Bell eyes depot in Scotland as part of expansion plan

ADT manufacturer Bell is considering opening a depot in Scotland in what may be the first move in expanding its infrastructure ahead of the introduction of John Deere wheel loaders in 2007/08.

Initially, the Scottish depot will handle the company’s ADT range but Bell assembles eight John Deere wheel loaders (from 8t to 30t) in South Africa, which it expects to import to Europe in the next couple of years. The first to arrive will be the smaller models as they are already CE marked.

Bell’s sales and marketing manager Bob Aldridge said the lack of infrastructure has led the company to decide to stop selling the excavators it sourced from Hyundai. “Stretching our resources could have damaged the support for our ADTs,” he said.

Aldridge said although the company had only sold around 40 excavators, ADT sales had been better than expected and the orderbook was looking very healthy in the first quarter of 2007.

[Contract Journal, 15 November 2006, p 16]