ALH’s top stories from 2023

The numbers speak for themselves! With 2023 coming to a close, we rounded up ALH’s most-read stories from the year – and what we discovered was eye-opening: All of ALH’s Top 5 stories were original and exclusively reported by KHL’s editors.

What does that mean? That readers prefer and seek-out independent, trusted editorial – and Access, Lift & Handlers delivered.

So, with that in mind, here’s what our audience couldn’t get enough of.

Photo: JLG

5. JLG’s plan to meet ‘tremendous demand’

The world’s largest access equipment manufacturer announced solid results throughout the year, and as a result of a growing backlog, announced its plans to expand manufacturing footprint and capacities. In early March, ALH Editor Lindsey Anderson sat down with JLG’s Frank Nerenhausen and Tim Morris for an update.

4. Garth McGillewie: 1961-2023

The industry lost one of North America’s rotating telehandler pioneers in July. Garth McGillewie, founder of AMS-Merlo, passed away. McGillewie founded Applied Machinery Sales in 2011 in Rock Hill, S.C., where he became one of the first U.S.-based importers, dealers and renters of Italian-made Merlo telehandlers.

John Garrison, president and CEO of Terex, speaks during ConExpo 2023. (Photo: KHL)

3. Terex to move 10 Genie product lines

During ConExpo 2023, John Garrison, Terex CEO and president, said Genie would move 10 of the company’s access equipment production lines to its facility in Monterrey, Mexico. The news follow Genie’s announcement in 2021 that it would close its Oklahoma facility and shift its telehandler production to Mexico.

2. Top 10 North American rental companies 2019

Yes, 2019. This might be a head-scratcher for some, but the story itself reveals an important detail: it was the first time in 10 years that the Aerials20 toplist experienced at decline. When looking at the top fleets, United Rentals took the top spot with 150,745 MEWPs. (For this year, United reported 188,000 total aerials.)

The XR5G0100-G telehandler, or Trackzilla. (Photo: KHL)

1. ‘Trackzilla’ telehandler makes its debut

ALH’s biggest story of the year comes from the debut of the industry’s biggest telehandler. ‘Trackzilla,’ Xtreme Manufacturing’s 50,000-pound-capacity monster. Debuted during ConExpo, ALH got the story out before a press release was distributed.

With that, we wish our readers the best for the remaining few weeks of 2023 – and an even better 2024.