Jim Mozer has nearly four decades of experience in engineering, sales, and marketing management. As senior vice president for lift-truck manufacturer Crown Equipment Corp., he is responsible for the strategic leadership of the company’s sales, marketing, and retail operations.
Mozer joined Crown Equipment in his current role in 2012 and oversees the commercialization of material handling products, services, and automation technologies as well as the company’s retail sales and service network of 500 dealers in 84 countries. Before joining Crown, he held multiple engineering and management roles with Monsanto and Emerson Climate Technologies.
Mozer currently serves as chair of the board of directors of the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) and as task force chairman of its National Forklift Safety Day. He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Wright State University and an MBA from Washington University.
Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CURRENT STATE OF THE MARKET FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS?
A: In today’s market, customers continue to look for ways to improve productivity while making the most of their resources. Labor availability and employee turnover remain important considerations, and operations are looking closely at technologies that can help their people work more efficiently while supporting training and the overall operator experience.
Q: DO YOU VIEW AUTONOMOUS MOBILE ROBOTS (AMRs) AS COMPETITORS TO FORKLIFTS FOR MOVING GOODS WITHIN FACILITIES? HOW DO THEY DIFFER IN APPLICATION?
A: Automated lift trucks and traditional forklifts aren’t necessarily direct competitors, and they often work together well within the same operation. It’s also important to remember that we’re talking about two different types of technology. The terms “AMR” and “AGV” (automated guided vehicle) describe navigation and traffic-management approaches for mobile equipment. In practice, these systems are separate considerations from the vehicle’s material handling capabilities.
An automated workflow can make a lot of sense for consistent, repetitive routes, especially in high-volume applications. Manually operated forklifts still offer the most flexibility, so they make more sense when processes are less consistent, have unpredictable travel routes, or require more human judgment.
Q: FORKLIFT CUSTOMERS ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE AWAY FROM INTERNAL COMBUSTION (IC) TRUCKS IN FAVOR OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES. HOW IS CROWN ADDRESSING THIS SHIFT?
A: Our industry is facing one of the most important and transformative periods in its history. We’re seeing rapid change in technology as well as in regulatory and trade policy. The ITA gives manufacturers an opportunity to work together on issues that have implications across the industry.
This collaboration is especially important as technologies such as automation and artificial intelligence continue to evolve. I appreciate the opportunity to be part of these conversations and to contribute to work that helps our members grow, develop innovative products, and keep the supply chain strong.
