German ground handling specialists come together

Goldhofer Aktiengesellschaft of Memmingen, Germany, which supplies transport equipment for heavy-duty and airport applications, took over its competitor, the Stuttgart-based Schopf group of companies,

With regard to their outstanding market position resulting from the pooling of resources, the company said, “Goldhofer and Schopf are the perfect combination for quality ground support equipment for airports worldwide from a “made in Germany” double. In future we will be able to offer this market one-stop shopping, and that will make us even more attractive for our customers and enable us to cater more fully for their specific needs.”

Goldhofer has been providing towbarless aircraft tractors and aircraft recovery systems since the 1980s, while the Schopf Group has developed since the 1960s into a major supplier of equipment for airport apron operations with its Rofan brand of conventional tractors, container and pallet loaders and baggage tractors.