WEB WATCH
Find breaking and exclusive daily construction news online at LiftandAccess. com, or subscribe to our weekly eNewsletter, Lifting 360, to receive the news in your inbox once a week. Here’ s an overview of news you may have missed.
People
Merlo America has appointed Jerry Corder as product manager, adding to its U. S.-based product leadership team. The company announced the appointment
Corder in November 2025, noting
that Corder brings more than 20 years of experience across the construction and agricultural equipment sectors.
Corder is based in Fort Worth, Texas, and has worked in data analytics, marketing, product management and international dealer support. He is a graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in public relations and advertising, and began his career in advertising before moving into the heavy equipment industry.
In his new role, Corder will work alongside Product Manager Rick Fernandez to support Merlo America’ s dealer and customer network. He stated that collaboration across the product team will be a priority.
Merlo America said Corder’ s experience will support the company’ s continued expansion in North America, particularly across its telehandler lineup.
MEC Aerial Work Platforms has announced several leadership changes within its North American sales organization, effective January 2, 2026. The updates include promotions across regional sales management and sales operations.
Ethan Waller has been promoted to regional vice president, East. Waller joined MEC in 2024 as a national account manager and brings more than 14 years of experience in the mobile elevating work platform( MEWP)
Waller
industry. In his new role, he will oversee sales and account management efforts across the Eastern U. S.
Joe Broughton has been named regional vice president, West. Broughton joined MEC in 2020 as West regional sales manager and has 27 years of industry experience. His background Broughton includes sales leadership roles with major MEWP manufacturers. He will lead MEC’ s sales operations across the Western U. S.
Both Waller and Broughton will report to Paul Waller, vice president of sales, North America, and will manage MEC’ s territory business managers and account managers within their respective regions.
In addition, Robert Cox has been promoted to director, sales operations. Cox joined MEC in 2023 as regional business development manager and has more than a
Cox decade of industry experience. He holds an MBA in Finance from Willamette University and will oversee sales administration and planning functions. Cox will be based at MEC’ s Fresno, California location.
The Caldwell Group Inc., based in Rockford, Illinois, has added two professionals to its sales organization as part of its preparations for future growth. Brian Porter has joined the company as Porter regional sales manager, and Kent Henry has been hired as a sales engineer.
In his role, Porter will oversee sales efforts across Caldwell’ s product lines, including below-the-hook Henry lifters, construction and mill duty lifters, Renfroe clamps and RUD lifting points. Caldwell works in partnership with the RUD Group to align sales and marketing activities in North America for RUD material handling and lifting devices, which are used in a wide range of industrial and construction applications.
Henry will focus on custom lifting equipment, supporting distributors and end users by consulting on applications that require anything from moderate changes to standard products to fully customized solutions. His responsibilities also include supporting internal technical sales teams and producing concept drawings that allow customers to review and provide input on engineered designs.
Tadano has named Tyler Brown as national business manager for its aerial work platform( AWP) business in the Americas, following the recent introduction of the company’ s AWP product line Brown in North America.
Brown joins Tadano America with nearly 25 years of experience in the AWP sector, having worked with original equipment manufacturers and rental companies in sales management and executive roles. In his new position, he will lead the North American sales team and support the continued market introduction of Tadano’ s AWP lineup across Pan-American operations.
Brown will be responsible for supporting customers as Tadano continues to expand its AWP presence in the U. S. and Canada.
Manufacturers
Genie has launched a new reconditioning business, Genie Recon, aimed at providing access equipment owners with reconditioned Genie aerial lifts at a lower acquisition cost than purchasing new equipment. According to the company, Genie Recon will restore select Genie telescopic boom lifts to like-new condition at a dedicated reconditioning facility in Springfield, Missouri. The program currently includes Genie S-65 and S-85 telescopic boom lifts and is available to customers in North America.
Genie stated that reconditioning work is performed by factory-trained specialists using Genie genuine parts and manufacturing-level processes. Each unit undergoes inspection, functional testing and targeted upgrades intended to meet the same quality benchmarks applied to new equipment. Reconditioned machines are backed by a three-year warranty.
The company said the reconditioning process is designed to deliver consistent performance, safety and reliability while offering fleet owners an alternative purchasing option.
Genie launches Genie Recon reconditioning program
JLG Industries, Inc., part of Oshkosh Corporation, has acquired the core technology developed by Canvas, a construction robotics company specializing in interior construction applications. The acquisition was announced January 6, 2026, and aligns with JLG’ s efforts to expand how access equipment supports work on the job site.
The two companies have collaborated for six years, beginning when Canvas selected a JLG platform to develop its robotic system. The technology has since been used to automate repetitive tasks while maintaining consistent performance in interior construction environments.
Canvas developed a robotic drywall finishing system that combines automation with the skills of trained tradespeople. The system is designed to streamline interior workflows by reducing rework and limiting physical demands on workers.
According to JLG, the Canvas technology will help advance robotic end-effector development and autonomous functions that can be paired with access equipment for interior construction applications. These capabilities are intended to support skilled labor by handling repetitive and physically demanding work.
The Canvas team will join JLG as the company continues developing robotic and autonomous access-related solutions.
March-April 2026 l 31