LiuGong adds Apex Equipment to its dealer lineup

LiuGong has added Apex Equipment to its dealer network.

Apex is based in Atoka, Oklahoma, and will provide sales and service of LiuGong equipment for customers in Oklahoma, southern Arkansas and northeast Texas.

"This partnership will allow us to stimulate growth in local and statewide economies, and maintain customer relationships based on integrity and trust," said Apex President Ryan Mitchell. "Providing superior sales and service will be our trademark while representing LiuGong North America and Apex Equipment."

Volvo Group hosted President Biden at its Powertrain Operations facility in Hagerstown, Maryland, for National Manufacturing Day on October 7. Biden met with executives, toured the facility and spoke with employees during the event.

"The Volvo Group is very pleased to host President Biden at our Volvo Group Powertrain Operations today on National Manufacturing Day," said Martin Weissburg, chairman of Volvo Group North America and Mack Trucks president. "National Manufacturing Day recognizes modern manufacturing, and our Hagerstown site exemplifies that as it provides advanced transportation technologies to meet customer needs today and in the future."

The Hagerstown campus produces engines, transmissions and axles for Mack Trucks, Volvo Trucks, Prevost motorcoaches and Volvo Buses sold in North America. It also recently began production of the Modular Power Boxes (MPB) used in Volvo Group's new zero-emission battery-electric vehicles, the Volvo VNR Electric and Mack LR Electric models.

"President Biden's visit to our Hagerstown location highlights the importance of manufacturing to our U.S. economy and helps encourage people to pursue a career in manufacturing," said Marcus Minkkinen, vice president and general manager at the Volvo Group Powertrain Operations in Hagerstown. "Our site offers great jobs in a modernized facility that is transforming the transportation industry."

Volvo Group says it has invested nearly $320 million in the site in the past 10 years.

LGMG North America, a manufacturer of mobile elevated work platforms, has named Rick Quick as director of product support and John Hofmeyer as director of sales and marketing.

Quick will be responsible for after-sales personnel and systems. He has 25 years of experience in the equipment industry, with more than 18 of those years in product support leadership.

Hofmeyer will be responsible for building and mentoring the sales team at LGMG. He has over 30 years of experience in the equipment rental industry with 25 years in senior sales and executive positions with companies like NES, Metrolift, Patten CAT and Alta Equipment.

Grote, a manufacturer of vehicle lighting and safety systems, has announced the addition of three new members to its leadership team.

Kent Bode has been promoted to vice president of sales and marketing for the U.S. sales team, while Cesar Perez-Bolivar transitions to take over leadership responsibilities of Grote Electronics, and Mel Mendoza has been hired as the new vice president of operations, North America.

Bode started at Grote in 1997, serving in various engineering capacities as a product manager, regional manager and director of OEM sales. He will lead the U.S. sales team, the marketing team and the business development team in his new role.

Perez-Bolivar has been with Grote for nearly a decade, working on research, most recently serving as the director of engineering, leading the company's headlamp engineering and manufacturing division in Madison, Indiana.

Mendoza is new to the Grote team, bringing more than 35 years of experience as a global business leader working for a diverse group of manufacturing companies. He will oversee Grote's North American facilities in Madison, Waterloo and Monterrey.