Impact Handling celebrates 15 years with Cat Lift Trucks

The milestone marks a sustained and successful partnership between Impact and one of the leading materials handling brands across the world, which has been defined by a steadfast commitment to delivering high-quality and customer-focused solutions.

Impact Handling was appointed as the exclusive distributor for Cat Lift Trucks in 2010 by Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift Europe - now known as Mitsubishi Logisnext Europe B.V. (MLE) - the manufacturer and European distributor of the brand in Europe. Impact was identified as an ideal national partner to strengthen Cat Lift Trucks’ presence in the UK due to its values and national network. 

Since then, it has flourished, going from strength to strength over the years, underpinned by a shared synergy in teamwork and meeting customers’ evolving needs. Such is the extent of its success that Impact is credited for further cementing Cat Lift Trucks as the go-to materials handling solution in the UK. 

Together, Impact and Cat Lift Trucks have, over their 15-year relationship, delivered solutions that go beyond just the standard equipment supply offering, instead looking at providing a level of support that caters to today’s market demands, rather than those of years gone by.  

"Impact Handling isn’t just a distributor to us; they are a partner in every sense of the word. They don’t just supply Cat Lift Trucks products to the UK, they deliver complete solutions to meet specific customer requirements, rather than what they think they need - a customer-centric ethos which made them stand out in the early days of our partnership," said Hans Seijger, chief business development officer at Mitsubishi Logisnext Europe B.V.

"While the Cat Lift Trucks product portfolio caters to a wide range of customer needs, when unique operational requirements arise, that’s where Impact comes in, through providing complementary solutions and bespoke adaptations they ensure customers receive a solution tailored to their own operations. It is Impact’s ability to deliver that has been a game-changer for us over the years. In many ways they’ve pioneered this approach, which 10-15 years ago was relatively uncommon among their competitors within the industry.

"Despite undergoing change over the years, Impact Handling’s DNA has remained the same. A steady, experienced management team ensures the relationship between our teams continues to thrive, and the culture they have built regarding customer care is ingrained across the organisation from top to bottom, even in the event of personnel changes. They bring a family feel that truly resonates with us and that level of continuity is what we value most. As such we’d like to extend a big thank you to the entire Impact Handling team for their commitment and professionalism over these past 15 years."

Looking ahead, Seijger says the next phase of the partnership will be an evolution rather than a reinvention, with the focus being on embracing digital innovations, driving sustainability, and continuing to put customers at the heart of everything they do.  

Founded in 1985, Impact Handling has grown to become one of the leading providers of materials handling equipment in the UK, with its network expanding nationally as the business grew over the decades. 

It now has 13 strategically located depots across the country, from which it supplies and services a full range of materials handling solutions, alongside providing tailored services, maintenance, and bespoke equipment adaptations to cater to the specific requirements of its customers.

As the UK distributor for Cat Lift Trucks products, the materials handling specialist offers a full range of acquisition and support solutions including purchase, hire, lease-purchase, buy-back/re-hire and full-service contracts.

From the outset of the partnership, Impact has looked to champion Cat Lift Truck products by aligning its business model around the brand to deliver not only high-performance machinery, but comprehensive service and support packages that complement the existing range, namely through having the in-house capability to adapt equipment to individual needs. 

This flexible approach has enabled customers to benefit from the renowned durability and engineering excellence of Cat Lift Trucks while also enjoying the agility and bespoke support for which Impact Handling is renowned. 

Such is the history of the relationship that Aprolis Group, which acquired Impact Handling in 2021, itself has more than five decades of experience in materials handling distribution in Europe and is a long-term partner and distributor for Cat Lift Trucks in France, Italy, Spain, and Luxembourg. 

Commenting on the successful partnership Impact Handling has with Cat Lift Trucks, Steve Shakespeare, CEO of Aprolis UK commented: "Over the past 15 years our relationship with Cat Lift Trucks has given us a real opportunity to consistently provide our customers with greater choice and truly high-quality equipment tailored to their needs, and we’ve grown extensively because of it. 

"The company has undergone much change during this time, most recently with Impact being acquired by Aprolis Group in 2021, and a big part of the growth that the company has achieved has largely been driven by having the weight of the Cat Lift Trucks brand behind us. The secret to the success of our partnership is down to synergy in values. We’re totally aligned on understanding the market, anticipating customer needs, and how best to deliver value that is tailored to those requirements rather than just providing an off-the-shelf offering. 

"We are at the coalface of it all, so we can offer feedback on customer needs. Through our partnership with Cat Lift Trucks, we are able to come up with a solution from a product and service perspective that is flexible and bespoke to the end user. Equally, we don’t shirk away from challenges, such as those experienced on a geopolitical scale in recent years, but rather continually work closely together to agree on practical solutions to overcome these obstacles to keep everything moving forward," Shakespeare concluded.

impact-handling.com