GREENE – Chenango County has long prided itself on being home to a host of industries with a global reach. Since 1922, The Raymond Corporation has continued to grow from the small foundry acquired by George Raymond Sr. to its current ranking as one of the largest employers in the county.
While the footprint of the company's Greene production facility remains largely the same, a series of internal realignments has put Raymond on pace to having the largest employment increase Chenango County has seen in 2013.
“Raymond has experienced a record period of employment expansion and market share improvement,” said Tim Combs, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Raymond.
Due primarily to a significant demand for material handling products, the overall lift truck market has grown by 8 percent, with Raymond’s market share improving more than 10 percent year after year. The Raymond facility in Greene is also on track to achieve a third record year in production volumes and productivity performance.
According to the Raymond Corporation, its dedication to investing in the current and future leadership and people’s development is the true foundation of the company. At a record growth rate of employment in Greene, Raymond doubled its employees from 750 to 1,500 in the last 36 months.
To position Raymond for continued growth and prosperity, the company remains very focused on balancing short term financial performance with investing in the future. According to Elizabeth Buza, the company’s marketing communications specialist, Raymond will continue to make significant investments in its manufacturing capabilities, technology and office building infrastructure that will allow it to continue to provide world-class innovation and material handling products that respond to customer needs.
The end result will significantly bolster Chenango’s local economy as the majority of employees at the Greene facility reside and shop within the boundaries of the county.
To support the current and future growth of the Raymond Corporation, there have been multiple new appointments in the organization. Lou Callea is appointed vice president and general counsel for Raymond. Callea will manage all strategic and day-to-day operations within the legal department. Callea previously was general counsel for the legal department.
Erric Heitmann has been appointed vice president of engineering. Heitmann will have responsibility for product development, manufacturing engineering, systems & advanced engineering, test engineering and product engineering. In the past, Heitmann was director of product development engineering.
Previously of Muscataine, Iowa, Dan Klassen was appointed vice president, quality and program management for Raymond. Klassen will assume responsibility for the quality organization and the program management office.
Dave Norton is appointed vice president, customer solutions for Raymond. Norton will have responsibility for custom engineering, sales engineering, field service, training and the customer care managers. Norton also will oversee the product management group on an interim basis. Norton previously was director of product and manufacturing engineering.
“These organizational changes will enhance our customer responsiveness and further strengthen our executive leadership team,” said Combs.
The Raymond Corporation is a global provider of material handling technology, expertise and support to increase productivity and cost-efficiency in the warehousing and inventory industry. Designed with ecological and economical benefits in mind, Raymond lift trucks are engineered to achieve higher performance and increase efficiency.
For more information on the Raymond Corporation, visit raymondcorp.com or call 800-235-7200.