Jay Schroeder, regional sales manager at The Caldwell Group Inc.
Schroeder, formerly sling team sales manager, has been at Caldwell since May 2018, following a move from RUD Chain Inc. For approx. 18 months, Caldwell and the RUD Group have united their sales and marketing activities in North America for material handling and lifting devices within a common organization. Schroeder was latterly regional sales manager at RUD having joined the company in 2009.
He said: “The RUD / Caldwell partnership has been a very good move by both companies. Not only did it allow Caldwell to provide a complete below-the-hook solution, but also it allowed RUD to tap into the vast rep network and many of the current Caldwell distributors. Additionally, Caldwell has had a bigger impact on the rigging industry over the years and that added additional credibility to the RUD line.”
Schroeder added: “I will be responsible for ongoing support of our sales rep force and of the end users. I will be charged with finding new markets and growing current markets with the Caldwell portfolio; we are always striving to find new opportunities to provide solutions to customers’ lifting needs.”
Schroeder acknowledged that immediate challenges include building up a thorough knowledge of the entire Caldwell range. “I understand the lifting industry, but Caldwell has so many products to help the end user find a solution to their needs. That said, we have a great support staff at Caldwell and everyone is excited to help you learn about the offerings,” he explained.
“Longer term,” he continued, “Not only is growth of sales a target, but we want to raise the profile of the RUD, Caldwell and Renfroe brands in the marketplaces we serve. We have so many great products and people behind those products—it is important that we get out and tell people about that.”
Among those products are RUD’s German-made hoist chains and TECDOS range, which is a broad portfolio of components, from chains to drives, for technically demanding material handling and industrial applications. New products will also be an important component of continued growth, Schroeder said.
He added: “Customers’ needs are constantly changing and, being an innovative company, our growth will align with those requirements. We have the ability to offer standard products and specialty one-off, custom solutions. Both are important, as no two lifts are the same. Currently business is very good; manufacturing has continued to remain steady and construction has experienced a boost. Caldwell is strong across the board and we are lucky that when one industry hits a lull, other sectors keep on moving up.”