With worldwide orders flooding in, the UK’s market-leading manufacturer of articulated fork trucks is ready to conquer the global market.
2010 was, and will always remain, a momentous year for Translift Bendi, acknowledged as the market pioneer of very narrow aisle (VNA) forklift trucks. Launching an unprecedented five new models at global trade show IMHX, the Redditch-based fork truck manufacturer saw sales of machines rocket into triple figures for the year, with interest in Bendi’s innovative VNA solutions extending far beyond the borders of the United Kingdom.
Now, with three further trucks being launched, the company’s bosses are predicting this to be a breakthrough year for Bendi, with a year-on-year sales increase of around 400% in export forecasted by the end of 2011. Remarkably for a company that had until recently only been known in the UK, nearly a quarter of Bendi’s order book is now going to export, with a staggering 48% of that figure directly attributed to the company’s new product launches.
The recent success of the company, and its remarkable predicted expansion over the coming year, is due to the “fantastic” international dealer network that Bendi has worked hard to establish, according to MD Simon Brown.
“The unique features of our machines and our increasing reputation as an innovative, customer-focused business has placed us in a very strong position, whereby distributors all over the world are vying to sell our product. However, we have never let this success go to our heads or affect how we work with our partners,” explains Brown.
“We have always selected distributors who share the same drive and passion that runs through the company here in the UK, and to this day we will only work with distribution partners that we truly believe in. This,” asserts Brown, “is the key to our success.”
To that end, Bendi has restructured its sales team to take advantage of the export boom with dedicated personnel looking after dealer and direct customer relationships, whilst remaining fortified in the UK.
Bendi has also, over recent years, developed strategic partnerships across Europe, America, Africa and Australasia, establishing itself at the forefront of the global materials handling sector with a robust and far-reaching distribution network.
The recently announced strategic tie-up with US-based forklift major Landoll has also served to strengthen the Bendi’s global credentials, with the two firms collaborating closely on R&D and sales ventures across the world.
Two of the three recent global machine launches – the B55 “Duo” for 3PLs and beverage distributors and the new counterbalance stand-on truck – are brand new machines developed in collaboration with Landoll. The third – an existing model but one that had not enjoyed widespread popularity – has experienced a remarkable resurgence in recent months thanks to its recent relaunch, again handled in collaboration with Landoll.
Brown said: “The success of this company has to be credited in no small measure to our partners. They have helped us to establish a truly sound foundation for this business on a global scale, and in return we have shared with them the success that we are enjoying with sales around the globe.
“Our careful but ambitious approach to the global marketplace has helped us to reach a very exciting place, whereby we are not only building our own business but helping to increase sales for our distributors as well,” he added. “One thing you can count on: Bendi will be the first choice in articulated trucks wherever we have a presence – and where we don’t, you can be sure we will be there shortly!”
Translift Bendi Ltd is a privately owned UK manufacturing business with strategic overseas partnerships for both manufacturing and distribution of its product.
Based in Redditch, Worcestershire, Bendi has reshaped the materials handling market by offering versatile very narrow aisle forklift trucks. For the last 20 years the Bendi has developed from being a niche product to one that sells in the same numbers as conventional reach trucks and has dwarfed the VNA market that it set out to replace.
Bendi has a continuous development programme and new concepts, innovations and models are currently been evolved.
Translift Bendi Ltd
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