Credit: Alison Minard for the Fayetteville Observer Local newspaper honors Nathan Davis as he celebrates 50 years in the Industry
The Fayetteville (North Carolina) Observer has recently observed a major milestone of a local material handling dealership owners as they celebrate 50 years in the forklift business.
Nathan Davis and his wife Alice Faye Davis started the business in 1969 at their home. 50 years later they are still working and intends to continue to work as long as they can.
Here is the article from the Fayetteville Observer. Congratulations to Nathan and Alice on their milestone in the Industry.
How did this business get started? Nathan Davis, the 83-year-old president of Davis Lift Truck Service, doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. “I want to work as long as I can,” he said.
“We started out at our home with one service truck,” Davis said of the business that he started 50 years ago. His wife of 62 years, Alice Faye Davis, was in charge of the bookkeeping.
It wasn’t long before they were able to build office space behind their house.
“Within the first five years of business, we added more vans and were able to hire a few employees,″ he said. “Then we rented a small shop on Camden Road where we worked for a couple of years.”
The business expanded again in 1977, building a bigger shop on Legion Road, where it is headquartered today. Around 1980, the business added office space.
“We are a full-service forklift dealer. We do repairs, rentals, parts, sales and service of material handling equipment,” Davis said. “It doesn’t matter what the equipment is, we fix it.”
Davis is, by all accounts, a hands on manager who knows every job in his company. “I also have my CDL license and I still drive the trucks,” he said.
Davis Lift Truck Service has become one of the largest lift truck businesses in the Southeast, Davis said.
Why did you choose this business? “I have always been mechanical,” Davis said.
Before going into business for himself, Davis worked as a service manager for another company. A transfer led him to Fayetteville in 1967, he said.
How has the business grown or changed? Davis said his business continues to grow and expand. “We started off buying forklifts and then added rentals,″ he said. “When I started, there were five other lift truck companies in our area. Now, I think there is only one other business.”
As recently as last year the company acquired additional property next to its headquarters, adding 3.5 acres to what it already owns and a showroom. “Our inventory includes a small fleet of vans and several buildings, with 15 pieces of rolling equipment and three rollback trucks,” he said.
Credit: Alison Minard for the Fayetteville Observer
What is unique about your business? “We are big on customer service, and we take good care of our customers,” Davis said.
He also makes an effort to take good care of his employees. They have cookouts, Christmas dinners and recently held a catered banquet to celebrate 50 years in business, he said.
How has the economy affected business? “It hurt bad when the textile business moved overseas, as far as forklift TPK work was concerned,″ he said. “We had to go out and solicit new business. Now we have more customers than ever. We acquired 30 new customers last week.
“I no longer have to go out and solicit new business. It comes to us,” he said.
When is your busiest time? “We work five days a week and are busy every day,″ he said.
The business is sometimes open on Saturdays. “We work however long it takes to get the job done,″ he said.
What is your most popular service or product? “The majority of our income is from service and repair work, and then sales,” he said. The service area covers a 70-mile radius of Fayetteville.
“We sell forklifts that will lift from 3,000 to 12,000 pounds,” he said. Tailift is a new line of lift truck the company added in the past few years, he said.
Who are key employees? Davis said they have been blessed with finding good employees. “All of our employees have been with us a long time,″ he said. “They are like family.”
Their son, Charles, is the sales manager. Ron Davis, who works in the repair shop, has been with the business for 37 years. Patricia Morrell is the office manager.
“Our vision for the future is to keep growing,” Davis said. “Our motto is, ’We do what others don’t. We have what others want.‴
What is the best part of owning this business? “The best part is the relationships we develop,” he said. “I work with good employees, and we have a good time. There is no high pressure.”
What is most challenging? “In this business you have to know what you’re doing,″ he said. “We work long hours and we work hard to build trust with our customers. I am honest and straightforward, and I give before I take.”
What else do you want people to know? For more information about the business, call 910-424-0958.
