An incredible ride

When Conexpo ends, the work will begin for Mike Brooks. Brooks is a Conexpo veteran, having attended and participated in every show during his three decades with Liebherr. This year, he will have a lead role in closing down the show. He’ll be working on the disassembly and shipping of the many construction machines on display. Brooks has experience with the full range of construction equipment and excavators are his specialty.

Throughout his 30 years with Liebherr, Brooks, a district product support representative with the Liebherr USA, Co. construction equipment division, has sought to give back to the people, company and community he’s called home for so long. Longtime employees like him who reflect on their experience with the company are often passionate and he’s no exception.

“There is never a typical day. It’s a great thing,” said Brooks. “Through my job with Liebherr, I’ve traveled most of the US and to all of Liebherr’s European factories. You don’t know Liebherr until you’ve seen at least one of the factories – it’s pretty cool.” Liebherr’s machines and technologies are among the best in the world. They’re built with decades of in-house development expertise by people who are passionate and enthusiastic about innovation and quality. “The training I’ve received has been top notch. I’ve tried to continually increase the knowledge in the products that are available to us. I’ve had amazing opportunities to see all the different aspects of the industry.”

As part of his daily responsibilities that are not connected to Conexpo, Brooks focuses on and is involved with the assembly and handover of machines to customers. He also provides equipment operator orientations and collaborates with technicians to diagnose and resolve any machine operation issues. “I also assist with training, and of course I travel throughout my territory to maintain relationships with service managers, parts managers and dealers.”

Through the last 70 years worldwide and for 50 years in the US, Liebherr built its corporate culture on long-term relationships between customers, employees and business partners. Our employees are empowered with the freedom to act to create solutions that exceed customer expectations. This atmosphere of trust has facilitated Liebherr’s continual growth and success.

Both people and product knowledge are required for success as a product support representative. “A huge part of working at Liebherr is working with and meeting people related to the industry. I’ve worked with some incredible guys.

I currently support dealers in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and West Virginia. It’s a very satisfying aspect to be able to work with younger people who are willing to learn and want to learn more.”

Brooks previously covered a territory that extended from South Carolina to Maine, and later the West Coast, until growth in business made it necessary to reduce his geographic area of responsibility. In the last 30 years, the construction division has focused on growing its and dealer network, which now covers nearly 100% of the US.

Looking ahead, Brooks said he is excited to get more hands on with the new Generation 8 excavators, which will be featured at Conexpo. The technology and design of Liebherr’s newest excavators makes the machines more user and operator friendly. But he added, even the most advanced products still require a human touch for design, building, operation and maintenance.

For people who are interested in a career like his, Brooks said in addition to knowledge about electronics, mechanical and hydraulic systems, “You have to be able to get along with people.” Good communication skills and a calm demeanor under pressure when solving customer issues are also essential. At its heart, “this industry is a people industry. And there’s lots of travel. You definitely have to have the passion for travel, which is way cool in my opinion. It’s been amazing to help people learn the trade. The travel and the people are fantastic. I just turned 60 years old and it’s been an incredible ride.”