Join Us for a Walk in Our Steel-Toed Shoes: Part 5

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 Niagara Falls, Ontario. This location is our FINAL stop and focuses on manufacturing knuckle boom cranes. The manufacturing and assembly 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 1 on the great team in Trenton, NJ.

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

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

Read Part 4 on the determined team in Council Bluff, IA.

32 years ago, Kristi Kraneyk walked into her first day at PALFINGER. Little did she know that 2024 would mark her 32^nd anniversary with the company. During this time, she has held many different positions in a variety of departments, from reception to purchasing, spare parts, finance, and inside sales, before finally landing on Marketing. All the knowledge she has gained as a “jack-of-all-trades" has been a great learning experience and has helped prepare her to become the Director of Trade Marketing for NAM. She would advise new employees: "We all progress at different speeds and in different ways – so ask questions, be patient, stay positive, work hard, and enjoy the journey."

Over this time, there are too many memories to count, but she had this to say about one of her favorites, "One of my favorite memories was attending my first ConExpo trade show. For years, I always organized the trade shows and stayed back at the office while the Sales Team attended the events – however, the first year I was able to travel to Las Vegas and attend in person – it was amazing to see how successful our booth display and customer event turned out. (It was also my first time in Las Vegas – so that was pretty memorable, too)."

"Seeing the company grow over the 30 years and knowing that I played a hand in helping with the development and growth of the company in the North American region," Kristi mentioned, remembering her finest moments during her tenure. She also said the people drive her and the great friendships and collaborations she has built over the years.

Trivia: She is a huge dog lover, and if she could adopt every stray dog from the shelter, she would!

In 2005, Todd Ethier started his journey with PALFINGER, and over the years, he has progressed to leading our region's warranty efforts as the Regional Warranty Manager, where he handles warranty. During this time, he has grown not only in his career but also in his knowledge of our technical products. One of the things that has stood out to him is "PALFINGER's ability to adapt to market changes as well as its ability to adapt to the needs of our customers." He advises new employees: "There are lots of opportunities for personal and career growth – so be ready to jump on the opportunities that might come knocking."

One of his favorite memories was in 2018 when Niagara Falls held a Service Manager Meeting, welcoming over 50 people from 25 dealers in NAM. This allowed them to show the product and meet the service network they worked closely with.

Trivia: He enjoys camping and hiking with his family. Additionally, he plays a lot of soccer, including coaching his kids.

In 2010, Mike Doig started his career with PALFINGER and has now progressed to quality control and assisting with shipping and receiving. He ensures that the final product is complete before shipping out for installation. Over the years, he has really enjoyed his work and home life balance, allowing him to enjoy his weekend with his family and friends. He has really enjoyed seeing the ever-evolving design and technology at PALFINGER to develop products further and improve processes.

One of his favorite moments was "The Christmas party that I got to bring my youngest daughter to. I was proud to show her where I work and introduce her to the friends I have made over the years." He recommends taking advantage of all the training the company has to offer to anyone new or seasoned who joins the team.

Trivia: Mike used to be a spa technician before joining PALFINGER

Just out of college, Lindsay Vuckovic was curious about operations and found a unique position in purchasing. Lindsay has now been with PALFINGER for 11 years, during which time she has held numerous roles in purchasing and logistics. Fast-forward to today, she is now the primary purchaser of all components and basic assemblies for the knuckle boom crane assembly line. Her favorite things about working for PALFINGER are her colleagues, challenges, opportunities, and a fluid work environment. Some of her favorite memories are the employee lunches and BBQs hosted over the years; however, her favorite memory is when her department threw her a baby shower before leaving for her first maternity leave.

During her tenure, she has experienced many remarkable feats, one of which she mentioned: "The constantly evolving product line and business environment. What I find most remarkable is the feeling you get when you are involved in something that is bigger than you." With her numerous years of experience, she has this advice for new employees: "Failure is success in progress."

Trivia: Despite being Italian, she is not a very good cook 😊

What is the team's overall responsibility in the organization?

To supply customer service and parts solutions to our Dealers in a timely manner.

Where has the department made the most impact?

We have made the greatest changes in utilization of technology lately. Installing new stations and embracing tablets and portable work stations to move away from our reliance on paper copies of all work. Technology also pushes communication to be faster to resolve issues when we need to.

What is something other people may not know about your team?

We want to make a difference and make other facilities follow our lead on improvements. We will not follow, we innovate.

What is your team most proud of?

Learning and adapting are vital to the engineering team. They are not afraid of making mistakes as it can be a great learning experience that helps them to adapt and not replicate the mistake. Working in new product development enables them to see the full picture of the product lifecycle as they are able to create designs that make positive impacts on the product and the customers. They are constantly working on improving our products and bringing the best solutions to our customers.

What is your favorite thing about your industry and the products you work with?

Everyday is a new day. Customers needs constantly change. New challenges require alternative ways of thinking and solving the problems.

If you could describe the team in one word, what would it be?

Passionate

Niagara Falls: Strong Driving Force

Over the last 90+ years, so many significant milestones have occurred and show the strength and reach of our company! Traveling back to 1989, when the Galileo Spacecraft was launched, and the Berlin Wall came down, PALFINGER established roots in North America. Entering the market in Niagara Falls, Ontario, we opened a 38,700 sq. ft. sales and service facility to bring the great PALFINGER products we know and love across the pond. Through a very focused catalog of products designed to maximize operator efficiency while at the same time maintaining the highest level of efficiency, we are delivering a superior, innovative product and service to our customers. Exciting things are happening here in the North American region! We look forward to the next 90 years and the growth we will continue to see with upcoming launches.

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