Imagine DINOs operating in all 50 US states and in each of Canada’s ten provinces and three territories. This scenario is closer to becoming a reality following Dinolift’s investment in the future growth of mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) across North America. Leading the way is Sales Manager Teemu Ristelä.
In June 2023, he returned to the company following a brief career hiatus and took on a fresh sales position, supervising the North American market. Fuelled by the encouragement of his co-workers and RBG Inc., the US distributor for Dinolift, Ristelä holds a positive outlook on achieving success in his new role.
“Our DINO population is mainly based on the East Coast, but there are hotspots across the states, with the furthest machine in Hawaii. There is much to achieve, especially since it’s a vast market area where South Carolina’s gross domestic production is roughly the same as Finland’s.”
According to the 2023 IPAF Rental Market Report, MEWP rental revenue in the US reached a record high, rising by 15 percent to reach €12.44 billion. In addition, the overall fleet size grew, and rental companies achieved an average rental rate increase of five percent in 2022.
“The market is also characterised by intense competition, necessitating substantial effort and dedication. For example, when it comes to customer service, it operates at a higher pace and holds greater demands than we are used to in Finland.”
He states that Dinolift’s specific product offering of trailer-mounted lifts, for example, is more suitable for the US market than Asia because there is a robust American culture of towing trailers, campers and boats, and the vehicles can do that.
Dinolift’s niche products, such as the DINO RXTs, also mean little direct competition from North American manufacturers, and all DINOs meet the required local standards and regulations. “With our strategy, we are poised to meet all the challenges, achieve our objectives and foster expansion.”
Technical Sales to Customer-Centric Innovation
Although Ristelä’s formal education lies in automotive design, he has predominantly dedicated his professional journey to technical sales and post-sales services. However, his true passion blossomed when he began interacting with customers.
Despite dedicating eight years to powered access sales, he remains modest about labelling himself an expert: “My background equips me with familiarity with our products and services, enabling me to assist customers in selecting optimal machinery and features tailored to their precise requirements. Furthermore, I actively contribute to advancing new products and services.”
He recounts a story from 2015 when Dinolift was drafting the DINO RXT: “We talked with a valued client in Georgia and listened to distributors about what their customers would appreciate on the machine being developed. Then, in the evening, I sat in a bar in Boston, my favourite US city, with a designer and an aftersales engineer drafting the features to be included in our fantasy machine.”
A couple of years later, the momentous occasion arrived when the first machines were delivered to Dinolift customers around the world: “Witnessing the intricate process that unfolded to bring the machine to life and set it into production, and the significance of that initial delivery to the US market, was both personally and professionally gratifying.”
This collaborative aspect makes Ristelä look forward to engaging with his colleagues in the times ahead, and it is something that he deeply values about the Dinolift workforce: “The dedication the team put into their work, their eagerness to assist customers and their receptiveness to feedback resonates across the entire organisation.”
As an advocate of Dinolift’s values, he emphasises that customer service is not just about the product or service but dedicating your time, being flexible and easy to reach if they need you to supply answers about technical details, sales or deliveries.
No stranger to trans-Atlantic flights, Ristelä will represent Dinolift at equipment trade shows over the coming year. “However, because of the market size, we must choose the right products to introduce to the right people and business sectors at the right time. You can’t bring everything to everybody.”
Dinolift’s upcoming trade shows in the US include the TCI Expo in St. Louis scheduled for November 2023, followed by The ARA Show in New Orleans in February 2024. Ristelä eagerly anticipates both, stating, “Having taken a brief break and having missed the past editions of these shows, I’m excited to reconnect with individuals I’ve encountered over the years and to forge new in-person connections.”
If you're keen on discovering further insights into the potential offerings Dinolift can bring to North America, don't hesitate to contact us here.