Tail-lift manufacturer DEL Equipment (UK) and commercial vehicle bodybuilder Bevan Group have signed a new agreement to provide an enhanced aftersales service.
DEL is actively formalising partnerships with professional aftercare service companies providing nationwide coverage, and rationalising the number of service providers it uses.
As well as ‘tailor-made‘ service contracts DEL customers will be able to sign-up to extended three, four or five year warranties.
Martin Saint, managing director at DEL, said: "As sales volumes increased it was proving increasingly difficult to manage our service network.
"The deal with Bevan Group gives DEL the platform from which to offer customers ‘cradle to grave’ support, as well as the all-important control and confidence in an aftersales partner that we need to support our ambitious growth targets."
DEL operates from a production facility in Witney, Oxfordshire, and employs a workforce of 85. It is part of the HIAB Group, the world’s largest manufacturer of tail-lifts, which also includes Zepro (Sweden) and Waltco (USA).
DEL sold more than 6,500 column, tuckunder and wheelie bin lifts last year, when turnover reached an all-time high.
It aims to increase this figure to 8,000 by 2015, raising still further both turnover and profitability year-on-year.
Bevan Group will continue to fit various brands of tail-lift to the dry freight and temperature-controlled vehicle bodies it builds for customers at its factories in Halesowen and Oldbury, West Midlands.
Where appropriate, however, Bevan’s sales team will recommend DEL’s products.
The partnership mirrors one that has been operating successfully since 2010 between Bevan Group and Danish-owned truck-mounted crane manufacturer HMF.
Bevan’s field engineers already haveexperience maintaining DEL tail-lifts. Given the extra work that will be coming their way as a result of the new deal they are now receiving additional, product-specific training from DEL and carrying more of its genuine parts on their vans.
It is a legal requirement that tail-lifts are serviced regularly to ensure they are safe to use.
Under Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) they must also undergo a “thorough examination” every six months by a person who is competent and impartial; records of these examinations must then be kept for at least two years.
Anyone in breach of these rules risks enforcement action that could lead to fines in a court of law, or worse should a poorly maintained lift be the cause of an accident resulting in injury.
Saint continued: “This move is in line with our business strategy to provide a UK manufactured lift and then take responsibility for our product over its lifetime.
“This new partnership with Bevan is the first such agreement and is going to help take DEL to the next level, ensuring a quality after sales service that matches our manufacturing and sales expertise.
“It is important that when dealing with DEL and its service agents, our customers receive a professional service. That’s why Bevan will fit only genuine, stamped OEM parts, offer a rapid response and commit to our service levels."
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