The U.S. subsidiary of the Haulotte Group announces it has acquired Bil-Jax Inc., Archbold, Ohio, effective July 24, for an undisclosed amount. "This acquisition will assist us in further developing our business," said Alexandre Saubot, chief operating officer of the Haulotte Group. "This will allow us to strengthen our worldwide position, increase our product offerings, and establish a manufacturing presence in North America."
According to Jeff Ott, chief executive officer of Bil-Jax, the alliance with Haulotte is the next natural step of growth with the company, and together, the companies are better positioned to compete in the access market. “Additionally, it will increase product offerings and create a position outside of the United States,” he said.
Brent Hagedorn, Bil-Jax's director of marketing, told Lift and Access that the company has been in communication with Haulotte about the acquisition for the last two months. The acquisition allows for the companies to integrate engineering talent and resources to accelerate product development, as well as streamline operations through increased purchasing power and elimination of redundant costs.
Through the acquisition of Bil-Jax, Haulotte is now the only manufacturer that offers a full line of access equipment and a complete line of scaffolding, Hagedorn said. Aside from a few vertical lifts and trailer-mounted aerial lifts, there is very little overlap in the companies' product lines.
Although no decisions have been made about who will lead the combined companies or how the products will be branded, Hagedorn said that there are aggressive 30- and 60-day integration plans in place to resolve these decisions. He added that Bil-Jax's management will remain in place. Ott has confirmed with Lift and Access that he will be staying with the company.
By establishing manufacturing in North America, Hagedorn said this will speed up growth for Haulotte. He said there is space in Bil-Jax's facilities to immediately bring in Haulotte's machine production. The company also has room for growth on its current property, allowing for job creation and expansion in the market.
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