Sime Motors NZ announced it has entered into an unconditional sale and purchase agreement for the sale of its Hyster New Zealand business to Adaptalift Group. The transaction is scheduled to complete on 28 February 2025. 

“When our parent company, Sime Darby Berhad acquired Toyota forklifts as part of the global purchase of UMW at the end of 2023, it had a downstream impact on our dealership agreement with Hyster Yale in New Zealand,” explained Michael Doeg, General Manager Sime Commercial Sales NZ. “We invested a lot of time selecting the right business to take Hyster New Zealand forward, with a key focus on offering attractive terms of employment for employees and a clear vision for the future. Adaptalift was the right fit on both counts.”

“Adaptalift is the largest privately owned and operated forklift company in Australia, with an existing base in New Zealand,” continued Doeg. “Since early 2024, our businesses have been working closely together to plan and execute a smooth transition. This is the start of an exciting new phase for Hyster New Zealand.”

Adaptalift has been the sole dealer for Hyster Yale in Australia since 2009. The family-owned business sells and leases forklifts, elevated work platforms and telemetry systems, and opened its first New Zealand branch in East Tamaki two years ago.

“We want to develop a deep understanding of where we can best add value to existing customers through product knowledge, technology solutions, and access to a wide parts inventory,” said Steven Taylor, Adaptalift Chief Executive Officer. “People are the heart of our business, so I am excited by the opportunity to welcome the whole Hyster New Zealand team to Adaptalift.”

“Hyster New Zealand is a strong business with deep customer relationships, great technical expertise and a nationwide footprint. Our initial focus is on supporting business continuity, working closely with the team and customers to ensure service levels are maintained and optimised.