ReachMaster Inc., Houston, Texas, a newly formed company headed by compact-lift industry veteran Ebbe Christensen, has taken over the assets and activities of Skako Lift, Inc. in a buyout that became effective September 1.
As a result, ReachMaster Inc. will continue to represent the well-known ReachMaster Falcon, BlueLift, and Denka compact aerial lift products.
After 11 years of operation in the United States, Skako Lift, Inc, Houston, Texas, has agreed to an MBO with its now former president and CEO, Ebbe H. Christensen, who has formed a new company operating as ReachMaster, Inc.
The management buyout is a natural conclusion of the Skako Group’s 2011 decision to divest all interests in the global lift manufacturing industry and to focus on its core businesses in concrete production equipment.
Last year Skako completed a management buyout for its Falcon Division in Denmark, and also sold off Denka production.
ReachMaster started its operation in Houston, Texas in 2001 as a subsidiary of then Danish compact lift pioneer E. Falck Schmidt A/S, which merged with the other Danish compact lift manufacturer, Denka Lift, in 2005 and eventually became Skako Lift.
“We’re very pleased with this agreement and the opportunities it represents, including going back to our well-known ReachMaster name,” said Christensen. “It provides us with a new platform, where we can renew our focus as a company that again has compact lift sales and service as its primary business.”
Christensen noted that, “Since we pioneered the compact lift segment in the U.S. more than 10 years ago, we’ve seen a positive and growing interest for the segment in the market. We believe this new setup will allow us to better utilize our extensive experience while taking advantage of these new opportunities.
According to Christensen, the new arrangement secures both his company’s American operation and the manufacturer support to make the change completely seamless for customers. He says customers will notice no difference in technical service and warranty support. “Our manufacturers have been absolutely fantastic,” he said.
Christensen said that the completion of the MBO is quite timely, as several new product releases are coming this fall. “We are quite excited,” he says.
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