GLOBAL BUSINESS NOTES dp
JLG Dropping Rear-Pivot Telehandlers … Yanmar Moving Engine Ops To Georgia … MAN Announces New Business Unit …
JLG Industries Inc., said it will dis- continue the manufacturing of its four rear-pivot steer telehandler models. Beginning in 2010, the G6-42P, 534D9-45, 534D10-45 and 544D10-55 models will no longer be part of the JLG- branded family of telehandlers. The McConnellsburg, Pa., manufacturer said the market for these “niche models” has been regionally focused and has contin- ued to retract over the past several years. Yanmar America said it will relocate its Industrial Engine division and Parts department from its current Buffalo Grove, Ill., location to the company’s North American corporate headquarters in Adairsville, Ga. The transfer of the Industrial Engine and Parts divisions is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2010. More information is includ- ed elsewhere in this issue. The Toro Co. announced that it has acquired certain assets from TY-CROP Manufacturing Ltd., a privately held Ca- nadian manufacturer of topdressing and material handling equipment for golf course and sports field applications. Financial details were not disclosed. Through the acquisition, Toro has acquired several mod- els of topdressing and material handling equipment that it said will enhance the com- pany’s position in the turf maintenance industry. TY-CROP products will be market- ed under the Toro brand and sold through Toro’s distribution channel in the United States and international markets. Based in Rosedale, British Columbia, TY-CROP has been in business for more than 30 years, offering topdressers and material handlers. The company’s other businesses, which include trailers and oil and gas products, were not associated with this acquisition and will continue normal operation. MAN Diesel has announced the forma- tion of MAN Diesel & Turbo, a new business formed from the recent merging of MAN Diesel and MAN Turbo. The new company will be operational from the beginning of 2010 and will incorporate the full product lines of MAN Diesel and MAN Turbo, as well as some of the industrial engines currently manufactured by MAN Nutzfahrzeuge in Nuremberg, Germany, specifically the high- speed engines for marine, power generation and locomotive applications. NC2 Global LLC, the 50/50 commercial trucks joint venture between Navistar and Caterpillar, has announced it signed a framework agreement with Anhui Jiang- huai Automobile Co. Ltd. (JAC) for a pos- sible joint venture in China. The proposed 50/50 joint venture would develop, manufac- ture and sell trucks and truck parts primarily in China and certain export markets using existing JAC manufacturing facilities. Bobcat Co. said it will manufacture hydraulic valves and cylinders for small loaders and light construction equipment at a leased plant in Wahpeton, N.D. Earlier this year, Bobcat said it was closing its Bismarck, N.D., manufacturing plant, with those operations being moved to the com- pany’s Gwinner, N.D., and Litchfield, Minn. plants. The Wahpeton facility is located approximately 50 miles east of Gwinner. The 130,000 sq.ft. facility is expected to begin producing Bobcat parts early in 2010, and the plant will employ approxi- mately 60 people. Navistar Defense LLC and Tatra, a.s., a heavy-duty truck manufacturer in Koprivnice, Czech Republic, have signed 96 DIESEL PROGRESS NORTH AMERICAN EDITION November 2009
an agreement to jointly develop, produce and market new military tactical off-road trucks. Tatra and Navistar Defense also agreed to market and sell new Navistar- Tatra trucks in their respective markets around the world. Navistar will manufacture vehicles developed under the alliance. The new vehicles will utilize Navistar engines and other components in addition to Tatra’s backbone-tube chassis design and inde- pendent suspension system. Foley Equipment Co., Wichita, Kan., and Martin Tractor Co., Topeka, Kan., have reached an agreement under which Foley will acquire Martin. Both privately held com- panies are dealers for Caterpillar, AGCO, AgChem and Trimble as well as a number of other manufacturers. Terms of the trans- action were not disclosed. The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approval, was expected to close on Nov. 2, 2009. Spartan Motors Chassis Inc., a sub- sidiary of Spartan Motors Inc., said that Fleetwood RV Inc. will begin offering its 2010 Fleetwood RV brand Class A motorhomes on Spartan’s custom diesel chassis. The contract calls for Spartan, Charlotte, Mich., to design, engineer and assemble chassis for integration with Fleetwood RV’s coaches. Delivery of the custom chassis to Fleetwood RV was scheduled to begin in October. Spartan also supplies all the diesel chassis for Fleetwood RV’s American Coach brand. dp
