LiuGong Machinery has named Kevin Thieneman chairman of LiuGong North America and senior chief director of Guangxi LiuGong Machinery.
Thieneman has 24 years of experience in the construction equipment sector, most recently serving as president of Caterpillar Forest Products, and has served in senior leadership roles for Caterpillar in the Asia Pacific region for more than a decade. In May Thieneman was elected chairman of the Georgia Association of Manufacturers, whose mission is to support the success of its members and advocate for a competitive business environment in the state of Georgia.
"I am very pleased to join one of the world's leading manufacturers of wheel loaders and a company committed to the success of its customers and employees,” Thieneman said. “LiuGong is a recent entrant into the North American market and I look forward to working with the local and global LiuGong teams to build a dealer network capable of supporting our customers. LiuGong's solutions, including wheel loaders, hydraulic excavators and track-type tractors, offer customers the right tool for the job at a significantly lower acquisition cost. As the only construction equipment manufacturer with a nationally accredited R&D facility in China, the company is committed to remaining an industry leader."
On the appointment, LiuGong Chairman Zeng Guang’an, said “We are excited that Kevin has decided to join our organization. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to LiuGong both in North America and in the global market place. As we are committed to continuing to grow our global presence and support our customers, he will be an invaluable asset to this endeavor.”
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.