UpRight hires design engineer

A design engineer responsible for some of UpRight’s most innovative and successful products has returned to the company, after a spell at JLG.

Gary Crook returns to UpRight as senior design engineer. He will be responsible for creating and developing an UpRight center of design excellence in the USA. He will recruit and build his own team; while working closely with the design engineers already based in Vigo Centre, UpRight’s European headquarters.

“Appointing Gary Crook is a significant step forward in strengthening our design engineering capabilities,” said Darren Kell, CEO of UpRight. “Not only is Gary one of the best design engineers in the industry, but he also has a huge tacit knowledge base and level of expertise in the entire UpRight product portfolio. Gary and his team will accelerate our program to produce a full line of UpRight booms and scissors, through launching new products to re-introducing UpRight machines that were discontinued under the previous owners. The return of key former members of the UpRight team, like Gary Crook, Doug King and Frank Lyons, is a great endorsement for us, because it demonstrates their belief in both our growth strategy for UpRight and our ability to execute it.”

Crook originally joined Upright in July 1995 and his first job was to design the AB46 self-propelled boom. Gary spent a highly successful decade with UpRight, playing a key role in the birth of the SB80 boom lift and the X26 ultranarrow scissor, among others. He left to join JLG in April 2004.

“UpRight has always had a reputation of innovation for productivity-enhancing designs. I was fortunate enough to be a part of that culture and I intend to revive it,” Crook said. “Being smaller than the major industry players can be advantageous, because we are nimble enough to react to emerging market opportunities. Crucially, it also means that we can talk directly to our customers, so we learn of their needs and requirements first hand. My focus is to build a highly talented engineering team, based in the USA, which can support the increasing production of existing machines and successfully re-introduce many other models. Our mantra will be ‘Keep it Simple’, by only using technologies appropriate to our customers’ capabilities. All too often, access manufacturers are introducing technology for technology’s sake, rather than improving the product. We need to remember that our machines are a means to an end – providing a work station in the air that allows the operator to work safely and efficiently.”

Michael J. Kneeland appointed COO of United Rentals

Michael J. Kneeland was appointed as executive vice president and chief operating officer of United Rentals. Kneeland had served as the company’s executive vice president-operations since 2003.

“Michael’s new position as chief operating officer allows United Rentals to further capitalize on his extensive knowledge of the equipment rental business,” said Wayland Hicks, CEO for United Rentals. “His wealth of experience has been instrumental in helping our company to shape its strategy and achieve significant growth.”

Kneeland has more than 25 years of management experience in the equipment rental industry, including key positions in sales and operations with private, public and investor-owned companies. He initially joined United Rentals in 1998 as district manager upon the company’s acquisition of Equipment Supply Company. In 1999 his responsibilities were expanded to include multiple districts within United Rentals’ aerial operations. Kneeland was subsequently named vice president-aerial operations in 2000, and vice president-southeast region in 2001, before becoming executive vice president-operations.

Prior to joining United Rentals, Kneeland was president of Freestate Industries, Inc. from 1995 until that company was sold to Equipment Supply Company in 1996. From 1996 to 1998 he served as general manager for Rylan Rents dba Freestate Industries, a division of Equipment Supply. At the time it was acquired by United Rentals, Equipment Supply was the largest aerial equipment rental company in North America.

Hirschmann hires customer service representative

Hirschmann Automation and Control (PAT) announced Tim Martin has joined the company as a customer service representative. Martin will be responsible for working primarily with Hirschmann’s crane OEM accounts, providing support for Hirschmann’s line of crane operator aids.

Martin comes to Hirschmann from the manufacturing industry where he worked as an on-site representative, responsible for planning and customer service. “Tim’s industry knowledge and experience will be beneficial to Hirschmann and our customers,” said Eric Schook, vice president sales and marketing.

Ingersoll Rand sells road development business for $1.3 billion

Ingersoll Rand Company Limited announced Feb. 27 that it has agreed to sell its Road Development business unit to AB Volvo for cash proceeds of approximately $1.3 billion. The sale, which is subject to government regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, is targeted to close in the second quarter of 2007.

The Road Development business unit manufactures and sells asphalt paving equipment, compaction equipment, milling machines, and construction-related material handling equipment. In 2006 Road Development generated net revenues of approximately $850 million, which included intercompany revenues of approximately $150 million.

The sale includes manufacturing facilities in Letterkenny and Shippensburg, Pennsylvania; Hameln, Germany; Wuxi, China; and Bangalore, India; as well as 20 distribution and service facilities in the United States. The business includes approximately 2,000 people worldwide.

“The Road Development business has been a strong contributor to Ingersoll Rand’s success for several decades and remains an industry leader with dedicated and talented employees,” said Herbert L. Henkel, chairman, president and chief executive officer. “However, the business’ markets and products do not fit within our transformed portfolio of diversified industrial businesses. I am confident that Road Development will benefit by joining a company sharing similar competencies and offering complementary products and services. We are pleased to have entered into this agreement with Volvo, which represents a strong strategic buyer for the business.”

Haulotte Group appoints Laurent Demaretz as head of its Mexican subsidiary

Opened in Mexico since January 2007, the new Mexican subsidiary is the fruit of the Haulotte Group worldwide development strategy. 2006 forecast confirms a strong growth: with a 34 percent rise in revenues. Haulotte Group pursues its development logic and its leadership position in Europe and its worldwide No. 3 ranking.

Laurent Demaretz has joined the Group as Mexican subsidiary manager to assert the Haulotte brand name in the country. Previously working as an industrial robotic sales manager, Laurent Demaretz, under the responsibility of Carlos Hernandez, South America area manager, will have the prime mission to define the sales strategy, and implement the whole Haulotte range in Mexico: A complete range of aerial work platforms (over 50 models); the HTL range of telehandlers; and The multi-job range, fullrotating backhoe loader (360 degrees).

Haulotte Group has now 18 subsidiaries worldwide and will open on first half-year 2007, two new plants in Spain and Romania, which will join the 3 existing French plants.

Gehl announces record fourth-quarter sales

Gehl announced record fourth quarter 2006 sales to complete a record year. Full year 2006 net sales were $486.2 million, a 9 percent increase from 2005’s sales of $447 million. Global market share gains in the company’s skid loader product line along with strong demand throughout most of the year for its telehandler product line and improved product price realization all contributed to the revenue growth.

Income from operations was $46.1 million in 2006 compared to $38.8 million in 2005. Operating expenses as a percent of sales remained flat at 12 percent in 2006 compared to 2005.

Manitou sees increase in 2006 financial results

Net sales and net profit increased by 19.8 percent and 38 percent respectively for Manitou’s 2006 financial results. Another increase in sales and earnings in 2006 bumped the net margin to 7.8 percent increase. These results are due to a sharp increase in sales of rough-terrain forklift-trucks (+17.8 percent), access platforms (+42.4 percent) and services, including spare parts (+16.6 percent).

Halliburton cuts ties with KBR

Halliburton is cutting all remaining ties to KBR, its government contracting and engineering unit. The company will unload about 136 million shares it still owns of KBR through a practice known as split-off exchange offer.

This offer will allow Halliburton shareholders to exchange all or some of their shares of Halliburton stock for KBR shares held by Halliburton. If any KBR shares are left at the end of the offer, Halliburton will distribute them to shareholders as a special dividend, the company said. By contrast, a previously discussed spinoff option would have meant all Halliburton shareholders would have received a predetermined amount of KBR stock, whether they wanted it or not.

Once the deal is complete, Halliburton and KBR will operate as stand-alone companies.

Perkins celebrates 75th anniversary

In the last 75 years, Perkins has built 17 million engines. Through continuous product and process development, with support from a sophisticated worldwide distributor network, Perkins has grown to become a supplier of diesel and gas engines in the 5 – 2600 hp market. Perkins engines power more than 5,000 different applications from over 1,000 major equipment manufacturers and are purpose-built to suit individual needs.

Before Frank Perkins, the diesel engine was a heavy, slow revving workhorse, lacking dash and performance. Chapman’s concept was the high-speed diesel — a motor that could challenge gasoline as the primary motive power. The world’s first high-speed diesel engine was the Perkins 4 cylinder Vixen, which made its debut in 1932. By October 1935, Perkins had set six world diesel speed records for a variety of distances set at the Brooklands racetrack in Surrey, UK.

Today Perkins is recognized as an OEM in the design and manufacture of industrial diesel engines. By designing, delivering and supporting medium duty diesel engines and power solutions, Perkins aims to be the customers’ first choice to power their world.

JLG names new dealers

JLG Industries, Inc. has appointed Dawes Rigging & Crane Rental, Inc. as a dealer for the JLG brand of telehandlers. They will provide sales and service coverage throughout Wisconsin except for counties near the Twin Cities.

“Dawes has been offering full service rigging and crane solutions in the Midwest since 1947,” said Craig Paylor, senior vice president of marketing at JLG.“We are pleased to be able to add the strong and versatile JLG telehandler to their business, which will develop a larger footprint for both companies in the area.”

Dawes will represent six JLG telehandler models with capacities ranging from 5,000 to 12,000 pounds and maximum lift heights from 19 feet to 55 feet. Among their features are three steering modes, a side-mounted engine and boom design for operator visibility, and an ultra-strong boom for a variety of Quick- Switch attachments.

Dawes Rigging & Crane is headquartered in Milwaukee with additional branches in Madison, Chippewa Falls and Kaukauna, Wis.

JLG also appointed C.L. Boyd Co. as a dealer for telehandlers. They will provide sales and service coverage throughout Oklahoma and north central Texas.

Boyd will represent six JLG telehandler models with capacities ranging from 5,000 to 12,000 pounds and maximum lift heights from 19 feet to 55 feet. Among their features are three steering modes, a side-mounted engine and boom design for excellent operator visibility, and an ultra-strong boom for a variety of Quick-Switch attachments.

C. L. Boyd Company is headquartered in Oklahoma City with an additional branch in Lawton, OK.

Pettibone announces new dealer

Pettibone, a manufacturer in the material-handling industry for over 125 years, announced KHM Systems, Inc. as the newest Authorized Pettibone Dealer. Based in Dayton, OH, KMH Systems, Inc. will be responsible for sales and service of the Cary-Lift, Extendo and Traverse product lines in Indiana and Southern Michigan.

JLG receives award from Army

JLG Industries, Inc., a subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck Corp., was presented an award from Letterkenny Army Depot. Col. Robert A. Swenson, Letterkenny Depot Commander presented the award to Peter Bonafede Jr., senior vice president of manufacturing and global supply chain. The award was given in appreciation to JLG for sharing lean manufacturing practices and allowing Letterkenny personnel to visit JLG manufacturing facilities over the past three years.

Letterkenny has implemented many of JLG’s best practices and is a two-time Shingo Prize Recipient of the Public Sector Award. This award recently recognized Letterkenny for not only saving taxpayers’ money, but also increasing the quality of Humvees for Warfighters.

“On behalf of JLG Industries, which is a subsidiary of Oshkosh Truck Corporation, it is my pleasure and honor to have worked with Letterkenny Army Depot in the sharing of our lean methodologies,” Bonafede said. “Assisting them to better support products that protect our soldiers has been a privilege. It builds on the principle of government and private sector partnering and allows both organizations to contribute to our national defense.”

COL Swenson toured JLG’s telehandler manufacturing after the presentation.“It is great to visit a world-class operation,” he said. We look forward to sharing further synergies. Lean practices result in a quality product provided to our Warfighter more quickly and at reduced costs.”

Symbolic of this was the armor plate that COL Swenson presented to Bonafede, which was taken from a Humvee that returned from Iraq.

JLG offers color restoration for machines

JLG’s ServicePlus and Dakota Ag Innovations are proud to announce their new partnership to provide the complete line of Dakota Shine color restoration products through ServicePlus locations and the JLG dealer network worldwide. Dakota Shine is a patented product that restores color and luster to machine surfaces. The product can be used on many types of surfaces including paint, decals, and plastics, and comes ready-to-use. The product creates no product waste, because unused portions can be returned to the container for future use. According to Dakota Ag Innovation, Dakota Shine products, like all its products, are environmentally friendly.

Customers can now purchase their Dakota Shine products through JLG’s ServicePlus division. The Dakota Shine product can enhance your current fleet’s appearance and improve the resale value of your equipment. Once restored, the new finish can be expected to last as long as the original paint in comparable conditions.

“ServicePlus can help our customers overcome the common problem of finding the time and personnel to restore their machines at a reasonable cost,” said Tim Morris, JLG’s vice president of North America market development and sales. “In fact, the surface on a typical 60- foot boom lift can be refinished for under $500. Dakota Shine has also proven to enhance the color and luster of current rental equipment that remains in your fleet. This investment represents an outstanding return on improving the appearance of your rental fleet.”

The Dakota Shine color restoration process uses two products to achieve these results: Dakota Prep, a water-based, biodegradable cleaner, to clean the surface and remove wax build-up, grease, oxidation and grime; and Dakota Shine to restore color and luster to faded, oxidized surfaces. Dakota Shine is designed to penetrate the surface and restore the pigments to their original appearance. Under normal conditions, the equipment is ready to be used 12 to 24 hours after treatment.