PES Acquires Distribution Rights for Kohler Engines in San Francisco

Power Equipment Systems (PES), Salem, Ore., has acquired distribution rights for Kohler Engines from H.G. Makelim, based in San Francisco. The transition, which goes into effect on March 1, 2019, coincides with the announced retirement of Jim Hess, president of H.G. Makelim.
Jan. 24, 2019
2 min read

Power Equipment Systems (PES), Salem, Ore., has acquired distribution rights for Kohler Engines from H.G. Makelim, based in San Francisco. The transition, which goes into effect on March 1, 2019, coincides with the announced retirement of Jim Hess, president of H.G. Makelim. PES has represented Kohler Engines in the states of Washington, Oregon, and northern Idaho for decades and now takes on additional distribution responsibilities for the manufacturer’s gasoline and diesel engines as well as service parts in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, California, Hawaii, southern Idaho, and western Nebraska.

“Having worked with PES for a long time, we anticipate an incredibly smooth transition and a seamless continuation of the passionate and attentive service they’ve always provided to our customers,” said Chris Rector, director of distribution sales and service for Kohler Engines. “Of course, we also express our appreciation to H.G. Makelim – a trusted and dedicated partner that has worked very hard on behalf of Kohler Engines through the years.”

PES is a family-owned company dedicated to providing the highest levels of product expertise and service to its customers. The company operates out of a newly constructed 120,000-square-foot headquarters in Salem, Ore., and has represented Kohler Engines since 2001. For additional company information, please visit PesNet.com.

Kohler has been manufacturing engines for more than 90 years and has continually enhanced its highly-regarded commercial lineup to help make life easier and more profitable for end users around the globe. Kohler now offers a full array of gasoline, diesel and gaseous-fueled engines – up to 134 hp – which are supplied to equipment manufacturers worldwide in the lawn and garden, commercial and industrial, agricultural and construction markets. To learn more, visit www.KohlerPower.com.

About the Author

Michael Roth

Editor

Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.

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