ABT Loadmac, the manufacturing company behind Loadmac – the only truck mounted forklift Made in Britain – has appointed Ian Chapman as Loadmac Managing Director, another statement of the company’s ambitious growth plans.
The appointment of an MD dedicated solely to the Loadmac side of the business comes off the back of a record half-year for ABT Loadmac, with a 30% increase in sales year-to-date. The considerable growth can be attributed to an increase in sales of the Loadmac product, combined with an increase in production from the company’s manufacturing facility in Ross on Wye, since moving to a 24-hour production operation since March 2017.
Mark Hignett, owner and CEO of ABT Loadmac, explained the reasons behind the appointment: “The move to a 24-hour operation has enabled us to meet domestic and global demand for Loadmac products, without reducing capacity for our other manufacturing activities. In Loadmac we have a tremendous product and the appointment of an MD with exclusive focus on this side of the business will help us to unlock the significant growth potential we have throughout the UK and globally.”
Already the market leader in Australia, the last 12 months has seen Loadmac develop their dealer network throughout the UK and overseas, with distribution partners added in the USA, Canada and Norway.
Ian Chapman joins the business with three-decades of engineering experience, predominantly within the aerospace sector, having previously worked at UTC, KGD and Rolls-Royce. Chapman outlined his goals in the new position: “It’s an exciting time to join the Loadmac business – the product has an excellent reputation in the marketplace, there is huge growth potential and we are soon to launch our new 2T machine to the market. Initially my focus will be on further development of our sales and distribution channels, while continuing to ensure we maintain and strengthen our aftersales service levels as our customer base grows”.
Mark Hignett concluded, “We are delighted to welcome Ian to the team, and he brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise. Ian’s appointment is another step on the journey towards what is a very exciting future for Loadmac.”
