Canadian Forklift Tire Maker Sets Sight on South America

If the world were a high school prom, South America would definitely be voted queen of the ball this year.

International focus on the continent was increased when Brazil hosted the World Cup earlier this summer. And South American will once again capture the world’s imagination when the Olympic Games are held in Rio de Janiero next year.

But the nations that make up South America represent some of the fastest-growing economies on the planet. And manufacturers from around the globe are looking to increase their presence in Brazil, Argentina, Chile and other nations in order to take advantage of this commercial explosion.

Canadian Firm Looks South

That may be one of the reasons Camoplast Solideal — a manufacturer of forklift tires and other materials handling equipment based in Magog, Quebec, Canada — recently bought up Rodaco Argentina S.A., one of the largest forklift tire makers in Argentina.

While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Francois Augnet — Camoplast Solideal’s CEO for construction and material handling — admitted that his company has set its sights on being part of the growing South American manufacturing boom.

“Having a physical presence in Latin America is an important component to achieving our global growth objectives in material handling,” Augnet said in a company news release. “By combining our manufacturing and distribution processes with the local knowledge and reputation of the team at Rodaco, we will have a unique offering to best serve this growing market.”

A Foothold in South America

Camoplast Solideal was attracted to Rodaco because of the firm’s reputation as a respected and reliable provider of material handling tires throughout South America. It was especially impressed with its employee empowerment efforts, its established network of distributors, and its strong focus on customer service.

The acquisition allows the Canadian firm to establish its industrial footprint in South America and demonstrate its dedication to consolidating its reputation as a global leader in the off-the road mobility industry.

Besides forklift tires, Camoplast Solideal makes and distributes tires for off-road vehicles, as well as rubber tracks and undercarriage systems for heavy equipment used in materials handling, construction, agriculture and powersports. The company currently has more than 7,500 worldwide and operates manufacturing facilities in North  America, Asia, Europe and, now, South America.

The company itself wasn’t formed until 2010, when rubber track manufacturer Camoplasted merged with the Solideal Group, of Luxembourg. Since then, the company has aggressively worked to expand its global reach in the forklift tire and off-road propulsion industry.

Its latest acquisition, Rodaco, makes industrial tires for forklifts, skid steer loaders, crane forklifts, trailers and lifting platforms. It also makes a broad range of press-on band tires and industrial wheels for forklifts, such as two-piece wheels, divided steel wheels, lock rings, system fix, clip or quick for all makes and models of forklifts, cranes, trailers and forklift trucks.

Rodaco — which is based in Puerto Allegre, Argentina — supplements its own manufacturing with imports and sells either directly or through distributors in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Panama, Mexico, Paraguay and Uruguay, as well as the US.

Employees from both companies will work together to create a bigger, better team, Augnet said.