Heli Americas, a Memphis-based distributor for Anhui Heli lift trucks, has taken another step in solidifying this Chinese supplier’s U.S. market presence. De Lage Landen Financial Services, a global provider of asset-based financing products to manufacturers and distributors of capital goods, has signed an exclusive agreement with Heli Americas to provide a subsidized retail lease program, wholesale floor plan financing and rental fleet financing for Heli America’s dealers.

Initially, the program will focus on Heli’s offering of internal combustion trucks (Class 4 and Class 5).

Heli Americas signed a contract to cover its 31-state territory, while Denver’s Southwest Equipment, which covers the remaining 19 states for Anhui Heli, is expected to sign on for the same program, according to Bruce Pelynio, president and CEO of Heli Americas.

“This will allow our dealers and us the ability to go after some more significant accounts,” he says. “If someone wants to buy a lift truck in Cincinnati and San Diego, we can have a master lease program that allows them to have one set of documents through one company in both locations. This gives us a national presence from a financial standpoint.”

Pelynio also expects this deal to make the Heli brand more attractive as a prospect to other dealers because DLL will provide wholesale financing for their stock and their rental fleets.

Pelynio says Heli is in the same position that leaders like Toyota and Nissan were in 20 years ago as they attracted dealers that were abandoning faltering lines. Rod Versteegh, president of DLL’s Materials Handling & Construction global business unit agrees.

“We anticipate great growth potential over the next several years as Heli Americas continues to add to its rapidly growing dealer base,” he says.