Martin Hansen

Martin Hansen is the positive-minded product manager of a growing Scandinavian forklift dealership. His company, Netto Truck A/S, was established in 2004 as DanTruck-Heden A/S's sister company. Netto Truck A/S is the dealer for Hangcha and Hyundai forklifts in Scandinavia.

Hansen, 33, joined the forklift industry in 1988 when he worked as a salesman for a Yale forklift dealer near Aalborg, north of Jutland in Denmark.

"I was there for about two-and-a-half years, but I had higher ambitions. I called around in the business and found out DanTruck-Heden A/S was looking for a product manager," he recalls.

Hansen successfully applied for the job and three years ago became product manager for both DanTruck-Heden and Netto Truck. In April this year, he was assigned as Netto Truck's full-time product manager.

"I was assigned full-time in Netto Truck because I was doing the work of two (people) in the end and had to choose which company I would work for. As I found Netto Truck more interesting, my decision was easy."

Being a small company, Netto Truck comes with the challenges of growth and development, and the perk of flexibility for employees - things Hansen appreciates.

"I like being part of developing our company. As we are new and also a small company, it's easy to change things and start up new projects."

Hansen works with three other people at Netto Truck. The company has the same account department as other DanTruck-Heden Group companies. Netto Truck uses its sister company's workshop, service and spare part facilities.

Regardless of the company's size, no two work days are the same at Netto Truck, says Hansen.

"You don't know what the day will bring. The Scandinavian market is growing so we are busy every day." He estimates in Denmark alone, the forklift market grew 24% or 574 units, from 2005 to 2006. Netto Truck has 7% of the market share in Denmark, which he sees as satisfactory for a company that has been in the market for three years.

Hansen spends a lot of time helping Netto Truck's salesmen and sub-dealers in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands with their product-related questions. He also confirms orders and sends them to Hangcha in China and Hyundai in South Korea, orders forklift parts, accessories and attachments from suppliers and co-ordinates the company's workshop.

Hansen has found a useful business tool on the Forkliftaction.com website. The Business Directory allows him to search for international suppliers and the 100,000+ global readers make it attractive for global-minded companies like Netto Truck to market its business, he says.

The soccer-mad Hansen relaxes by spending time with his girlfriend Marianne and their two-year-old German Shepherd. The couple has just built a house together near Middelfart on the west side of Funen Island and are busy turning it into a home.