10.12.2021

New sales VP for Manitowoc

Manitowoc has appointed Thomas Steuer as vice president sales & service for Central Europe and the Benelux region.

In his new role he is responsible for the Crane Care sales and service organisation and for the used crane business, as well as the distribution operations in Langenfeld, Germany and Breda in the Netherlands.

He joins the company from automotive supplier Hanon Systems, where he has been head of global quality for the past four years or so. Steuer is in fact returning to Manitowoc, having left at the end of 2013 to become chief operating officer at motor home/camper van manufacturer Erwin Hymer. He was previously based at the Manitowoc/Grove plant in Wilhelmshaven as vice president of operations, having originally joined the crane manufacturer in 2009.
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Thomas Steuer

He began his management career in 1990 as head of quality with Michelin, leaving for Automotive Lighting (Marelli/Bosch JV) after more than 15 years with the tyre company. He then left after four years for his first spell at Manitowoc.

The Vertikal team in Germany recently spoke with him about his return and his new role, here are a few of the questions they asked:

Vertikal.net: “So you are back after eight years - an offer you couldn't refuse?”
T.S: “I still feel connected to Grove mobile cranes. The product is simply exciting, and I really enjoyed working in the north. That's why I was very happy about the request and accepted directly. In addition, I am happy about the new area of responsibility in sales and service and the customer contact that comes with it.”

Vertikal: “How much and what has changed at Grove in Wilhelmshaven since then?”
T.S: “Eight years have passed since I left the company. Of course, a lot has changed, innovation and progress have not stopped. To name just a few examples in production, which were also shown to customers during the Grove GMK Days: A reorganisation of the production areas ensure an even better flow. In addition to the laser hybrid welding robot, which ensures a consistently high weld quality for our booms, while the new 3D measuring system for booms ensures an even better assembly.”

"A great deal of investment has been made and the plant is geared up for the production of the new Grove GMKs. Many of the team from the past are still there, and I have already had the opportunity to meet some good new faces. You can see the experience and the continued development. And I'm pleased to know that I helped to set this continuous development in motion during my time in charge of operations.”

Vertikal: “What market position is Grove hoping to achieve?”
TS: “We are not concerned with positions. But we are striving to increase our market share, because we are convinced of our cranes and our service. Above all, quality is high on our agenda. We have made some concrete improvements and things are definitely moving forward! We are aware that product, service and quality go hand in hand with customer satisfaction. And these are fully at the heart of Manitowoc.”

“We are also closing the gaps more and more in terms of our crane portfolio, with the goal of creating the widest possible range to meet the various needs of our customers. The recently introduced powerful five axle cranes, in the form of the Grove GMK5150XL and GMK5120L, which have been very well received, especially in this country.”

“These models are only the beginning, and we are already looking forward to further launches in the coming years. In general, the Grove GMKs shy away from no comparison, are competitive and provide a strong benchmark in every class. So, we are sure that with our products, the increasing quality and our service offer, as well as our customer focus, we will further expand our market share in the short and medium term. And not only in Germany, but worldwide.”