Ex-Multiquip executives form light equipment business

Former Multiquip executives Roger Euliss, Steven Spence and Poonam Kapila have founded a light construction equipment company called Equipment Synergy International (ESI) to sell equipment globally.

ESI will initially market walk-behind compaction equipment and concrete placing and finishing tools produced in Asia by UNI-Corp, the Singapore based company that sells equipment under the Hoppt brand in Asia and Paclite in Europe.

Mr Euliss, a past president of Multiquip where he spent 28 years, told IRN that the company would be adding other non-UNI-Corp produced equipment to its range and already had a concrete cutting machine to sell and would have other products by the middle of next year.

"We are having UNI-Corp build to our specification a range of light equipment, marketed under the ESI brand and it will be unique and exclusive to us", said Mr Euliss, who is based at an office in Jamestown, North Carolina.

ESI will get its official launch as the World of Concrete and Rental Show exhibitions in early 2011, but Mr Euliss said the company would be targeting international sales as well. Equipment will be CE marked for Europe and will comply with electrical regulations for markets like Canada and Australia.

The initial product range includes plate compactors, rammers, power trowels, concrete vibrators and concrete cutting tools. A US logistics company will be responsible for shipping parts.

ESI's global sales strategy means that it will come up against Paclite Equipment, the recently formed European company headed by ex-Dynapac and Belle Group salesman Kent Gorsun, which is also marketing UNI-Corp built machines. "[Kent] will be a good competitor", said Mr Euliss, "but we have different brands and differentiation in the equipment."

ESI will not be targeting the large rental chains. "We're going to approach things a little differently", said Mr Euliss, "Being a small manufacturer/distributor, we will not be able to offer all the programmes that the larger rental companies seem to demand. Our target will be the small and mid-sized companies, regional companies, and independent rental stores.

"The market in the US is still very, very slow, but we feel that with a little different approach, and with good, basic equipment and competitive prices, we can get a small but reasonable market share." Mr Euliss said he would be happy with a 5 to 10% share in the first year.

The three founders of ESI are Mr Euliss, Steven Spence (former Multiquip product manager) and Ms Poonam Kapila (former director of marketing at Multiquip). Ms Kapila will be ESI's vice president of marketing and communications. Also joining is Garry Haferbier, a past Multiquip regional manager, who will focus on product development and sales in Canada and northern US.

IRN asked Mr Euliss how it felt to be competing with Multiquip? "I'm not setting up a business to compete with Multiquip", he said, "I really have a passion for this industry. I'm not ready to retire yet - this is what we know and this is what we enjoy."