Hystandard Handling Equipment will take over NMHG's Yale operation in Sydney.

After a flurry of no comments, it seems the rumour in the industry that Nacco Material Handling Group (NMHG) intends to sell off all or some of its wholly owned Yale retail dealerships in Australia is not without substance (Forkliftaction.com News #439).

Independent Hyster dealer Hystandard Handling Equipment has just announced that it has signed a deal with NMHG to acquire its Yale operation in Sydney. The deal takes effect on 18 December.

However, the acquisition of Yale means that Hystandard, which has been involved with the Hyster product since 1983, will relinquish its Hyster dealership.

MD John Flinn tells Forkliftaction.com News that taking over Yale is the best outcome for the business in the long term, and he is confident that the company can continue to support its existing Hyster customers regardless.

"No-one in Sydney can support Hyster like we can and our customers know that," says Flinn, adding that component parts for the two brands are fully interchangeable.

He says the acquisition will allow Hystandard to increase its sales, rental, service and parts capability and grow its forklift fleet to over 2,000 units under management.

Meanwhile, Hunter Lift Trucks, which had operated as an independent Hyster dealership for some 24 years, is no longer a Hyster dealer, with an announcement on its website that the company has been appointed the Yale dealer for Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, Central Coast, New England and Northern NSW areas.

The changeover from Hyster to Yale is linked to the sale of NMHG's wholly owned Hyster dealerships to Adapt-A-Lift in mid-2009 (Forkliftaction.com News #417).

Rumours had been rampant for months that a sale was imminent but again, no comment from all parties concerned was the order of the day.

It is not known whether NMHG is planning or has concluded a sale of its Victorian and Queensland Yale dealerships. When contacted for information by Forkliftaction.com News this week, NMHG Asia Pacific managing director Ian Neilson had no comment.