He will also control operations at the company’s Waverly, Iowa factory, which includes rough terrain crane manufacturing. Gentilini will also maintain his Bendini responsibilities, in a bid to rationalise the company’s production of rough terrain cranes.
Speaking at the opening of Terex-Demag’s new UK sales and service centre in early August, Friesen explained the logic of the move. “Terex has grown through mergers and acquisitions. As you look at RTs, it acquired Bendini and Waverly. Each has its own engineering, its own manufacturing, its own channels to distribution.”
Friesen said that the products had been broadly complementary up until now, with the Waverly RTs selling in the USA, and the Bendini cranes selling in Europe. He added: “Until now there has not been tons of conflict outside the USA and Europe. But in the Middle East and Africa, both brands compete with themselves; this doesn’t make sense long-term. We are looking how we can rationalise production of RTs for the global market.”
He said that although they have not yet decided on a strategy, one possible solution might be to make different capacity cranes in the different plants. Friesen also said that the two plants’ engineering groups are now working together on new crane development.
Gentilini also heads up sales of Terex’s other North American crane factory in Wilmington, North Carolina. The company makes its Peiner range of tower cranes, and Terex American crawlers with imported equipment from IHI of Japan there.
Ken Lousberg retains operational control of the Wilmington plant. In addition, he is in charge of operations at Terex Comedil’s tower crane plant in Italy. That one executive heads up both tower crane factories is another attempt at rationalisation.
Terex’s Waverly factory also makes boom trucks and truck cranes. USA sales director Scott Smith will report to Gentilini.
