Hugg & Hall History

Hugg and Hall Equipment was originally formed as an Arkansas corporation in 1956 as Lift Truck Sales & Service. The Company was a distributor for Clark Equipment Co., a manufacturer of industrial forklifts. In 1960, the Company changed its name to Clarklift of Arkansas. Charles Hugg, the general manager of Clark Equipment’s Chicago factory retail store, then purchased the Company in 1970. In 1970 the company operated from two locations, Little Rock and Fort Smith, and had 22 employees. The company has grown to become one of the largest in the South, operating out of seven locations and with 260 employees.

Shortly after Charles Hugg purchased the company, he began to look for ways to diversify which would ultimately allow him to expand the business statewide. He diversified geographically by opening a second branch location in Springdale in 1977. To better serve the timber industry branches were opened in Fordyce and Dierks. The Dierks office was eventually closed and the Fordyce branch was moved to Camden in 1984. Charles also diversified the product offering while retaining the focus on the heart of the business that was, and still is, industrial forklifts. The company added construction and agricultural equipment lines such as Melroe skid steer loaders and JLG aerial work platforms. Both manufacturers are the leader in their industry in the world today.

In 1986 Clarklift continued its diversification by starting an affiliated company called Hugg Equipment Company whose forces were directed in the service, parts, and sale of Volvo wheel loaders, Euclid rigid frame haul trucks, and Hitachi excavators. Later that year the Crown line of narrow aisle forklifts was added to the offering of Hugg Equipment.

In 1987 Robert Hall, Charles Hugg, and John Hugg along with a 50% partner, Kent Blochberger, started Super Rent of Springdale, Inc. This company specialized in the daily, weekly, and monthly rental of construction and industrial equipment. Mr. Blochberger’s stock was purchased by the other partners in 1989. In May of 1991 we opened our second location in Conway under the trade name of Rental Express. In March of 1994 we opened our third location in Fayetteville operating as Rental Express. At this time we changed the name of the Springdale store to Rental Express. We have experienced annual growth in sales at a compounded rate of 20% per year since 1987. We are the leading equipment rental company in Springdale and in the top three in the rapidly growing market of Northwest Arkansas. We are the leading company in Conway, which is also a fast growing area.

In July of 1990 Robert Hall became President and John Hugg became Chairman of the board when they acquired a controlling interest in the stock of Clarklift of Arkansas from Charles Hugg. In May of 1995 Clarklift acquired the stock of Hugg Equipment Company and began doing business as Hugg and Hall Equipment.

In August 1997 Super Rent was merged into Hugg and Hall Equipment.

Hugg & Hall Today

Today we do business as Hugg and Hall Equipment Company. Hugg and Hall has five profit centers. They are new sales, used sales, parts sales, service, and rental. Generally each of the departments focuses on our twelve main lines of equipment with which we have the exclusive right to sell in an “area of primary responsibility” or “APR." The lines are divided into three divisions: material handling, light construction, and heavy construction. The material handling division has Crown, Toyota, Drexel, and Daewoo forklifts. The group also includes GNB batteries, and Taylor-Dunn personnel and burden carriers.

The light construction division has Bobcat skid steer loaders and mini excavators, JLG and Genie aerial work platforms, Skytrak and Ingersoll-Rand rough terrain forklifts. The heavy construction division represents Volvo loaders, hydraulic excavators and articulated off-road haul trucks, Euclid rigid frame off-road haul trucks, Hitachi hydraulic excavators, and Ingersoll-Rand compaction equipment.

Sales

Our sales force is dedicated to helping you identify and solve your material handling needs. There is no problem too large or too small. We offer the most complete line of new products in the state, along with our large inventory of used products. You can be assured that we will be able to provide the solutions.

Service

Our staff of factory trained service technicians is ready to provide you with the best service, whether you bring it to us or we come to you. We offer in-house shop service with the latest in technological capabilities.

Our field service technicians are equipped with the latest model service vehicles. This enables us to give you the most efficient on site service.