Product Specialist – Industrial Process Heating Equipment, USA

Reports to: Manager, Plastic Welding & Process Heat

Basic Function: Responsible for the growth and support of Leister Technologies’ process heat equipment division in the U.S.A.

Sales & Marketing:

• Analyze business structure for the U.S. market.
• Establish and implement strategic business plans for the defined key market.
• Implement Leister marketing concepts into U.S. market for responsible product lines.
• Develop sales measures to reach and increase planned sales figures.
• Develop and implement strategies by product group / market segments.
• Maintain constant contact with the responsible parties at LTAG regarding pricing, delivery, lead times, product changes/enhancements and technical issues.
• Establish, manage and expand distribution/dealer network when and where required.
• Establish, manage and expand Leister Key Accounts.
• Promote positive relations with vendors and associations (material suppliers, suppliers of complimentary equipment, automation houses, machine builders, material associations and market segment associations).

Sales Support:

• Organize and conduct training at LTUS and remote sites (application, technical).
• Conduct application workshops at LTUS and remote sites (product demonstrations).
• Develop and supervise the preparation and delivery of sales materials, exhibits and promotional programs.
• Prepare with MARCOM and attend exhibits, conferences, meetings and other local, regional, and national promotional opportunities.
• Provide sales and technical support to Leister’s US outside sales engineers

Market Research / Competition:

• Establish market analyses.
• Evaluate relevant markets (products, applications).
• Detect new market requirements, market gaps and new products ideas.
• Analyze U.S. competitors
  • Profile (weakness, strength, position, market share)
  • Product portfolio
  • Documentation file

Planning, Controlling, Reporting:

• Analyze business performance by
  • Territory
  • Market segments
• Report monthly activities, successes, deviations and challenges.
• Elaborate and implement action plans.

Day-to-day business:

• Manage technical, maintenance, or equipment failure issues; confirming the issues and solutions and communicating such activities to the customer, distributor, dealer and LTAG.
• Serve as liaison with distributors in the resolution of day-to-day administrative and operational issues.
• Become an expert at specifying the proper tool/equipment to satisfy each customer’s unique hot air application.
• Handle special technical inquiries.
• Handle special technical quotes – key account.
• Follow-up on existing business potentials.

Working Relationships:

• Product Management LTAG, Switzerland
• Customer Service LTUS
• Application Engineers
• Sales Engineers
• Key Accounts
• Distributors
• Public authorities
• Associations

Minimal Job Requirements:

• BS in electrical, mechanical or industrial engineering preferred
• Experience in industrial automation and process heat preferred
• Experience in sales and marketing
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office

Company Description
Leister Technologies LLC (www.leisterusa.com), with U.S. headquarters based in Itasca, Ill. and a satellite office in Tiverton, R.I., is a subsidiary of Leister Technologies AG. These offices support the sales and service of Leister’s full line of process heat, plastic welding, laser and microsystem products through its wide network of distribution partners across North America.

Leister Technologies AG (www.leister.com) is a Swiss-based company belonging to the Leister Group; it has a global market presence and prides itself on lasting customer satisfaction. The highest product quality, high innovation rate, extensive experience of its employees and outstanding services are clear benchmarks of this.

For over 60 years, Leister has been a world leader in plastics processing with hot-air, hot-wedge and extrusion welder technology. To assure customers can always rely on the renowned Leister quality, the company develops and produces all products and accessory parts in Switzerland in compliance with the strict ISO 9001 standard. Ninety-five percent of Leister’s products are exported.

The classic product portfolio of the Leister Group is subject to continuous further development and has been extended by high-tech machines and components involving laser and micro-technology. Leister Laser Plastic Welding produces powerful and cutting edge laser welding systems for plastics. Axetris AG develops and produces laser gas detectors, micro-optics, mass flow rate sensors and infrared sources for industry.