Genie Emphasizes Thinking Global, Acting Local

February 20, 2008 • As Genie Industries, Redmond, Wash., focuses on plans to go global, the company is undergoing a “functional reorganization” to follow Terex AWP President Tim Ford's five-year plan to expand service, grow Genie's product range, and enhance distribution. “The organization will be aligned to meet this strategy,” Ford said last week at The Rental Show.

Previously, certain departments did not have equal share at the table, he said. In the last year as Terex AWP's president, Ford said he developed a strategy to obtain a better balance by looking at the business from a regional and product standpoint.

 

For starters, Terex AWP will have four global bases. In addition to Ford in the United States, Matt Fearon joined the team last April as Terex AWP's vice president and managing director for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia. He is stationed in the United Kingdom. Ford said the company is looking to hire persons in similar positions in the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America.

 

Additionally, Ford said there was previously no focal person for each product line. “The glue to the organization will be a point person by product line,” he said. This product general manager will be a global position, while products and services will be local. “From a customer perspective, there will be local ownership and one point person to go to,” he added.