Caldwell Makes Two Strategic Hires

Rockford, Illinois-based The Caldwell Group Inc. has completed two important hires, as the business prepares for its next phase of growth.

Bringing an equal abundance of experience and contacts to the company, Brian Porter has joined the outside sales group as regional sales manager; and Kent Henry has joined the sales team as sales engineer.

Porter will focus on all Caldwell products, including below-the-hook lifters, construction lifters, mill duty lifters, Renfroe clamps, and RUD lifting points. Caldwell partners with the RUD Group to unite their sales and marketing activities in North America for RUD material handling and lifting devices within a common organization. The RUD portfolio includes slings and lifting points for the most complex tasks for integration into almost any application.

Henry, a design engineer, will focus more specifically on Caldwell’s custom products, pointing his efforts at anything from moderate changes on standard products to more complex applications working in conjunction with distributors and end users to consult and develop solutions based lifting equipment. He will support all internal technical sales teams with specific end user applications and develop concept drawings where customers can view the engineered drawing and provide feedback on its feasibility for their project.

Brian Porter, regional sales manager at The Caldwell Group Inc.

Jeff Ferchen, director of business development, said: “Both Brian and Kent bring a great deal of industry experience to our organization. Brian has deep knowledge and understanding of our product offering and has been instrumental in the distribution side of rigging and lifting his entire career. Historically working for some major distributors, he has always partnered with manufacturers to develop rigging solutions for cranes and BTH [below-the-hook] lifting equipment for major industrial, construction and OEM [original equipment manufacturer] end users.

“Kent also comes to Caldwell with a long history and knowledge of BTH lifting equipment. He spent the majority of his career with a major distributor partner of Caldwell’s in the Midwest, focused on engineering support for their sales team regarding any and all custom lifting solutions.

Kent Henry, sales engineer at The Caldwell Group Inc.

“We are excited to have both of these individuals join our growing team as we expand our solutions offering to better support our distributors and end customers.” 

Porter said: “I have known Caldwell for all of my nearly 30 years in the industry. I have always admired the company as a leader and have enjoyed working with team members across its brands — people are the treasure of any company.

“It is all about relationships; we need to instil in our customers the attitude of ‘it is easy to do business with Caldwell’. We need to be superior communicators with our customers. The more we interact with them, the more we strengthen our bond with them. We have so many methods to communicate — and just need to utilize them.”

He added: “One particular end user I have already been working with is a leading manufacturer of aluminum sheet, plate, extrusions, and architectural products and systems.” 

Henry, meanwhile, said: “I have been familiar with the Caldwell business, having previously worked for a major lifting and rigging equipment supplier with coast-to-coast coverage. I have a proven skillset in delivery of quotes on custom projects; I’m also looking forward to assisting the inside sales department with concept drawings and structural calculations.”

• Contact Brian Porter at [email protected] and Kent Henry at [email protected].