Haulotte eyes US acquisitions

The company will also launch a new range of large scissor lifts with working heights from 18 m to 32 m before the end of 2006 and said it further aimed to offer a full range of telehandlers, to be developed with or without its current telehandler partner Faresin.

Mr Fernandez, speaking in early December before the Madrid launch of the group's sponsorship for the 2006 Dakar Rally, told Access International that acquisitions would help the company diversify its product line beyond the aerial platforms that currently dominate its sales. Buying a company would also give it the opportunity to start manufacturing in the US, he said.

'We will increase our product range”, said Mr Fernandez, 'including our product range in the US.” He said a decision on the acquisitions would be made before the end of the first quarter of 2006. The company produced around 12000 machines in 2005, of which around 95% were aerial platforms.

The company is also expanding its network of subsidiary companies.

It currently has 13 worldwide, including one recently opened in Moscow, Russia (Haulotte Vostok) and a further three in China, Mexico and Poland. Mr Fernandez said Haulotte would have 25 subsidiaries by 2007, including new bases in India, South Africa, Argentina, Morocco and Slovakia.