Directly opposite its European headquarters, Clark is celebrating  the expansion of its direct sales operations in Duisburg with the official opening of its premises in the Asterlagen business park. The  "Western Branch" is intended to serve as an "exclusive interface" to drive market potential in the region.

“The opening of the West branch is a clear commitment to our Duisburg location  and an essential step for our growth strategy in Europe”explains Stefan Budweit,  President and CEO of Clark Europe. “Through direct sales, we are creating an exclusive  interface to advise customers directly from the factory.”

Advice directly from the factory

The branch covers a total area of ​​3,441 m². Of this, 900 m² are dedicated to warehouse,  workshop, and showroom space, while 435 m² comprise modern office and meeting rooms.  A key element of the site is the integrated R&D development center (355 m²), which  leverages its immediate proximity to the European headquarters and the international spare parts center to  implement technical innovations.

St. Budweit, CEO Europe.

Dirk Blanke, Regional Manager & Western Branch Manager, who has headed the Western branch since  the beginning of 2025: “We want to not only better understand market demands, but also  react to them faster and more effectively. This includes test drives on our presentation area, in-depth operational analyses with the customer on-site, vehicle tests directly at the deployment location, and  tailor-made financing solutions.”

React faster

The direct sales team currently consists of nine employees and five service vehicles.  Expansion is already planned: "We want to strengthen our team with 2 to 3 specialist consultants and 4 to 5  service technicians to ensure a seamless service network in the region",  says Dirk Blanke. 

Photos: Clark Europe / S. Barde

On the occasion of the celebrations, guests will not only receive exclusive insights behind the scenes of the  West branch and the R&D development center, but also into the European headquarters of  Clark Europe, the international spare parts center with a total area of ​​1913 square meters, in which  more than 23,000 different items are stored.

Forklift Museum included

In addition to Clark-specific parts, parts for  other brands are also available in original equipment manufacturer (OEM) quality, right next to it is the training center, where regular training courses for  sales and service staff take place, as well as the Clark Museum, which  impressively documents the more than one hundred-year success story of the inventor of the forklift. 

D. Blanke

Visitors can also view Clark product highlights, including the current  Clark Raider (L25-35XE) and Renegade (S25-35XE) crossover series, which  combine environmentally friendly electric drives with the performance of combustion engines, and the 48-volt STE and SE16-20 electric three- and  four-wheel forklifts,  available with either lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries. Like their 80-volt counterparts, these belong to the S-Series Electric.

High-quality used goods

The western branch functions as a full-service provider. In addition to selling  new equipment and offering a large rental fleet for peak demand, they also focus on  high-quality used equipment. "Investing in new equipment isn't the  most economical solution"says Dirk Blanke. "For example, for startups or small businesses,  purchasing new equipment is often too expensive."

A used vehicle is a good alternative here. Companies that only  use a forklift once or twice a day don't necessarily need a new one either.  Every returned vehicle is meticulously inspected and, if necessary,  refurbished to new-machine standards – using only original spare parts. "With a  used vehicle refurbished to premium quality, the difference to a new one is  indistinguishable to the untrained eye"explains Dirk Blanke.

Complete product portfolio

Since Eugene Clark invented the forklift truck in 1917 in Buchanan, Michigan, USA, with over 100 years of industry experience and more than 1.4 a market leader product portfolio consisting of electric and internal combustion engine forklift trucks with lifting capacities from 1.5 to 8 tons, reach trucks, warehouse equipment, tow tractors, and a comprehensive range of services. Four headquarters around the globe manage operations . Production takes place in factories in Korea, the USA, Vietnam, and China, adhering to European quality standards. Clark Europe, headquartered in Duisburg, Germany, is one of four Clark subsidiaries and serves the regions of Europe, the Middle East , and Africa

www.Clarkhmeu.com