LiftOne, Briggs Acquire Hyster

LiftOne, has executed a letter of interest to acquire a portion of Barloworld Handling’s assets relating to Hyster lift trucks. Briggs International, Inc. says its subsidiary, Briggs Equipment, also has executed a letter of interest to acquire a portion of Barloworld Handling’s assets.

LiftOne will be appointed by Hyster Co. for the sales and service of Hyster lift trucks in a portion of Barloworld’s territory. LiftOne and Barloworld are now commencing a due diligence process as they move to finalize this transaction with a target closing date at the end of the first quarter. Hyster Co. will appoint Briggs as an authorized dealer for the sales and service of Hyster brand lift trucks in a portion of Barloworld’s territory. Barloworld Handling has accepted Briggs’ letter of interest. Briggs is conducting due diligence of Barloworld’s U.S. materials handling operations. Completing the transaction is subject to execution of a definitive and binding agreement.

Once complete, this transaction will position LiftOne as one of the largest Hyster dealers in the United States, with responsibility for portions of Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. LiftOne will operate Barloworld branch locations in these States, including the Barloworld Headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., serving customer needs for Hyster product sales, rental equipment, parts, and service.

Once completed, the Briggs transaction will position it as one of the largest Hyster dealers in the United States, with responsibility for a large portion of the southern United States. Briggs will sell and service Hyster brand lift trucks in Florida, Arkansas and Atlanta, and portions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Briggs will assume dealer responsibilities in these territories.

Five Things You Must Do This Year

By George Hedley

We are almost one month into 2012, and things are already moving too fast. Hopefully, you took a few moments and wrote out your goals for the next 12 months. Written targets and goals will insure you get what you want, by keeping you focused. Less than 20 percent of all business owners actually write out their goals. And guess what? These top 20 percent are in the top 20 percent of the most successful business owners in their marketplaces. A simple way to start is to write out these five goals:

1. Don’t be an island

Get involved with a group of like-minded business owners to seek advice, share challenges, get invigorated, and get accountable with on a regular basis. Personally, I made a decision to join a structured weekly group of men who discuss their personal and professional lives facilitated by a top business/life coach in our area. Bottom-line – do it!

2. Take time to plan your plays

Bill gates said that the best thing he did while building Microsoft was to take his management team away on a regular basis to plan for the future. At these regular retreats, they discussed their strategy, options, new opportunities, what’s working, what’s not, and what they need to do to achieve their goals. When you don’t plan your future, you get what the market gives you instead of paving your own path.

3. Innovate or die

Your business won’t work, if you're doing what you did when the economy was growing. In a flat economy, you have to change your business and evolve into a new kind of profit-making machine. What new customers, markets, systems, technology, people, production methods, contract type, services and products should you add or delete from your business to grow fast? Sit down and rate every part of your business as: keep doing, stop doing, start doing, or change how we do it.

4. Revamp your calendar

Your calendar says it all. If you want to save money, your calendar is full of job meetings, ordering materials, scheduling crews, and doing take-offs. If you are focused on making money, it’s full of time with loyal customers, new customer targets, networking, mingling with potential customers, and building relationships. At least 33 percent of your time needs to be with customers having fun and enjoying each other. Make it your goal to revamp your calendar and pro-actively grow your business.

5. Put yourself first

When I coach business owners, we always look at the income statements to see how they are doing. I almost always notice that business owner pay themselves way too little for the time, risk, and work they perform. In addition, their investments are often slim or none. When you put other people, employees, and customers ahead of yourself, you can’t do the best you are capable of. Customers want to do business with successful people, not poor struggling people. Make a commitment to pay yourself what you are worth and start an investment program starting now. Then spend the rest on overhead and expenses.

George Hedley is the best-selling author of "Get Your Business to Work!" available at his online bookstore. As an entrepreneur, popular speaker and business coach, he helps business owners build profitable companies. Email George to request your free copy of "Business Tools To Boost Your Bottom-Line!" or sign up for his free monthly e-newsletter. To hire George, attend his "Profit-Builder Circle" boot camp or be a part of an ongoing "Construction Business Owner BIZ-GROUP." Call 800 851-8553 or visit HARDHAT Presentations.

Simpson Strong-Tie Enters Concrete Repair, Protection and Strengthening Industry

Simpson Strong-Tie announces its entrance into the concrete repair, protection and strengthening business with the acquisitions of Baltimore-based Fox Industries Inc. and Switzerland-based S&P Clever Reinforcement Co.

Founded in 1969, Fox Industries manufactures a complete line of cementitious, epoxy, urethane, elastomeric and polyester coatings, grouts, mortars, adhesives, sealers, sealants, membranes and custom manufactured fiberglass parts for the marine, industrial, transportation, commercial building and public works industries. Customers interested in purchasing products from Fox should contact the inside sales team in Baltimore at 888-760-0369.

Established in 1998, S&P Clever manufactures epoxy resins and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) materials for concrete and asphalt reinforcement. S&P reinforcement systems are manufactured from fiber made of materials, such as carbon, glass and aramid. The company also provides static design software to engineers and planning and design offices. S&P’s manufacturing and distribution facilities are located in Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

Stone Joins Brick and Block at the Board Table

The Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute (RMMI) has changed its bylaws to add a new membership category to its organization. Stone Manufacturers have been welcomed into the organization and will have two seats on the board of directors, alongside the brick manufacturers, block manufacturers, masonry contractors and materials suppliers.

This is a significant change to the organization, which has not changed its membership categories since its incorporation in 1986. The two newly created board seats will be divided, with one representing natural stone and the other representing manufactured stone.

“This is a big change for RMMI,” says Board President Jim Serowski, of JVS Masonry. “There was a rift in the masonry industry between the brick and block guys and the stone manufacturers. By bringing everyone together at the board table, we are working to unify the industry.”

While the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute’s mission is to promote masonry wall systems throughout the Rocky Mountain Region, it has traditionally focused on brick and block. The addition of the Stone Manufacturers expands the organization’s efforts to include all types of masonry, as defined by the building codes. The 2009 International Building code defines the two primary types of masonry: Section 2102, paragraph 39, defines masonry as a “combination of building units or materials of clay, shale, concrete, glass, gypsum, stone or other approved units bonded together;” and Section 2102, paragraph 75, defines stone masonry as “masonry composed of field, quarried, or cast stone units bonded by mortar.”

There are currently five stone manufacturer members in RMMI: Environmental Stoneworks, Coronado Stone, Legacy Stone, Telluride Stone and Pine’s Stone Company. Prior to this bylaws change, the stone companies were classified in the Contributing Member category with insurance companies and scaffolding suppliers.

“We welcome this historic opportunity to partner with RMMI and other masonry manufacturers and contractors to move our industry forward together,” says Todd Bonnes, general manager of the Rocky Mountain Region for Environmental Stoneworks.

An election will be held later this month to select the individuals who will represent the Stone Manufacturers on the RMMI Board of Directors.

Wright Partners with SMS Equipment as Preferred Tool Supplier

Wright Tool is partnering with SMS Equipment for its maintenance and assembly needs. SMS Equipment chose Wright Tool as its preferred hand tool supplier for internal use. The companies also plan to establish a direct sales relationship to offer Wright Tool products to SMS Equipment customers.

Both companies operate with the common philosophy of offering solutions to their customers. SMS Equipment is currently one of the world’s largest Komatsu dealerships and supplies contractors in the mining, construction, utility and forestry industries.

Privately held, Wright Tool offers the flexibility that SMS Equipment requires for its wide variety of product offerings, most of which will be from Wright Tool’s metric options. Wright Tool has the ability to create customized sets for SMS Equipment’s mechanics.

MCAA Accepting TEAM Awards Submissions

Projects now can be submitted for the MCAA’s Tribute to Exemplary Achievements in Masonry (TEAM) Awards.

Mason contractors realize that quality masonry projects are the result of strong creative vision and skilled execution. The purpose of the TEAM Awards is to give recognition to these projects and members of the construction team for outstanding accomplishments in masonry design and construction.

All mason contractors or architects may submit projects. Masonry must be the dominant material used in the project. Any work completed and landscaped between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2011, is eligible. Projects under construction or not landscaped will be disqualified.

Award categories include:

• Commercial

• Education: K-8

• Education: 9-12

• Education: College/University

• Government

• Industrial

• Institutional

• Landscape/Hardscape

• Rehabilitation/Restoration

• Residential: Single Family

• Residential: Multi Family

• Block (projects must be at least 65 percent block)

• Lightweight Block (projects must use lightweight CMU)

• LEED (projects must be LEED certified)

Submissions must be received by April 30, 2012. Judging will take place June 5, 2012. Winners will be awarded at the TEAM Awards Program on Sept. 13, 2012, at the MCAA Midyear Meeting in Park City, Utah. Awards will be presented to the mason contractor, general contractor, architect, masonry supplier and building owner.

Download a submission form to enter your project and get complete competition rules at www.masoncontractors.org/team.