A COMPANY specialising in material handling equipment has become a CAT lift truck dealer.

It marks the latest important step in the continuing expansion of Hannaman Material Handling.

The dealership gives Hannaman exclusivity across North Wales, Cheshire and Liverpool for new vehicle sales. The agreement was negotiated with Impact Handling, the sole distributor for CAT Lift Trucks into the UK market.

Steve Downey, managing director of Deeside-based Hannaman, said: “The two irresistible elements that sealed our decision to change dealership were the availability and access to a large stock holding of CAT Lift Trucks already in the UK coupled with superb levels of customer service and support.”

The company will continue their official unveiling of its new range of CAT trucks with a roadshow in Knowsley on September 20.

They will also be on show at Wales Rally GB in October, an event Hannaman has supported with equipment for five years.

Hannaman was previously a Mitsubishi dealer and existing customers will continue to receive the same level of service and maintenance for their Mitsubishi forklift trucks.

The move to CAT coincides with continued growth for the business, which employs 25 people at its 10,000 sq ft base in Deeside Enterprise Zone.

Sales are on course to hit £3m in the current financial year, up from the current £2.4m.

The firm sells, hires, repairs and services forklift trucks, access platforms, floor cleaning machinery and various other material handling equipment.

It has also launched a catalogue offering customers a comprehensive range of extra material handling products including storage lockers, warehouse racking, lifting tables and health and safety signage.

Hannaman has been selected to be part of the Welsh Government’s Accelerated Growth Programme aimed at businesses with plans for fast growth

Steve Downey completed a management buy-in of the 40-year-old business in December 2013.

The managing director served for nearly 25 years in the British Army’s Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and 10 years in senior management roles before joining Hannaman.

“We have a very clear plan for future growth,” he said. “The CAT dealership is a key part of this, but we have a series of other exciting announcements to make in the coming weeks and months.”