Caldwell Recruits Robert Allen to RUD Outside Sales

Rockford, Illinois-based The Caldwell Group Inc. has named Robert Allen outside sales manager for its RUD product line in the U.S. and Canada.

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.

Allen brings 20 years of relevant experience to the role, selling equipment to distributors—Caldwell sells through a dealer network—and end users, in addition to working with independent sales representatives and agencies. He has worked in the industrial, construction, automotive, and hardware industries, with recognized tooling and equipment brands. The appointment chimes with continued investment in product inventory.

Allen said: "I’ve known Caldwell for many years. It's hard not to recognize their products when visiting industrial and rigging warehouses, and manufacturing facilities throughout the country. RUD is also a very well-known company and brand in the industry. I wanted to be part of a team known for high-quality products with outstanding customer service.

"I am confident that my skills, background, and sales experience, across a multitude of industries with channel partners of all types, will help make a significant contribution to this organization."

The RUD catalog covers products from solid chains to diverse screw variants and includes items that are manufactured for use in specific end-user markets. References to rigid, boltable lifting points; lifting points on boltable plates; and flange load rings, might be made in a single conversation among stakeholders in the wind energy sector, for example.

"However," Allen continued, "Many end users and customers already know our products well enough to determine the right one for the correct application. Although, there are times that we’ll need to assist in determining the right product for the right job. That's where our sales, customer service, and engineering teams become an asset and valuable resource for our clients.

"Caldwell and RUD have done a fantastic job positioning the RUD product and brand in the North American market, but with more focus and energy, the long-term opportunity is to sustain company growth and exponentially expand the [RUD] business," he added.

Allen will report to Darrin Noe, director of sales, who said: "Rob is starting with two very basic goals: get in front of, and strengthen relationships with, key distributors and OEMs; and find RFQs. He is well placed and uniquely skilled to achieve those objectives. The RUD range represents an important part of the overall Caldwell product offering; we want to be able to offer a true turnkey package, or complete lifting solution.

"We needed someone who is hungry to sell and understands how to build, maintain, and leverage relationships. Rob has those attributes plus the technical aptitude to help us reach our sales goals."