Company profile

Humble Beginnings

Starting in 1970 John Phillips along with two business partners, saw a gap in the materials handling equipment market and created a one-stop-source for all types of handling apparatus available at the time. It was a forward thinking step towards helping British industries safely lift and move their products in the workplace. Companies now no longer needed to seek out various suppliers for their handling equipment as Action Handling could fulfil their requirements through a single, easy to make order.

Action Handling has always been a small family business. It started by selling hand trucks, trolleys and pallets in London and the Home Counties. The initial marketing was done via sales representatives knocking on doors in a bid to serve their customers. In 1986 a 60 paged black and white mail order catalogue was produced to help expand the customer base and by 1992 these had been replaced by colour editions with an ever increasing number of pages added over the subsequent years. Currently, there are 600 pages in the annually produced catalogue, ten fold that of the first edition! As technology advanced, so did Action Handling and by launching their first ecommerce website in 2005, they have retained a strong presence in the materials handling market.

Bespoke Offerings

Action Handling's roots are in steel fabrication and engineering, so from the very outset have offered their customers bespoke made products, tailored precisely to their requirements. To this day, they design and supply fabricated trolleys, workbenches, trailers, trucks, stillages, conveyors, steps, cages, pallets and structural steelwork as part of their unique list of services.

Raising the Bar

A successful business recognises its customers needs and adapts accordingly, so from the late 90s, the product range increased dramatically to help satisfy the increasingly diverse range of companies purchasing from Action Handling. In the early 2000s they began to offer servicing and repairs to pallet trucks, lifters and other mechanical handling equipment to further increase the expanding list of available services. The changes in H&S law for servicing lifting equipment allows Action Handling to help companies comply with LOLER, PUWER and Thorough Examinations.

Going Above and Beyond

Action Handling pride themselves on their customer service. It starts the moment initial contact is made with a customer and remains in place throughout and beyond any transaction. Fifty plus years of trading has built a wealth of knowledge within the company which is used daily to ensure every buyer receives the best possible service and advice.

Where to Next?

The company continually strives to offer the very latest innovative products alongside training, servicing and repairs of handling equipment. Companies looking to resolve their production problems caused either through lack of efficiency, have a need to enhance safety within the workplace or improve order fulfilment times, Action Handling will be there to offer advice and solutions and to maintain its consistent high level of service.