After over 40 highly successful years in the forklift attachments industry, Abbey has entered an exciting new chapter by partnering with the German attachment manufacturer Durwen. The agreement will see Abbey become the UK supplier of Durwen’s extensive forklift attachment range. This brings together two family-run businesses with a shared focus on quality, service and practical solutions for customers.
For Abbey, the partnership represents the next stage in the company’s attachment journey. While they have traditionally provided short term rental and used forklift attachments, Abbey is now broadening their scope. Paul Saunders, Abbey’s Managing Director, commented: “Since our earliest days, Abbey has been known for supplying quality used and short-term rental attachments. But increasingly we were receiving requests for new attachments from customers who were frustrated by a lack of support and service from other suppliers. Our partnership with Durwen represents a huge step forward for the business and we are very excited for the future.”
For Durwen, the agreement builds on a long-standing presence in the UK market where quality, reliability and performance remain key purchasing considerations.
Founded in 1946 by Nikolas Durwen, the German manufacturer is now in its third generation of family ownership. The company began producing materials handling equipment in 1970 and have since established themselves as one of Europe’s leading forklift attachment specialists.
Operating from their headquarters in Plaidt, Germany, Durwen manufactures almost entirely in-house, maintaining full control over every stage of production. This allows them to uphold high standards of quality, consistency, and engineering detail.
Across a range of attachments, such as rotating fork clamps, bale clamps and multi-pallet handlers, Durwen’s proven round-bar design delivers exceptional structural integrity whilst maintaining optimal weight characteristics. Additionally, the open, compact profiles give operators a clearer view of the load.
Each attachment is developed with specific applications in mind, with many solutions tailored to industry challenges to deliver consistent, controlled performance when handling high-value or complex loads. Using this approach, Durwen has established a range of high-quality attachments known for their durability and performance in demanding material handling environments.
Alongside their engineering expertise, Durwen also recognises the crucial role of structured service support. This is demonstrated by their DSP (Durwen ServicePlus) programme, which optimises the number of components in each attachment design and employs extremely durable wear parts. Durwen understands the need to simplify maintenance and keep repair times to a minimum.
Recognising the importance of service mirrors Abbey’s own commitment to building long-term customer relationships through practical, dependable support.
Paul Saunders says: “I have known Ralf (Durwen’s Export Director) for over 20 years and have greatly admired Durwen for both the quality of their attachments and the exceptional service they offer. When we realised there was an opportunity to partner with Durwen and become their distributor in the UK, we jumped at the chance.
Thanks to the support from the entire team at Durwen, and the enthusiasm of my colleagues, we have a strong foundation to grow our market position and provide solutions that help our customers.”
The similarities between the two businesses extend beyond their family ownership. Both companies have spent decades building trusted reputations by listening to customers and providing practical solutions that help businesses operate more efficiently.
Ralf Taubenheim believes those shared values will underpin a successful future together. He said: “We at Durwen Germany look forward to working closely with Abbey. They will be a strong partner whose service and support, combined with the Durwen attachment range, will create a high-quality offering for the UK market.
“As family-run businesses, both Durwen and Abbey share the same focus on customer needs and a practical approach to solving problems. This shared mindset will give customers confidence in the support and solutions they receive.”
Together, Abbey and Durwen are creating a partnership that feels both natural and forward looking. By combining German engineered, durable attachments with trusted UK based service and support, customers will have access to a more complete solution for modern warehouse and logistics operations.
About Abbey
Established in 1984, Abbey is a UK-based, family-run supplier of material handling solutions for the warehousing, logistics and manufacturing sectors. Led by Paul Saunders, with his son Jacob also involved in the business, Abbey combines decades of industry experience with a practical, customer-focused approach.
Boasting Europe’s largest stock of rental forklift attachments and a wide range of new equipment, Abbey helps customers stay productive and adaptable.
Working closely with leading brands such as KOOI®, Orlaco, RAVAS and Safety Shield, Abbey also provides a broad range of solutions such as AI pedestrian detection systems, mobile weighing equipment, and forklift safety cameras.
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