Orders from neighbouring African countries have helped leading mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) company, Goscor Hi-Reach, to kick off 2012 with a bang prompting MD George Landsberg to say that this is one of the best starts to a year in the company’s history.

“The phone is ringing and this is always a good sign so early in January,” Landsberg says.

He adds that significant orders have been made by leading companies in Mozambique, where a wide range of products are to be delivered including ‘Light Towers’ and boom lifts, and in Namibia where two MEWPS were bought by a leading local miner, a ‘Super Boom’ sold to the Namibian Port Authority at Walvis Bay and a ‘Megadeck’ scissor and large telescopic handler sold to a leading Namibian rental company in Walvis Bay.

“I am excited about the opportunities that are presenting themselves both in neighbouring countries and further afield especially with our Genie brand, which is well respected throughout the continent.”

Landsberg says that while the construction industry has been a little slow for some months in terms of the outright purchase of equipment, there is strong demand from mining, engineering and other sectors.

“We are altogether very positive about business this year from all sectors including construction, which will pick up, and, as a result, we will be significantly boosting stock levels. Because we are now part of the Imperial and Goscor groups we have the financial muscle to increase our product range and our stock levels. And because we are buying more volume, we have been able to negotiate significantly better deals, which we will be passing on to our customers,” he says.

Some of the customers that will benefit include leading MEWP rental companies like Skyjacks, African Access, Goscor Access Rentals and Professional Access Rentals.

One of Goscor-Hi Reach’s important innovations is the development of training courses for both operators and technical staff. “Training is crucial to the longevity of the product and making the investment more efficient over the life-cycle of the machine. To this end we have developed top-flight training programmes, which are registered with both the Services and Transport SETAs in accordance with Unit Standard 243272,” concludes Landsberg.

In 2011, leading South African industrial equipment distributor, Goscor, 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 is now known as Goscor Hi-Reach.

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.

Landsberg has 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 continue to run the Goscor Hi-Reach operation from its location in Alrode, South Africa.

Caption for pic: (Walvis Bay IMG_0803)
The Genie S-105 large telescopic handler from Goscor Hi-Reach on its way to a leading Namibian rental company in Walvis Bay.

Issued on behalf of: For further info please contact:
Goscor Hi-Reach Brooke Browde Communications
Tel: 0861 GENIE1(43643 1) Tel: (011) 485.5800
E.Mail: GLandsberg@goscor.co.za E.Mail: mail@bbcomms.co.za
Contact: Mr. George Landsberg Contact: Mr. Alan Browde
Website: www.hi-reach.co.za

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