WEB WATCH
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People
AXCS Equipment has appointed Shaun Byrne as its new Northeast regional sales manager. Based in Richfield, Wisconsin, the company announced the
Byrne appointment on October 21, 2026.
In the role, Byrne will manage regional accounts, expand equipment availability across the Northeast, and provide support for AXCS scissor lifts and telehandlers. He will also focus on relationships with dealer and rental partners, sales growth, and new business opportunities throughout the region.
Byrne brings 13 years of experience in the equipment rental industry, having held several leadership and customerfacing positions at Sunbelt Rentals. His previous roles include outside sales representative, branch manager, and market logistics operational manager. His experience spans sales leadership, branch operations, and fleet logistics.
AXCS Equipment has hired Nic Dykman as Southeast regional sales manager. The company, which works in aerial lift and material handling equipment, said Dykman
Dykman
will focus on customer relationships, sales opportunities, and market development in the region.
Dykman joins AXCS after 13 years with Herc Rentals. His experience includes six years in sales, five years in operations, and two years as fleet solutions manager, where he oversaw fleet and OEM management.
The company said his experience across those areas gives him an understanding of equipment lifecycle management and rental yard operations.
Dykman will manage customer portfolios, work to expand AXCS Equipment’ s presence in the Southeast, and support the company’ s dealer and rental partners.
CLARK Material Handling Company has promoted Bob Martinolli to chief operating officer, expanding his responsibilities from North American Martinolli operations to include manufacturing and engineering.
Martinolli joined CLARK in March 2026 as senior vice president of North American operations. He has led supply chain efficiency, truck sales and aftermarket parts growth, distribution, strategy development, and business systems integration in that position. His responsibilities as COO will include manufacturing operations and engineering, along with continued work in dealer support and company execution.
Martinolli brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in manufacturing, global supply chain, and dealer-based distribution. He previously served as senior vice president of operations at United Pipe & Steel, overseeing 12 distribution centers, information technology, and 58 company-owned Class A commercial vehicles. His career also includes operations leadership positions at Kongsberg Automotive, Gulf States Toyota, Argo Turboserve Corporation, Weatherford, and Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America.
Martinolli earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Management from the United States Military Academy at West Point and a Master of Business Administration from City University in Seattle. He also served as a Combat Engineer officer in the U. S. Army.
Big Joe Forklifts has appointed Kelly Stewart as vice president of human resources( HR). Stewart will lead the company’ s human
Stewart resources strategy
and work with its leadership team on organizational development, employee growth, and people-focused initiatives.
Stewart brings more than 15 years of human resources experience across manufacturing, healthcare, and consulting, including work with nonprofit organizations and startups. She most recently spent nearly nine years in healthcare, focusing on cancer diagnostics, where she supported organizations through growth and change.
In her new role, Stewart will work with Big Joe’ s leadership team to develop and execute strategies supporting the company’ s business objectives. Her responsibilities will include building leadership teams, supporting organizational growth, and creating opportunities for employees to develop within the organization.
Manufacturers
Bronto Skylift’ s U. S. Service Center in Rhome, Texas, is now fully operational, providing a range of services for the company’ s aerial platforms and supporting customers across North America.
The facility, located near the Dallas-Fort Worth area, provides training, maintenance and repairs, product support, spare parts, refurbishment, and local mounting of new equipment.
Current work at the Texas Service Center includes repairs, mid-life refurbishments, and assembly and modification projects. Several additional refurbishment projects are in the backlog.
The facility has added equipment and parts to support its operations, including a 15-tonne( 16.53-U. S.-ton) overhead crane for larger units. A shipment of OEM spare parts has also arrived at the center.
The Rhome facility also serves as the headquarters for aerial platform sales and for mounting Bronto aerial platforms on local chassis.
Dealers
Elliott Equipment Company has named Smyrna Truck an authorized dealer in Georgia. Based in Milledgeville, Georgia, Smyrna Truck will represent Elliott’ s lineup of truck-mounted aerial work platforms, digger derricks, and boom truck cranes.
Smyrna Truck is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fouts Bros Inc. and will support Elliott customers through sales, custom fabrication and upfitting, parts, warranty, and service. The company has in-house engineering capabilities as well.
Fouts Bros Inc. was founded in 1952 and operates a 700,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Milledgeville. Its brands include Smyrna Truck, Fouts Commercial Vehicles, Fouts Fire, and Fouts Defense.
Smyrna Truck provides custom truck bodies, upfitting, parts, and warranty support for utility, construction, municipal, and fleet customers nationwide, according to the release.
Rental
Sunstate Equipment Co., LLC, announced on October 13, 2026, that it has entered a cooperative purchasing agreement through Axia Cooperative, giving eligible publicsector organizations access to its equipment rental solutions without conducting a separate solicitation.
The agreement covers heavy equipment and tool rentals and was competitively solicited and awarded by the City of Tucson.
Eligible organizations include government agencies, municipalities, school districts, higher education institutions, housing authorities, and other public entities. The agreement provides procurement teams with access to competitively awarded pricing and terms. Participating agencies may also register for Axia Cooperative’ s rebate program.
Sunstate Equipment said the agreement supports its efforts to make equipment rental and customer support more accessible to public-sector organizations.
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