Join Us for a Walk in Our Steel-Toed Shoes: Part 1

At PALFINGER, we love our employees and realize that everyone on our team brings something unique and excellent to the table. As a thank you and a testimony to that, we would like to introduce you to some of our great people in Trenton, New Jersey. This location is our FIRST stop and focuses on manufacturing and installing cable hoists, hooklifts and container carriers. Over the next few months, we will be taking you on a tour of our locations, diving into some history and, most importantly, introducing you to the people who make us ONE PALFINGER. The installation team is a vital cog in the process from sale to delivery, and each member works each day to ensure you are delivered a great product. Later, we will introduce you to some great individuals who are part of the PALFINGER team.

Read Part 2 on the great team in Oklahoma City, OK.

Read Part 3 on the fun team in Tiffin, OH.

• 9 Welders

• 7 Mechanics

• 1 Lead/Inspector

1982 marks a year for David that he will surely never forget. Not only was it the year he started his journey with PALFINGER, then Automated Waste Equipment, but more importantly, it was the year he married the love of his life, Mary Ellen. Together, over the past 40 years, they have raised their two beautiful children, Amanda and Luke, into the adults they are today.

Over the years, he has shared numerous memories with his colleagues and the team, from challenges to success. Some of his favorites are traveling with the supply chain team throughout the United States and Europe for various site visits and meetings. David has explored multiple roles in the procurement arena, including positions related to supply chain and purchasing at the local level. He currently specializes in purchasing and is responsible for the inventory and supplies for day-to-day operations and manufacturing in our Trenton location. With the wealth of knowledge David has, he knows the importance of teamwork and works with all departments to get the job done.

He values so much over the years but stated, “My proudest moment is being able to celebrate 40 years of service.” What a milestone to achieve, and David gives it 100% each day; without him, we would not be ONE PALFINGER. For new employees, his advice is, “Take it slow, be a team player and always look for opportunities to challenge yourself to grow within the PALFINGER family.”

Tom has seen a lot since his first day in 1998 and has been here to witness American Roll-Off as a standalone and as it joined the PALFINGER family. It's been nearly 25 years since he started, and he is just as excited as on day one. He reminisces, "I was working for American Roll-Off when PALFINGER bought the company. I started out in the installation department; then I ran the service department for a few years."

Because of Tom's immense knowledge of our product line, he was asked to move to the parts department, where he's currently the parts lead. His primary responsibility is assisting customers in ensuring that they get the correct parts to fix their PALFINGER product. Tom is your guy if anyone has a question, as he has worked in numerous company areas. Talk about a jack of all trades!

When asked what he likes most about working at PALFINGER, Tom quickly said that he enjoys working with the people in his department and the short commute from home to the office. "It is only a 15-minute commute from where I live," says Tom. A self-confessed adrenaline junkie, he has a lot of favorite memories at PALFINGER. Still, the special ones are those where he socializes with coworkers outside work doing various fun activities – bowling, paintball, and holiday parties.

From Dale’s experience and breadth of knowledge of our product, you wouldn’t guess he has been here just four years. He is a seasoned professional in our Trenton location with 20 years of experience in his family’s business that has touched everything from parts and service to warranty and sales. Starting with building the service department in 2018, his role grew to take on retail parts and warranty. With his team's help, they increased profits and functionality and warranted the growth and expansion into a new warehouse dedicated to the two departments. “To see service and parts turn from an afterthought to profit-producing departments while also dramatically expanding them is a very proud moment for all those who contributed and especially meaningful for me,” he mentioned.

Fast forward to today, Dale’s journey mirrors PALFINGER as he is fascinated by our 90-year history and said, “Their ability to stay relevant and being able to constantly reinvent themselves in a positive way not only for themselves but the customer as well.” He takes much pride as he is now in the sales department, where he has found immense satisfaction and is coming into his own using the knowledge he gained from the service, parts and warranty side to help solve the customers’ needs. He understands that the customer is crucial, and with the support of his team, they will always find a way to solve anything. Their mantra couldn’t be more accurate, “Customer service. Without it, we are nothing.” Tapping into his years of martial arts training, he understands that it takes discipline and hard work each day and strives to meet this every day through consistent teamwork. Lastly, he is very proud that you can look back and see such a rich history of innovation and groundbreaking products of PALFINGER and looks forward to what the future holds for both him and his company.