LiftRite to take on Kobelco in WA

 

From 1 October 2016, LiftRite Hire & Sales will become the Kobelco dealer for Western Australia, with Loadex withdrawing from this market. LiftRite was founded in 1983 to provide materials handling solutions to the construction, mining and agricultural industries, and also  operate in the compact construction equipment market.

“The Kobelco franchise complements our existing business. With our size and reputation, we have been offered other franchises over the years, but have rejected them because they do not fit into our business model,’ said LiftRite Sales Director, Jack Przytula.

“Our research showed that Kobelco has an excellent reputation, and Glenn Alderton is returning to handle Kobelco sales at LiftRite after managing excavator sales for our previous franchise. Glenn has been singing the praises of Kobelco,” Jack said.

While LiftRite has handled compact equipment, it is no stranger to large equipment, with some of the materials handling equipment that it carries having capacities of over 50 tonnes.

“With the size of our workshop and the three overhead cranes, we could handle 12 of the largest excavators Kobelco makes at one time,” Jack says.

The support isn’t just in the facilities, Jack is proud that around 60% of the LiftRite staff is involved in service and support, and there are 12 service vehicles in the fleet.

There have also been extensive preparations undertaken for a smooth transition of the Kobelco agency.  Technicians and sales staff will be undergoing extensive training in Kobelco equipment, including the new Kobelco Generation 10 excavators and information from Kobelco on sales patterns and the existing machine population has been invaluable when setting up parts and service inventories. General Manager – Sales & Service for Kobelco, Doug McQuinn, says the Western Australian market is bouncing back, and looks forward to taking this next step with LiftRite.

“Kobelco is proud to be partnering with LiftRite as they build their presence in the excavator market. With a reputation in Western Australia for outstanding service and reliability, it’s a natural partnership fit for both Kobelco and LiftRite,” Doug says.

Jack has high expectations for the partnership of LiftRite and Kobelco, believing that the combination of the quality and advanced features of the Kobelco excavator range and LiftRite’s focus on service and support will see Kobelco reach around 30% of LiftRite’s turnover.

With LiftRite’s directors working in the business, Jack sees advantages for customers compared to larger corporate distributors. “If customers have a concern, they can talk to us and we can provide a speedy solution,” he says.