SMS Equipment says it has been appointed the official Alaska distributor for the full line-up of Komatsu heavy equipment, serving the construction, forestry, mining, and utility markets in the region.

The Anchorage facility is the 39th location for SMS Equipment in North America, which also has facilities in Mongolia, making it one of the largest heavy equipment distributors in the world.

SMS said it was selected to represent the Komatsu product line in the state thanks to its excellent record of providing world-class customer support in areas with challenges like those faced by Alaskans.

Sales/Operations Manager, Drew Clerc, said: “We’re looking forward to offering the customer-centred support and industry-leading products that both SMS Equipment and Komatsu are known for. SMS and Komatsu have strong reputations for delivering excellent customer service and leading the competition in the integration of new technology.”

To staff the Anchorage branch, SMS has built a team of locals with the experience to meet these challenges head-on, the company said.

“Hiring local talent is key to ensuring that we meet our customers’ needs; however, the reason SMS Equipment did this is much deeper. Supporting the communities where we live and work is a core value of SMS Equipment,” Clerc said.

The Anchorage branch is the first step toward what SMS Equipment envisions as a long and successful relationship with its Alaskan customers, it said.

“Our goal is to develop a solid foundation by delivering exceptional customer support,” Clerc said. “We want to be the number-one solutions provider in Alaska. It will certainly take some time to reach that goal, but I’m confident that we will achieve it one customer at a time.”

In addition to Komatsu, the Anchorage branch will carry and service products from Fecon, Terramac, Takeuchi and others.