Hamilton Beach 2007 Annual Report Download - page 22

experience and success in building strong, lasting customer and
dealer partnerships should help the company accomplish this
strategy. Also supporting this strategy is NMHG’s strong global
relationship with GE Capital, which, along with other local
financing companies, helps provide and manage a significant
portfolio of loans and leases to lift truck customers, dealers
and NMHG. Several other programs supporting this service
strategy include:
National and global accounts. NMHG has industry-
leading fleet management and national account organizations
in North America and is developing a stronger national
account program in Europe, while continuing to enhance its
global account capabilities. NMHG’s goal is to offer superior
value and services to large customers that have centralized
purchasing but geographically dispersed operations. Benefits
from this program to generate growth will be gradual, but
increasing over the long term.
Dealer structure program. The company continues to
strengthen its worldwide network of strong, professionally
managed, well-capitalized independent dealers as part of its
Anchor Dealer efforts. NMHG’s experience is that these
exclusive Hyster® and Yale® Anchor Dealers can attain higher
market shares, attract higher-quality employees and offer
higher-value services to their customers. In addition, dealer
excellence enhancement efforts are designed to drive improve-
ment at all Hyster® and Yale® dealers, providing dealers with
best practices and performance assessment tools in the areas of
operational and financial management, lift truck and parts
sales, service, rental and fleet management. NMHG also offers
customized consulting assistance to help dealers implement
these programs to improve sales and profitability. In addition, a
number of special initiatives already under way, including order
and contact management systems, a training knowledge center
and customer and dealer satisfaction programs, are expected to
enhance the strong reputations of Hyster® and Yale® dealers.
Benefits from these growth programs are expected to be
realized at NMHG and its dealers over the long term.
Aftermarket parts. NMHG maintains an important
strategic alliance with a leading aftermarket parts provider
located in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. This alliance
has enhanced Hyster® and Yale® dealers’ offerings of competitive
lift truck parts as part of an effort to increase NMHG’s share of
its customers’ parts and service business. NMHG also continues
to make significant investments in training dealer technicians
in lift truck diagnostics, maintenance and repair procedures to
assure highest-quality customer service. Improvements are
being realized and are expected to increase gradually as a result
of this growth program.
NMHG Retail improvements. NMHG Retail consists of
Yale® in the United Kingdom, Hyster® in Singapore and
Hyster® and Yale® in Australia. During 2007, NMHG sold its
Hyster® dealership that covered part of France and continued
to streamline operations at its Yale® dealership in the United
Kingdom. In its Australian retail operations in 2007, NMHG
implemented an important business improvement program.
The company’s lift truck rental business, previously operating
Below left to right: Hyster® and Yale® lift trucks are designed to withstand extreme conditions. Designs are reviewed and rigorously tested at NMHG’s Counterbalanced
Design Center in Portland, Oregon. An engineer does test simulations on a computer program to ensure lift truck specifications are set to withstand various conditions. The
Mustang Dynamometer is used to validate drive axles months or years ahead of truck availability by using fixtures or mule truck chassis in an accelerated testing environment.
A lift truck is tested for durability on a dusty, uneven gravel road.
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