01.09.2020

Two high level recruits for Sinoboom

Chinese aerial lift manufacturer Sinoboom has added to its European sales team for the UK and Spain.

Julie Houston Smyth will be responsible for Sinoboom’s activities in the UK and Ireland, while José Miguel Peña takes on responsibility for Spain and Portugal.

Houston Smyth grew up in the access rental industry as part of the family that founded Highway Plant in Northern Ireland. She formally began her access career in 1994 as an area sales representative for the Northern Ireland based powered access rental company. These were tough times for any rental salesman working in Northern Ireland, but a female salesman faced even greater 'character forming' challenges. She excelled however and was appointed as a director of the company in 2001, a position she held until the business was sold to Briggs/Balloo in 2019 (see: Another acquisition for Briggs). At this time she established an independent access service, maintenance and consultancy firm, Lolex.
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Julie Houston Smyth

She has also been involved with IPAF for many years via the UK Country Council, the the International Council, and as chairman of the Irish Council from 2012 to 2019. She is currently a director of IPAF.

José Miguel Peña has almost 30 years experience in the access industry and has spent much of the past seven years as a freelance business consultant, most recently working as sales director for US material lift manufacturer LiftSmart (see: European sales director for LiftSmart). He began his career in 1991 a sales representative for Spanish truck mounted lift manufacturer Talleres Velilla, which produces platforms under the Movex brand. In 1997 he joined the Europart division of the Alfaland forklift group as a product manager responsible for aerial lift development.
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José Miguel Peña

Two years later he joined Genie as sales manager for Spain and Portugal, becoming general manager of Genie Iberia in 2001. Four years later he was promoted to sale director for Europe and North Africa and in 2010 the product and business development director for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In 2012, he left Genie to join Lavendon as vice president of international sales and distribution, departing the following year to work on his own venture. Speaking of his appointment he said: “The market is ready for the new product that is Sinoboom and I am anxious to start speaking to our new customers.”

European chief executive, Tim Whiteman, added: “I am delighted that we could attract such professional and well known colleagues to our new team. Their confidence in the Sinoboom product and brand is a reflection of the feedback we are getting from the market.”