As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, LiuGong attended ConExpo-Con/ AGG 2008 and announced its expansion into the North American market.

Frank Martin & Sons Inc., Fort Kent, Maine, is the first dealer in New England to be awarded a LiuGong Construction Machinery North America dealership. Frank Martin & Sons Inc. has been meeting the equipment needs of contractors and municipalities in Maine for 56 years.

The LiuGong wheel loaders Frank Martin & Sons has now added to its lineup, as well as the majority of all other LiuGong equipment, is equipped with Cummins Tier III engines, Premco/Vickers hydraulic pumps, ZF transmissions and axles. Machines are offered in a range of sizes from 2 to 8 yd. (1.8 to 7.3 m).

LiuGong’s U.S. headquarters is located in Houston, Texas, where it has opened a new 15,000-sq.-ft. warehouse and office facility. Ron Hargrave has been named president of LiuGong Construction Machinery N.A. LLC.

“In my position as president of LiuGong Construction Machinery, I see an excellent opportunity for us to develop a vibrant and expanding LiuGong dealer network here in North America. The LiuGong company, while largely unknown in North America, is a very large and dynamic company. Dealers are always amazed to find out that LiuGong is the second largest producer of wheel loaders in the world,” said Hargrave.

Hargrave also pointed out that although LiuGong is one of the leading producers of wheel loaders in the world, its product line is long and diverse, and the company also is offering or will be offering excavators, tractor loader backhoes, skid steers, compaction equipment, motorgraders, bulldozers and paving machines to the dealer network. “The response from dealers has been excellent and we are in the process of signing up dealers at this point in time. This is a company that is on the move and coming out of China and into the world marketplace. This expansion is not just in North America. LiuGong is marketing into Europe, Africa, Russia, Australia and India,” Hargrave concluded.

LiuGong produced the first wheel loader manufactured in China in 1966. Its first articulated loader followed soon after in1968.

With strong production for 40 years, in April 2006 LiuGong had produced more than 100,000 wheel loaders, making it the second largest manufacturer of wheel loaders in the world. With an annual wheel loader production of 27,000 units, its volume represents more wheel loaders than the entire U.S. wheel loader market.

LiuGong’s network includes 34 overseas dealerships and three subsidiary companies (the North American company joins LiuGong Australia and LiuGong India). An annual conference brings together clients, dealers and partners to continue to strengthen LiuGong’s products and services.

For more information, call LiuGong Construction Machinery N.A. LLC at 281/579-8882 or call Frank Martin & Sons Inc. at 307/834-3171.

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