In 2003, German crane manufacturer Liebherr bought its USA distributor, Schiller International, and moved to direct sales in the USA. At the same time, founder Heinz Schiller retired. But his son Ingo stayed on as executive vice president, sales, of the newly-formed Liebherr Cranes, Inc.
In January 2008, Ingo Schiller left Liebherr to become vice president, sales and product marketing Americas, mobile hydraulic cranes, at Manitowoc Cranes. In his new role, Schiller will step back from direct sales and take a more strategic role.
“I have extreme affection for the Liebherr family,” Schiller told Cranes Today at ConExpo. “They are a wonderful group of people. I have enjoyed my time working with them, and my family’s relationship with them through two generations.”
“The goals I made for myself, and the goals offered after the buyout of Schiller International I had achieved.
“My personal career goals, and the position offered here at Manitowoc Cranes, which has sales and marketing with elements of forecasting, market development, product development and sales support for industrial cranes, rough terrains, truck cranes and all terrains, is something that, for a group whose engineering headquarters are in the USA, is not something that was available at Liebherr.
“Basically, Dave Birkhauser [senior vice president of sales, Americas, and Schiller’s new boss] asked me a question: ‘How would you like to make a difference?'”
