Celebrating 30+ Years at Link-Belt

John Toher, senior director of customer service at Link-Belt

In this exclusive interview, Lift and Access 360 talks with John Toher, senior director of customer service for Link-Belt Construction Equipment, on the 30^th anniversary of the opening of its plant in Lexington, Ken. Toher, who has a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and an MBA, has been with Link-Belt for more than 30 years, serving in many management capacities including manufacturing, sales, marketing, product support, parts, and customer service. We spoke with John about his experience at Link-Belt over the last three decades as well as general trends in the industry. He can be reached at JTOHER@linkbelt.com. For more information on the company's rich heritage, read the company's history. http://www.linkbelt.com/linkbelt/about/frameabout.htm.

September 22, 2005 —

360: How did you get involved with Link-Belt, and what was it like in the early days?

Toher: After doing my military service, I worked for a couple of companies prior to joining Link-Belt as a facilities engineer in June of 1974. As part of the team that came to Lexington to build the factory in 1974, we moved into the facility in January of 1975.

When I came here, the slab was poured, and we were just starting to erect steel. We worked out of a small strip center about a mile away. At the time, there was a plant manager and maybe 12 of us. Of course, we went back and forth to the site every day. One of the guy's jobs was to build the building. My job was to fill it with equipment. It was pretty interesting because at the same time we were building the structure and trying to equip it, the engineers were back in Cedar Rapids designing the product we were going to put in it.

So you had to be pretty quick on your feet to recognize what changes were going to be made that might affect how you spec out a piece of equipment. It was an extremely exciting time for a 26-year-old engineer. Everything was brand new — from the machine tools to the forklifts to the crescent wrenches.

360: In your perspective, what are some of the most significant milestones that have taken place in the last 30 years both at Link-Belt and in the industry as whole?

Toher: The most significant event in my tenure with Link-Belt was the formation of the joint venture in 1986 between FMC and Sumitomo. FMC basically divested themselves out of the construction equipment business, and we became a joint venture initially and then finally a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries. That move really ensured our future. FMC was a huge conglomerate, and they weren't focused on the construction business. Sumitomo was more in line with our core business. I don't know where we would be today had that not happened. In general, I think that in my 30 years in the construction equipment business the consolidation of companies in the mid to late 80s was extremely significant. We saw 100-year-old companies that had been staples of this industry just disappear.

360: How has the company and the industry changed over the years?

Toher: In the mid-70's, we were justifiably proud of what we had accomplished. By the standards of the day, we had brought on-line a modern, state-of-the-art factory ready to apply the newest manufacturing techniques to produce the latest in telescopic crane technology. Looking back on 30 years, and having experienced the technological advancements in crane design coupled with the implementation of lean production techniques, just-in-time manufacturing, supply chain management, 6 Sigma, etc., we probably would be considered a little naïve and simplistic. It makes you wonder what the employees of Link-Belt will think at the 60^th anniversary celebration — when they look back at the team in 2005.

The core of the company hasn't changed a lot though when you have the kind of a legacy that we have in this business. In fact, it's all coming back to everyone now as we celebrate 30 years in this facility. We asked everyone in the company to go through their files and come up with part of their own Link-Belt legacy, and it's been really fun. There's a loyalty to the brand and to the legacy in this company that's stayed constant through this whole thing. You either get it or you don't. The people that don't get it don't last long, but today we have 87 people who have stayed for over 30 years.

As far as changes in the industry, I think that the expectation of the customer is higher now than it's ever been. And every manufacturer has to rise to that challenge. Technology and products become universal so you have to look for different ways to differentiate yourselves. One of the ways you can do that is through your level of customer service and satisfaction. As a smaller company, we pride ourselves on a personal level of service that we feel the bigger companies just can't provide.