive and global provider of compact equipment with virtually no overlap in distribution networks.”
“I have no doubt that our design, manufacturing and distribution expertise will find a welcome home in the Yanmar Group as we share a common vision to provide the highest-quality products,” says Andrew Rooke, chairman and CEO of ASV. “ASV’s merger with Yanmar will ensure a vibrant future providing quality machinery for our customers and will provide a great opportunity for ASV employees to join a growing global company.”
ASV has an independent dealer network throughout North America, Australia, and New Zealand. The company also sells OEM equipment and aftermarket parts. ASV owns and operates a 238,000 square-foot production facility in Grand Rapids, Minn.
The acquisition, once finalized, will complete the Yanmar’s range of compact equipment products and contribute to Yanmar’s prospects for growth in North America and globally.
The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019, and Yanmar will acquire 100 percent of ASV’s outstanding shares of common stock for total consideration of $70.70 million, or $7.05 per share.
www.yanmar.com/global/about/
Cross Country Infrastructure Services acquires Five Star Equipment Rental
Cross Country Infrastructure Services, Inc. has acquired Five Star Equipment Leasing & Rental, L.L.C.
With the addition of Five Star, Cross Country gains an established equipment rental player in the central U.S. and at the crossroads of a multitude of oil, gas and infrastructure projects. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“We are excited about the addition of Five Star to the Cross Country family. Five Star’s utility size equipment and general equipment lines will allow us to add an expanded product offering to our existing customer base, while also increasing Cross Country’s reach in the Central U.S market. Also, the addition of this outstanding operation will enable us to serve an important market with quality equipment and an experienced staff. We are pleased to welcome Bob Lewis and the Five Star sales team which are some of the best in the equipment rental industry,” says Gerry Plescia, CEO of Cross Country.
Five Star Equipment Rental has been serving Oklahoma since 1997. Five Star provides equipment rental solutions and service for all of Oklahoma and its bordering states for the construction, energy, industrial and infrastructure markets. Five Star equipment rentals include earthmoving, compaction, aerial, forklifts and water pumping solutions.
Over the past five years, Cross Country has acquired several companies with industry specialties that strengthened and diversified the company’s services and products. These acquisitions include Power Associates International in 2013, Sideline Specialty Equipment in 2015, Stone Pump & Trench, and PWI Supply in 2016 and Rain2Day in 2018.
Read the full release
JCB network expands in Alaska with Equipment Source Inc.
Equipment Source Inc. (ESI) JCB is the newest addition to the growing JCB dealer network in North America.
The new JCB dealer sells and services a full range of JCB construction machines—including excavators, skid steer and compact track loaders and telehandlers—from locations in Anchorage and Fairbanks.
“ESI’s commitment to providing our customers with high-quality products and dependable service has been proven over nearly two decades,” says Timothy Cerny, president of ESI JCB. “Now, as a JCB dealer, we’re able to offer durable and reliable JCB construction machines to help our customers be more productive and successful in the diverse conditions in which they work.”
Since 2000, ESI has provided equipment to oil, mining, construction and agriculture customers in some of the most demanding and environmentally sensitive locations on the planet.
“ESI has an outstanding record of delivering excellent service with a can-do attitude, helping customers find equipment solutions for often challenging work sites,” says Christian Baillie, vice president of Dealer Sales for JCB North America.
“ESI’s commitment to excellence and environmental responsibility reflects JCB’s philosophy and complements our strong relationship.”
www.jcb.com
John Deere announces registered apprenticeship program
John Deere has received approval from the U.S. Department of Labor for its new Registered Apprenticeship Program and is making it available to its Agriculture & Turf and Construction & Forestry dealers.
The program will help address a widespread shortage of service technicians, especially in rural areas across the country, by providing dealers with a formalized, on-the-job and technical training plan to help them develop more highly skilled employees.
Through participation in the apprenticeship program, dealers formally commit to developing additional talent in an earn-while-you-learn program. A participating apprentice benefits from structured, on-the-job training in partnership with an experienced mentor. As training progresses, apprentices are rewarded for new skills acquired.
John Deere dealers can collaborate with any number of local organizations as part of the Registered Apprenticeship Program. These organizations include, but are not limited to, the John Deere TECH Program, K-12 schools, community colleges, labor organizations, economic development groups, foundations and workforce development boards.
John Deere dealers who wish to participate can receive support and technical assistance from John Deere and JFF (Jobs For the Future, a U.S. Department of Labor intermediary), who will expedite the registration process with their state or federal apprenticeship agency. After registering, dealers can immediately enter employees into the Agriculture Equipment Technician or Heavy Construction Equipment Mechanic programs.
To simplify participation for its dealers, John Deere created national guideline standards for the Registered Apprenticeship Program, which have been shared with its dealer channel and is providing technical assistance to dealers interested in participating.
www.JohnDeere.com
PERC offers resource about propane equipment
The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)released an online resource that details how business owners can improve operations by choosing propane-powered forklifts.
“If businesses are looking for easy refueling, fewer emissions, or equipment that never quits, propane forklifts get the job done — whether it’s a small task or heavy lift,” says Jeremy Wishart, PERC director of off-road business development. “Our newest resource will showcase all that a propane forklift can do for their specific operation.”
The free business guide outlines the primary benefits of propane-powered forklifts, which include cost savings, lower emissions, increased productivity, expert training available for equipment operators, and the versatility to work indoors and out. The guide also includes case study samples of professional peers who’ve found success using propane forklifts for a variety of reasons.
Propane’s versatility and key advantages over other fuels make it extremely valuable to the material handling, distribution, and logistics market. Not only does propane reliably deliver the power and versatility that businesses need, but the fuel also has the capability to handle virtually every size of workload — meaning businesses can plan for only one fuel type for any project.
Learn more about the benefits of propane forklifts for material handling operations at Propane.com/For-My-Business/Material-Handling/.
Doosan adds upstate New York dealer
Doosan Infracore North America, LLC, has expanded its dealer network with the addition of Kleis Equipment, LLC, as an authorized sales, service, parts and rental provider of Doosan equipment.
Kleis Equipment offers a range of Doosan equipment, including crawler excavators, wheel excavators, log loaders, material handlers, articulated dump trucks and wheel loaders. Kleis Equipment serves customers in Oswego, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga and Cortland counties in upstate New York. The dealership is located at 1837 State Route 49 in Constantia, New York.
“Customers turn to Kleis Equipment because we carry quality products and provide outstanding service,” says John Kleis, owner. “We decided to carry Doosan equipment because it has excellent products and is a company with a rich history.”
John Kleis started Kleis Equipment in 2007 selling chainsaws, wood processors and splitters and firewood. John’s extremely strong work ethic and a mind for numbers led him to add different brands of forestry and construction equipment.
“This is an excellent opportunity to partner with John Kleis and helps him continue to expand, adding the Doosan brand to his offerings,” says Adam Howard, regional director, Doosan Infracore North America, LLC. “We anticipate many opportunities to partner with John and his customers in upstate, New York, with a variety of Doosan machines.”
www.KleisEquipment.com
PRO CONTRACTOR RENTALS MAGAZINE
Pro Contractor Rentals provides information of value to rental centers who focus time, resources and attention on meeting the demands of construction contractors and other equipment rental customers.
