INTERVIEW
what theybuild versus buy,
andhow they automate their
plants, especially in thehigher
cost places versus the lower
cost countries. “Itwill be all
about our ability tobe better,
faster andhigher quality,”
he says. “Andwehave those
systems now running.”
In response to all thenews
about the company splitting,
Weyers says he recently toured
Manitowoc locations around
theworld and that crane
division employees didn’t see
it as a bigdeal because the two
companies are run separately.
“I think internally youwill see
more anxiety from thepeople
who areworking in the shared
services organisation, working
for bothCranes andFood
Services,” he says.
The concept of splitting
the two companieswas not a
matter of if, butwhen,Weyers
says. “Youhave two large
entities that have enough
footingunderneath to step
out.”While it’s too early
to tell, he saidhe thinks
that the opportunity
for theCranedivision
is thedebt split. “I
would expectCranes to
come outwith adebt to
equity ratio that’s very
favourable and allowus
tobemore aggressive,”
he says.
LarryWeyers, thenewpresident at crane
manufacturerManitowoc, talked toD.Ann
Shiffler, editor of
IC
sistermagazine
AmericanCranes& Transport
, about
recent developments at the company and
theglobal outlook for the crane industry
Becomingagile
L
arryWeyerswas named
president ofManitowoc
Cranes at a timewhen
the companywasmaking
headlinesworldwide. First
came thenews in late 2014
that investorCarl Icahnhad
acquired stock in the company.
Next Icahn andother investors
began calling for the company
to split into two companies,
one thatmanufactures cranes
andone thatmanufactures
food service (commercial
catering) equipment.
In the firstweekof 2015,
Manitowoc announced its
intention to split into two
publicly traded companies,
and Icahnwas given a seat on
its boardof directors. Beyond
that,Manitowoc generated its
ownheadlines, announcing a
partnershipwithGermany-
basedSennebogenon a
new line ofGrove-branded
telescopic crawler cranes for
sale inNorth and
SouthAmerica.
Weyers joinedManitowoc
Cranes in1998, afterworking
forKubota and as apart
owner ofWoods Equipment
Company.Hehas been amajor
player in the company for
many years – as a keyplayer
I thinkgoing forward, we are
going tohave tobemuchmore
agile as amanufacturer.
LarryWeyers,
ManitowocCranespresident
LarryWeyers,
ManitowocCranes
president, talks
about how the
cranes division
has developed
anagility
roadmap for
navigating
strongand
bumpy
economic
times
in the acquisitionof Potain
andGrove, andhewas deeply
involved in thedevelopment
of the company’sCraneCare
product support division.
His transition topresident
started almost a year agowhen
the company announced its
change from a region-based
organisation to aproduct-
focusedone.
“For the last ninemonths
we’ve been gettingour stars
aligned,”Weyers says. “We’ve
made some tremendous
progress. It’smade adifference
in the speedof decision
making.Whenwewere
organised regionally, itworked
formany years but I think,
somewhere along theway,
wemayhave gottenhard
todobusinesswith from a
customer’s perspective.
“I think going forward, we
are going tohave tobemuch
more agile as amanufacturer,”
he says. “I think all the
investmentswemake in the
plants, howwedesign and
produce, andhowwemanage
the buildplansmonth to
month, all of thiswill be
around that agility.”
Weyers says the focuswill
be onhow theydesign cranes,
“My goal wouldbe to grow
the business.Wewent from
US$300million to$2.3billion.
I don’t seewhyCranes can’t be
a $4billion entity.”
Weyers says that it’s too
early toknowwhichof the
corporate leadershipwill go
with theCrane or FoodService
divisions.Whichof the two
willGlenTellock, headof
theManitowocCompany, go
with?Weyers again said itwas
too early to tell. “He’s a great
guy and a great leader. I think
he’s done a yeoman’s jobof
leading the company through
all of this activity andmaking
surewe are in control ofwhat
happens versus all thenoise of
someone elsewanting tobe in
control ofwhat happens.”
Making sales
On the subject of crane sales,
Weyers said that 2014didn’t
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