Patrick Mutel has been appointed Managing Director of Zooom France SA, the Paris headquartered powered access subsidiary of the Lavendon Group Plc, which also owns Nationwide, the UK's largest supplier of powered access equipment.

Patrick joined the company from access equipment manufacturer, Upright, where he was European Vice President of Sales. At Zooom, he will focus on expanding the company's depot network and developing the business, particularly in non-construction related industries.

He says: "Construction currently accounts for around 80 percent of Zooom's business in France. However, the increasing impact of safety legislation throughout Europe is opening up markets such as maintenance and warehousing that, as recently as five or six years ago, would not have considered using powered access equipment." He concludes: "Certainly we see significant growth opportunities for Zooom France over the coming years."

Zooom France was formed in July 2000 and currently has five depots and a hire fleet of around 500 units.

END

February 2002 Nat2.025a