Kansas City, Mo.-based Bublitz Material Handling, and Omaha, Neb.-based Riekes Equipment this week announced a “partnership” of the two companies.

“Rieckes and Bublitz have worked on projects together for years,” said Duncan Murphy, president of Riekes Equipment and new president of Bublitz Material Handling. “The synergy gained by joining forces will provide customers support that far exceeds their expectations.”

BMH plans to utilize many of the best practices that have been instrumental to the success of Riekes, such as strategic planning, financial modeling in all departments, and fleet management that will reduce customer total cost of operation by a minimum of 15 percent, with each initiative to be backed by the new Bublitz Performance Guarantee.

Jeff Bublitz will serve as CEO-operations, and Pete Womack will become chief operating officer-sales and marketing. Womack has served five of his 18 years with Riekes Sioux Falls, S.D., branch manager.

BMH is a third generation material handling provider in Kansas City, with a branch in Sedalia, Mo. It offers rental, parts and service support. BMH represents Yale Material Handling equipment, Landoll Bendi and Drexler forklifts, Advance Floor Cleaning equipment, and Tymco street sweepers. Riekes, which has branches in Lincoln and Grand Island, Neb., in addition to Omaha, Sioux Falls, S.D., and Sioux City, Iowa, supports Yale forklifts, hoist/cranes and other lifting devices, warehouse logistics and storage products, fleet management services and parts and service for all products sold. The company rents forklifts, jacks aerial work platforms and other items.