TCM announces ambitious UK plan
The expansion plans of global forklift brand TCM in the UK market was outlined at a major dealer conference.
TCM is the dealer-driven brand within the UniCarrier group, designed to offer localised service and support with reach-back into a global organisation for access to world-class resources and technology.
TCM’s network comprises longtime TCM dealers as well as former Nissan dealers. The UniCarriers Group was formed in 2011 from the mergers of Nissan Forklift, TCM and Atlet, with integration of TCM completed in 2013.
Dealers from around the UK met at a 2-day summit at Chateau Impney, Droitwich to hear how TCM, in partnership with its dealer network would create a distinctive presence in the UK market. Utilising its experience and strength of creating strong relationships with customers, providing excellent personalised service, together with a product offer of durable forklifts for industrial applications, the dealer-customer centered strategy offers customers greater value and operational efficiency.
Graham Jones, TCM Dealer Development Director said: “We have a strong dealer network, which we continue to support and build upon to extend coverage across the UK. We’ll be working to give them more opportunities with the backing of a global organisation and access to greater value, such as the aftermarket, technical support, warranty, parts, factory training and marketing. We have a proven formula for growth, based on flexibility – the dealers will have all the tools they need to provide excellent service and first class products.”
As the UK is seeing a continuing uplift in demand for forklifts, TCM through its distributor network will offer a full range of products from diesel, electric and LPG counter-balanced trucks to reach trucks, stackers and VNAs.
Dealers heard senior UK and European directors outline a deliberate strategy to provide a completely new forklift offer to the UK market, with sales and support channelled entirely through a comprehensive dealer network. Its core promise being a value-based proposition; providing the broadest choice of European specification products that offer excellent value and low cost of ownership. Counterbalance forklifts will be made in Europe (at Pamplona in Spain) for the European market, while warehouse trucks will be manufactured at Group’s factory in Sweden.
Dealers will offer a highly experienced service and parts network that have access to a global technical and product development resource.
Bengt Kristiansson, vice president sales & marketing for UniCarriers Europe told Handling & Storage Solutions how the forklift market was changing.
“We see the market is expanding, much of our business is related to FMCG, so good economic development is positive for our business. Another important trend is that the number of SKUs is exploding, and this has implications for the type of forklifts that are required, more order pickers, for example.”
The TCM dealer network will have access to the range of high quality warehouse solutions developed historically under the Atlet brand, another part of the UniCarriers Group.
