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HISTORY1969Paul Thermote & Paul Vanhalst setup their agricultural machines & lifttrucks repair business.1973Incorporation of the companyTHERMOTE & VANHALST pvba(purchase, sales & repair of 2 nd -hand lift trucks)1974Start of rental and local service &repair activities1980Set-up of the cross-reference systemaccording to OEM referencesFROM LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR TO WORLDWIDE CONCERNIn just 40 years, the Belgian Waregem-based company, Thermote& Vanhalst has grown from a local repair business for agriculturalmachinery to a leading worldwide group of companies for lift trucksand replacement parts.THE ENTRY OF THE LIFT TRUCKIn 1969, the long-time school friends, Paul Thermote and Paul Vanhalst,set up a business for the repair and maintenance of agriculturalmachinery, including flax machines and tractors. It doesn’t take longbefore they realise that agricultural business in Belgium has a limitedfuture. They change to the import and service and repair of secondhandlift trucks. This turns out to be an excellent move. Increasingindustrialisation leads to a growing need for lift trucks, a demand thatThermote & Vanhalst is very capable of handling. In 1973, Thermote &Vanhalst becomes the importer for the Italian company, MORA.1987First presence at the‘CeMat’ trade show in Hannover1987Incorporation of MANUPIECE sasu &first representatives in FranceTHE RISE OF JAPANThe 80’s see a continuation of this growth. The reconditioned lifttrucks soon find their way abroad: this heralds the start of their exportbusiness. This is also the time that Japanese brands enjoy hugepopularity. Thermote & Vanhalst decide to import second-hand lifttrucks from Japan. Using basic sign language, the two Pauls manage toexplain what they want to the Japanese. With their first purchase of 40lift trucks, a new buying market opens.1989Incorporation of TVH FORKLIFT PARTSnv and the start of the Parts Divisionas a separate business unit1995Incorporation ofTVH SOUTH AFRICA Pty LtdA GLOBAL CENTRE OF KNOWLEDGEIn 1989, the Parts Division is set up as a separate business unit. Majorinvestments are made in far-reaching IT solutions. This results in TVHhaving a data expertise that can only strengthen their competitiveposition worldwide. Today, TVH has more than 450,000 stock keepingunits and has knowledge of more than 16,000,000 part numbers. In justa few years, the company has grown into a worldwide group.8