18.09.2019

New president for Skyjack

Skyjack has appointed Ken McDougall as president, replacing Brad Boehler who has moved to a new role at Linamar.

McDougall is returning to the role he left nine years ago when he took up a job at Linamar’s Powertrain division in 2010, having moved to Skyjack from Linamar in 2008, to take over from Lloyd Spalding following his delayed retirement.
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Ken McDougall

Boehler was appointed interim president of Skyjack in 2011, having previously been vice president of engineering, while briefly adding the role of vice president sales and marketing to his duties. In early 2012 he was confirmed in the role of president and has managed the business ever since, with revenues growing year on year during his tenure. He is also the current president of the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF).
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Brad Boehler

The statement from Skyjack does not specify Boehler’s new role within Linamar, and simply says: “Effective immediately Brad Boehler has accepted a position with Skyjack’s parent company Linamar. Brad played an integral role in setting Skyjack up for the success and growth that they have experienced over the past few years and they are grateful to him for his leadership.”

“Ken McDougall, who previously served as Skyjack president will again assume the position and continue the momentum that has helped place the company as one of the world’s leading OEMs. McDougall comes with in depth knowledge of Skyjack’s corporate values, the industry, and their customers, making him the ideal candidate to head the industry leader.”

“Looking forward, Skyjack has new invigorated products being introduced within the next few years, and McDougall is excited to bolster those product launches and continue to work with the team at Skyjack to develop innovative, yet simple and reliable solutions for rental companies worldwide. Skyjack division values an easy to business with philosophy above all else. Every member of their team does its part to ensure this mentality is followed through, from internal projects to building relationships with industry stakeholders and their customers.”

Vertikal Comment

This is somewhat unexpected and perhaps even a shock. In 2011 Brad Boehler seemed a surprising but welcome appointment as president, and most people were very happy to see him confirmed in the role around six months later. Since then the company has grown beyond all recognition and has increasingly challenged the two market leaders as it became the leading scissor lift manufacturer in a good number of major markets, and a credible player in the global boom lift market, while doing well in the North American telehandler market.

Linamar has a track record of moving its senior executives around the group, either to sort out a specific issue or gain a wider group perspective, whether this move is aimed at providing Boehler with an opportunity within the group, or there is another reason we simply do not know. And there is nothing particularly significant in the speed of this move, Linamar has often acted in this manner, in fact if memory serves us well McDougall’s departure in 2010 was equally rapid.

One highly positive consolation in the change is that McDougall was widely respected and very much appreciated within Skyjack and the access industry as a whole during his all too short a time at Skyjack, with customers, suppliers and employees extremely very sorry to see him leave in 2010. All of those who recall his previous tenure will be very happy that at least he is the one taking over from Brad Boehler.

We will of course update when we know anything more.