Majority stake acquired in access specialist

2 November 2011
Leading South African industrial equipment distributor, Goscor, has acquired a majority stake in powered access specialist Hi-Reach Manlift, sole distributors in South Africa of the world-renowned Terex-owned Genie range of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPS) or ‘cherry pickers’ and other related equipment. The company will be known as Goscor Hi-Reach.

Goscor director Anton Bothma says that the acquisition gives the Goscor group a solid entry into the work-at-height market. “Our philosophy has always been to work with the number one or two brands in their industries and Genie fits this bill.  Also, this market has excellent synergies with many of our other leading brands in the group especially our Doosan forklifts and Crown warehousing equipment,” he says.

Goscor Hi-Reach MD, George Landsberg, who has been involved in the MEWP market in South Africa from the early days having set up Johnson Access in 1998, established Hi-Reach Manlift in 2005 and set the stage for a strong and viable distributor of this world famous range of MEWPS, Light Towers, Telescopic Handlers and more including the range of small Hy-Brid self-propelled and push-around scissor lifts with unique light-weight characteristics manufactured in the USA by Custom Equipment.
 
Earlier this year Landsberg signed a new extended distribution agreement with Genie Industries for the on-going distribution rights for its products across Sub-Saharan Africa. He and his team will continue to run the Goscor Hi-Reach operation from its location in Alrode, South Africa.

“With the added footprint and power of the Goscor Group and Imperial, we are looking at a new exciting growth path,” Landsberg concluded.

Caption: (L-R) Goscor‘s Anton Bothma , George Landsberg and Neil Wilson (CEO Goscor Group), with Eleanor Gilmour and Martin Welmans both of Hi-Reach, celebrate the birth of Goscor Hi-Reach.