LiuGong North America has announced the appointment of EFR Corporation, known locally as "the Forklift People" and located in Somerset, N.J., as its material-handling dealer.

Electric Forklift Repair was incorporated in 1987 as a one-man shop, and the company grew to sell and rent a full range of material-handling equipment. Co-owners Raul and Mavi Pretto and their team provide sales and service in New Jersey as well as New York City.

Raul Pretto first noticed LiuGong at the 2016 Promat conference. He said that he and his son Philip were walking the exhibit floor when something different caught their eye — the innovative design and shape, or "curb appeal", of LiuGong forklifts.

Now that they are dealers, Raul said, "We are very happy with the partner type of relationship and the solid backing we have from LiuGong NA. Their service department is very responsive, and when a problem does arise, they are right on top of it.

"One time we had one of those rare situations where a part for an electric pallet jack was needed right away, and they got that part to us in 18 hours."

Philip Pretto, operations manager at EFR said, "Besides forklifts, our customers really like the LiuGong electric pallet jacks. They've been a big seller for us already. Our clients say they have great maneuverability, and they also like the key fob on/off feature and how long the lithium-ion battery lasts. Forklifts are our bread and butter, but in time we plan to carry the full line of material-handling equipment from LiuGong."

Raul added, "We're called ‘the Forklift People' because customer service is our main product. I know that everyone says that, but the difference is, when called, we show up."

For more information about EFR, visit www.theforkliftpeople.com.

For more information about LiuGong, visit www.liugongna.com.