11.02.2019

ELS to enter telehandler market

Turkish aerial lift manufacturer ELS is to unveil the prototype of a telehandler at bauma in April.

The new product, the company’s first step into the telehandler market, will have a lift height in the region of 6.35 metres, with a capacity of 3,200kg which it should be able to take to its full height. The new telehandler is being developed in partnership the Sanko Holding which builds the MST range of telehandlers, the ELS machine looks as though it is a development of the MST ST 7.40.
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ELS is to enter the telehandler market

The company says that it will take pre orders at Bauma with final product being ready to ship in the third quarter. Components have yet to be finalised but MST tends to use Perkins engines, Rexroth hydrostatic transmissions and Dana axles.

ELS is aiming its telehandlers at the rental market, and could quickly expand its range if the strategy works out. MST currently build models from this unit up to a 17 metre/3,000kg model.

Vertikal Comment

The telehandler market is a tough one to enter, given that it has three major manufacturers at the top and a very strong group just below that. There is little that a new player can bring to the party - at least when it comes to the mainstream straight frame sector - in that any significant deviation from the standard specification and layout is too radical. Most buyers are only interested in rugged reliability, perfect parts and service, a good dealer network and a decent price. The major players meet all of these criteria in spades, build products with as many bells and whistles as a buyer wants and all for an amazingly competitive price.

Having said all this it looks as though ELS will be following Snorkel into badging an existing product and marketing it to the company’s customer base and dealer network. ELS still has a great deal of geographic expansion left to accomplish, and you cannot help but wonder if it might prove to be a bit of a distraction? On the other hand if it is part of a greater co-operation deal with MST and Sanko then this could be really interesting going forward.