Starke Establishes Hydrive as a Master Distributor in Alberta, Canada

Stärke Material Handling Group has officially added Hydrive Forklift & Equipment Inc. to serve as a Master Distributor for Stärke forklifts and industrial lift equipment in Alberta, Canada. As an established dealership and service provider for over 30 years in the Edmonton region, Hydrive serves as a fitting addition for a brand built upon consistently providing quality equipment, customer service and technical support.

“Establishing Hydrive as a Master Distributor for Alberta represents an incredible opportunity for both Hydrive and the Stärke brand as we continue to expand our market share within North America,” comments Justin Engel, the Marketing Manager at Stärke Material Handling Group. “As a dedicated distribution hub for Stärke forklifts and industrial lift equipment, we view the addition of Hydrive as a means of providing quality assurance and improving customer service while growing the Stärke brand throughout Alberta and Western Canada.”

The addition of Hydrive corresponds to a strategic campaign intended to further incorporate and empower members of Stärke’s dealership network in an effort to increase Stärke’s presence throughout Western North America. Through this arrangement, Stärke hopes to leverage Hydrive’s reputation and location within central Alberta to capitalize on future growth opportunities in the region.

“The team at Hydrive Forklift & Equipment is elated to have the opportunity to become the Master Distributor for Stärke [in] Alberta.  We are looking forward to building a strong successful relationship. Hydrive is dedicated to delivering exceptional service and we have some of the best technicians in the industry. Hydrive has been in business for 35 plus years and we are looking forward introducing our clients to the quality of the Stärke product.” Ultimately, Hydrive will begin receiving shipments direct from factory and establish a small network of sub-distributors while continuing to serve their customers in Edmonton and the surrounding region.

Beyond the expansion of its dealership and support networks, Stärke Material Handling Group has also expanded on its range of Class II and Class III industrial lift equipment with the additions of its new XVI line of electric and internal combustion counterbalanced forklifts, a reach rider truck and order picker. With these additions to its product portfolio, Stärke continues to establish itself as one of the most comprehensive material handling equipment manufacturers in the industry.

www.starkeforklift.com

Local: (905)-227-7554  |  Toll free: 1-877-435-4352

Find a Dealer who Stocks the Forklift Parts you Need Most

Forklifts, regardless of the brand, all feature similar parts. Wear-and-tear issues, carelessness, and the lack of a preventative maintenance program can all contribute to the replacement of these components. Sometimes, forklift manufacturers will provide all the forklift spare parts you need. Every manufacturer will have a list of recommended spare parts for all of their products. These lists offer parts which receive the most wear over time, have historically been abused by the operator, or require occasional maintenance.

Having these additional spare parts in stock will assist in keeping your forklifts functional at all times. The less down-time in any facility, the more efficiently it will run.

Keep your clients and your forklift fleet prepared for the rigors of the industry - include a well-stocked recommended spare parts inventory. Your equipment manufacturer can offer you alist of suggested parts to purchase with each product.

Spare parts are also warrantied – ask your manufacturer about their parts warranty program when buying.

Stärke Dealers have access to a massive inventory of parts for virtually every forklift brand.

• Stärke Canada
• Stärke USA

Canadian Business Magazine & Stärke Material Handling Group

With the announcement that Stärke Material Handling Group had been awarded Profit 500's Fastest Growing Canadian company's in 2015, Canadian Business magazine  gave the accomplishment a nod in their most recent edition entitled: Hack Your Growth.

You know you're working with the right company when a materials handling manufacturer see's this kind of growth and recognition in the Canadian and North American market.

“Stärke is honoured to be on the PROFIT 500 ranking,” says Jim Chesla, VP of Sales and Business Development. “This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our team and dealer networks. It also shows the strength of our product in markets that appreciate peace of mind at a fair price.” 

To learn more about Stärke Material Handling Group visit their website

Stärke Material Handling Group - No. 441 on the 2015 PROFIT 500 List

PROFIT magazine unveils 27^th annual list of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies 

St. Catharines, Ontario (September 17, 2015) Canadian Business and PROFIT today ranked Stärke Material Handling Group No. 441 on the 27^th annual PROFIT 500, the definitive ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies. Published in the October issue of Canadian Business and at PROFITguide.com, the PROFIT 500 ranks Canadian businesses by their five-year revenue growth. 

Stärke Material Handling Group made the 2015 PROFIT 500 list with a substantial five-year revenue growth.

“The PROFIT 500 represent the highest tier of entrepreneurialism in Canada,” says James Cowan, Editor-in-chief of PROFIT and Canadian Business. “They should be lauded for the positive economic contributions they’ve made to their communities—and the entire country.  They are examples of what can be accomplished with innovation, discipline and determination."

“Stärke is honoured to be on the PROFIT 500 ranking,” says Jim Chesla, VP of Sales and Business Development. “This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of our team and dealer networks. It also shows the strength of our product in markets that appreciate peace of mind at a fair price.”

Stärke Material Handling Group is a Canadian owned and operated company manufacturing forklifts, lift trucks, electric utility vehicles and material handling equipment. Stärke’s moto says a lot about who they are and what they represent: Because it makes sense to expect peace of mind at a fair price.

www.starkeforklift.com

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About PROFIT and PROFITguide.com

PROFIT is Canada’s preeminent media brand dedicated to the management issues and opportunities facing small and mid-sized businesses. For 33 years, Canadian entrepreneurs across a vast array of economic sectors have remained loyal to PROFIT because it’s a timely and reliable source of actionable information that helps them achieve business success and get the recognition they deserve for generating positive economic and social change. Visit PROFIT at PROFITguide.com.

About Canadian Business
Founded in 1928, Canadian Business is the longest-serving, best-selling and most-trusted business publication in the country. With a total print readership of more than 600,000, it is the country's premier media brand for executives and senior business leaders. It fuels the success of Canada's business elite with a focus on the things that matter most: leadership, innovation, business strategy and management tactics. We provide concrete examples of business achievement, thought-provoking analysis and compelling storytelling, all in an elegant package with bold graphics and great photography. Canadian Business—what leadership looks like.

Stärke Material Handling Group - because it makes sense to expect peace of mind at a fair price

Media contact

Michael Poeltl, Marketing and Dealer Development Specialist, Stärke Material Handling Group, michael@starkeforklift.com, 877-435-4352. Ext 230

Avoid Accidents and Equipment Wear With Planned Maintenance For Your Material Handling Trucks

Remember, your materials handling equipment requires maintenance. It’s got moving parts, just like your car. Each part plays a role in safely operating your forklift or lift truck on a daily basis. Consider this: a forklift rumbles down your aisles or yard carrying 3 to 5 times as much weight as your car, and you have your car serviced regularly. When machines breakdown due to neglect, it effects your business, but more importantly, it becomes an unsafe piece of equipment and could injure an employee causing much more than downtime, it could be the precursor for a devastating accident and even a lawsuit.

Your business and those responsible for keeping your business running efficiently are your priorities. The equipment you use to assist employees in their efforts need to be well maintained. Training is also a must, but maintaining the equipment goes a long way in the prevention of injuries due to faulty equipment. Forklifts should be inspected daily by the operator and serviced by a licensed technician up to four times a year.

A Stärke brand product is an excellent example of superior engineering, but even the very best material handling equipment requires regular maintenance to ensure the vehicle is operating at peak efficiency. This service is recommended by the manufacturer of every brand of machinery and should be followed to safeguard your employees and your business from unexpected downtime and accidents.

The cost of an accident will far exceed the cost of a planned maintenance program. Stärke dealers are capable of servicing every make and model of forklift and lift truck, so if you have been on the fence about having a professional look at your material handling equipment, find a Stärke dealer near you and inquire about a planned maintenance program for your fleet of trucks.

Canadian Stärke Dealers

American Stärke Dealers

Stärke Material Handling Group - Because it makes sense to expect peace of mind at a fair price.

Electric Utility Vehicles Now Available in North America Through Stärke Material Handling Group

At Stärke, the aim is to offer a full line of materials handling products, and their new line of utility vehicles complements an already diverse offering of forklifts and electric pallet trucks.

Utility vehicles are the unsung heroes of the warehouse, distribution and manufacturing industry. Stärke has included several categories to cover a range of applications from personnel carriers to simple tugs - which assist in pulling loads from one end of a facility to the other. Payload, run time and safe speed are essential in tracking productivity - and the Stärke group of utility vehicles offer all of this and more.

Stärke has announced six models available immediately. In keeping with their German language namesake (Stärke), each product, or product line, has been named for a descriptive German word.

 Arbeit Means Work. A perfect description for the UPT10S – 30D line of Burden Carriers.

 Mobilität Means Mobility. This describes the UTT05 Personnel Carrier.

Kraft Means Force. This describes the UTT15W powerful electric Puller Tug.

Muskel Means Muscle. Bet you saw that coming! This describes the UTT20 – 100 line of Rider Tow tractors.

 Bewegung Means Motion. This is the UTT25R Stock Picker, which features a wide range of motions.

 Mächtig Means Power. An excellent descriptor for the UTT45H Rider Tow Tractor.

These vehicles will assist in rounding out your current product offerings and allow you to further secure your dealership as the materials handling sales, planned maintenance and product knowledge experts in your territory.

Would you like to become a Stärke dealer? Enquire within and realize all the benefits of offering the Stärke Material Handling Group of products to your customers.

Your Material Handling National Account Program for North America.

Does your company have a fleet of forklifts or lift trucks? Do you operate out of more than one location? Dealer networks offer advantages to maintaining your fleets nationally and internationally through a national accounts program.

Stärke offers practical, convenient and cost effective solutions for companies with larger fleets and/or multiple locations throughout North America.

Stärke will become your single point of contact for initial equipment purchases, offering you optimal cost savings. From manual pump trucks to our top performing forklift models and compact electric forklifts, Stärke will quickly get you the answers you need; after all, time is important when there are only 24 hours in a day! 

Stärke, along with their authorized American  and Canadian dealer network will mobilize and coordinate parts & service needs for your multiple locations throughout North America with careful coordination.

Stärke’s authorized dealer network will provide maintenance, repairs, parts supply and warranty coverage wherever and whenever you need it. They will follow up until all problems are resolved and a repair is executed in a quick and timely manner. Every Stärke dealer is held to the highest standard of excellence and are competent in repairing all LPG, Diesel and electric forklifts, lift trucks and other associated equipment. Our dealers aim to ensure first-time resolution by utilizing trained technicians and factory certified parts.

Each Stärke dealer understands that no two businesses are alike. That's why none of their solutions are identical! "Our dealers will create a program that is tailored to fit your needs." Says Jim Chesla, VP of Stärke Material handling Group. "Nobody knows your Stärke brand equipment better than they do."

Contact Stärke today by phone or e-mail and find out more about their National Account services, and to locate the Stärke dealer in your location(s). 

The Mini Forklift by Stärke has Arrived!

This compact, flexible and durable forklift with German engineered drive axle and mast is now available through the Stärke Material Handling Group across North America.

Revolutionize your factory, warehouse or indoor work site with the ability to go from one end of your facility to the other, and deliver materials right to the production line or workstation, without weight, height or width restrictions. The Stärke 3-wheel Mini Forklift is your compact, light-duty, narrow aisle workhorse that loves tight spaces.

Perfect for indoor applications where size matters; the Mini Forklift has an impressive turning radius and is also suitable for construction projects where a light-weight portable lift is required. The Mini works in tight retail settings and trailer loading/unloading applications as well.

The cost of one Mini Forklift will save your facility money right away by eliminating multiple light-weight electric pallet trucks and walkies - replacing them with one unit that can do it all - while affording the same easy operation you will find in a standard forklift.

With its overhead guard the Stärke Mini improves the safety of the operator from falling overhead objects, common in a warehousing application, while the LED exterior safety lights alert others of its presence.

The Stärke Mini will prove itself time and again through strength of product, cost, warranty, parts support and ease of use. When Stärke builds a product, they build it tough! Stärke means Strength.

Imagine the possibilities.

To learn more about this versatile forklift please visit http://www.starkeusa.com/electric-3-4-wheel-counterbalance-forklifts.php  or  in Canada http://www.starkecanada.com/electric-3-4-wheel-counterbalance-forklifts.php

How to properly select a material handling service provider - The List!

It’s not always easy to weigh the benefits of one company over the other when they all say the same thing online. So before you decide on a forklift service provider, you ought to visit their facilities and make a qualified decision from first-hand eye-witness experience. The service provider’s capabilities will reveal themselves through product knowledge, people and infrastructure. It’s on you, the company that owns the fleet of forklifts and lift trucks to make an informed decision. Below is a list of some of the questions to ask and observations to consider when sourcing a forklift services provider. 

• What is the value of their parts inventory on hand?
• Was their parts inventory organized and look current?
• Do they have a formal computer system and database to track the service history of each piece of your equipment?
• What are the company’s capabilities? i.e. How many mechanics? Tools? Equipment?
• Do they maintain service records on your trucks that would allow them to prepare their mechanics before the units reach their facility?
• Do they have mobile service trucks, and are they stocked with parts?
• How do they transport equipment for repairs, and how will that effect down-time?
• Do they offer special rate rentals while your equipment is down?
• Can they provide you with fleet cost analysis?
• Do they track your OHSA / safety certification requirements?
• Do they track your OHSA operator training requirements?
• Do they offer forklift training?
• How long have they been in business?
• How do they support their local community?
• Do they have case studies and testimonials?

As you can see; any one of these deficiencies will result in inefficiencies which put the actual cost of your long-term service requirements much higher. Remember, cost of service shouldn't be your only factor. In order to offer the above services you may find the hourly rate higher, but without these services, it could cost you considerably more.

A lower rate provider is more likely to provide your equipment with temporary solutions through repeat service calls - increasing your downtime, while the mid-higher rate providers are more likely to have the tools and systems that they need to work most efficiently to save you money over the long run!

Proper infrastructure at your service provider is necessary to keep your forklift fleet running optimally. You spent a lot of money on your forklifts; don’t look for savings in a service provider who can’t offer you the full range of services you deserve. It’s like the old saying, “You get what you pay for”.

Material Handling Dealer Opportunities with Stärke in North America

Are you a material handling equipment dealer in North America? Are you tired of losing sales to the major brands of #forklifts and #lifttrucks? Become instantly competitive in every application.


There is a new full line of pallet jacks, stacker lifts, reach lifts, order pickers, lift trucks and forklifts available to dealers who are fed-up with the mediocre support, delayed orders, over-priced equipment and poor value their current manufacturers are supplying. The solution: Stärke Material Handling Group.

Stärke means Strength. Strength in value, selection, support, parts, people, product and price. The Stärke line of lift trucks and forklifts offers the perfect solution for any #materialhandling application. From warehousing to manufacturing and construction, Stärke products offer their dealers the opportunity to out-bid and outperform the competition with less warranty requests and less downtime to the client.

Stärke dealer technicians are qualified to maintain the equipment they sell, supporting the B to B relationship with your customers; something they will value.

Stärke has several dealers in their North American network, and looking to grow in 2015 into areas where the Stärke brand can expand into new markets. If you’re a material handling equipment dealer in North America, this is your opportunity to grow your dealership with a respected company who offers a complete line of lift trucks and forklifts for every application.

For more information on dealer opportunities with Stärke, email our Marketing and Dealer Development Specialist, or call 877-435-4352 ext. 230

Is your forklift ready to be be energy efficient and survive the cold this winter?

It's common sense; be prepared and you'll be in a better position to endure winter's rage, incur less downtime and burn less fuel. Generally winter will have you burning more fuel due to cold starts and increased idling to warm up the engine.

Recently I spoke with Stärke Material Handling Group's Technical Advisor, Arnold Poulsen on how to prepare a forklift for the wrath of winter, and keep it working efficiently. Arnold advises the following:

1. Use of block heaters for ease of starting and minimal warm-up time conserves fuel
2. Store forklifts indoors for warm starting conditions…conserving fuel
3. Ensure engines are properly maintained and tuned-up; ready for winter and quick start-ups
4. Use proper oil for your environment. Recommend 15W-40 in moderately cold temperatures to -15 degrees C. For extreme cold over -15 degrees C he recommends a 5W-20 grade. Consult with your forklift technician for an oil that suits your application.
5. If your forklift has a cabin; make sure that your wiper(s) are in good condition, your heater is functioning properly and that the seals on the cabin are keeping cold air out.

With regards to winter tips, keeping your forklift running and safe; a blog post by Jason Fancy of Forklift Central really states things best. You can see this article here.

For more information contact your local Stärke Material Handling Dealer located near you - Starke Forklifts

Stärke Material Handling Group is expanding.

December, 12^th, 2014. Thorold, Ontario, Canada.

Stärke Material Handling Group is expanding. With the recent hire of Michael Poeltl, Stärke’s new Marketing and Dealer Development Specialist, late in the fourth quarter of 2014, a new and more diverse plan to market the company’s interests throughout North America has been realized.

With a full line of pallet jacks, stacker lifts, reach lifts, order pickers, lift trucks and forklifts, Stärke has positioned itself as an industry giant when presenting its product line to end-users and dealers alike. With a strong understanding of product and industry knowledge along with a team of experts in business and product development, sales, marketing, parts and services, Stärke Material Handling Group is being touted as the next big thing in the material handling industry.

A growing dealer network throughout North America shows that the strength, value and support Stärke is offering dealers is not being overlooked. Stärke IS strength, after all, and their strength in people, business and clout has captured the industries interest.

“With more activity online in 2015 we expect to see great things in both dealer relations and sales.” Says Jim Chesla, Stärke’s Vice President. “The industry is learning that our truck line can’t be beat in strength, quality and value, and with Michael on board, we see a partnering of talents that can only benefit the company and our dealer network across multiple platforms.”

Stärke is affiliated with parent companies which have been in the material handling business since 1939. This combination of experience, new equipment offerings and the talented people who are quickly making Stärke a success story, positions them to explode in 2015. Thus any dealer that has signed up or is about to sign up to represent Stärke material handling equipment ought to get ready for a great year!

For more on Stärke Material Handling Group visit www.starkusa.com  / www.starkecanada.com