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People
Manitou has appointed industry veteran Brad Boehler as president of its North America region, adding him to the company’ s executive committee as part
Boehler of a strategy to strengthen regional performance. Boehler will be based in West Bend, Wisconsin.
Manitou said Boehler’ s responsibilities will include accelerating market share growth, improving customer service responsiveness and ensuring operational excellence at its manufacturing sites in Yankton and Madison, South Dakota. The company said the role is designed to reinforce a customer-focused approach across North America.
Boehler brings more than 25 years of experience in construction and lifting equipment. He has previously served as president of Skyjack and held leadership roles at Morbark and Makinex USA, where he managed business development and a nationwide dealer network. Manitou said Boehler will apply his industry experience to support both sales and industrial teams and to strengthen the company’ s presence in the North American market.
Kubota will shift key leadership roles in early 2026 as part of its global strategic direction. Effective January 1, 2026, Todd Stucke assumed the role of president of Kubota North Stucke America while also serving as general manager of agri solutions headquarters in Japan.
In addition to overseeing North American operations, Stucke will advance
Arnold
the company’ s technology strategy in the region. He previously served as chairman of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers in 2024 and brings extensive experience leading teams across the U. S. and Canada.
Brian Arnold will take on the role of general manager of the North America manufacturing unit while continuing as president of Kubota Manufacturing of America Corporation( KMA). Arnold joined Kubota in 1995 and was the first American to lead KMA.
The announcement follows confirmation that Shingo Hanada will succeed Yuichi Kitao as president and CEO of Kubota Corporation in Japan.
Manufacturers Stellar Industries has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Elliott Equipment Company. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, pending customary closing conditions.
Elliott Equipment Company, founded in 1948, manufactures truck-mounted aerial work platforms, digger derricks and cranes for utility infrastructure, municipal, construction and sign and lighting markets. The company developed the first truck-mounted telescoping aerial platform.
Stellar said the acquisition aligns with its growth strategy and commitment to quality, innovation and customer service. Once the transaction is finalized, Elliott Equipment Company will operate as a distinct business unit under Stellar, maintaining its employees, facilities, brand identity and dealer relationships in Omaha, Nebraska. Jim Glazer will remain as president of Elliott Equipment Company.
The companies noted that the acquisition represents a strong cultural fit, combining Stellar’ s employee-owned employee stock ownership plan structure with Elliott’ s focus on people, product integrity and long-term growth. Following the acquisition, Stellar will expand its capabilities in aerial work platforms, utility lifting solutions and material-handling technologies across its vocational markets.
Sinoboom opens new manufacturing facility in Mexico
Sinoboom has officially opened a new production plant in Silao, Guanajuato, marking a major expansion of the company’ s manufacturing footprint in the Americas. The grand opening on November 18 drew nearly 300 attendees, including senior local government officials and representatives from the access and rental industries across North and Latin America.
The Silao facility covers 186,667 square meters and is designed as a one-stop manufacturing hub for the region. Once fully completed in two phases, the plant will support production of slab and roughterrain scissor lifts, boom lifts and telehandlers for both the North and Latin American markets.
Sinoboom said the plant reflects its long-term strategy to provide equipment with strong performance, manufacturability, appearance and maintenance quality. Local officials, including Claudia Cristina Villaseñor Aguilar, secretary of economy of Guanajuato, and Melanie Murillo Chávez, mayor of Silao, welcomed the investment, highlighting its economic impact, creation of new
jobs and strengthened ties between Mexico and China. Leaders from Hunan province also expressed support through a video message.
Industry representatives, including Randy Hannemann, rental director of Texas-based Lonestar Equipment Solutions, spoke about their experience working with Sinoboom and noted the company’ s product range and services as important to their operations.
The event also included a strategic partnership signing ceremony with multiple companies from North and Latin America, product handovers, a guided tour of the new facility and a customer appreciation dinner.
Dealers
Finke Equipment has joined Merlo America’ s dealer network, bringing the full line of Merlo telehandlers to its three Northeast locations in Selkirk, NY, Queensbury, NY and Burlington, VT. The dealership will also provide TreEmme forestry
Merlo telehandlers now available through Finke equipment in Northeast
equipment, the MerloMobility telematics platform and a range of attachments.
Finke equipment serves serves multiple industries, including construction, renewable energy, quarries and concrete production, providing sales, rentals, service and parts.
Merlo telehandlers and related equipment are now available at Finke Equipment’ s Selkirk, Queensbury and Burlington branches
Rental
Burwell Material Handling has opened two new branch locations in South Florida, following its acquisition of W. E. Johnson Equipment Company earlier this year. The facilities, located in Doral and Fort Myers, have been rebranded and upgraded to support expanded parts, service and rental operations.
Both locations were designed to increase capacity for parts distribution, service bays and rental yards, improving access to material handling equipment and lifecycle support
services for customers in the
Burwell expands South Florida coverage with two new locations region.
The Doral branch is located at 8860 NW 24th Terrace in the Miami area, while the Fort Myers branch operates out of 4051 Warehouse Road.
The company said the expansion aligns with its focus on delivering material handling solutions that span equipment, rentals, parts and service, warehouse systems and fleet technology.
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