Balugani steps down from Palfinger

Paolo Balugani, the CEO of Palfinger Platforms Italy, has announced he will leave the company to seek new opportunities.

Balugani, who has a longstanding career in the access industry, including being co-founder of Oil & Steel, joined Palfinger in 2013 to establish the manufacturer’s new venture Palfinger Platform Italy (PPI). He also served as head of development, taking charge of the global Palfinger platforms product line, as well as introducing the lightweight, 3.5 tonne GVW range at Palfinger Platforms Italy.

He said the decision to leave the company represented a crucial turning point in his career and had a significant emotional impact. “I embraced my role as the company’s CEO with enthusiasm. I’ve always seen myself as a passionate entrepreneur who always likes to be on the move. Together with the Palfinger Platforms Italy team, I’ve led the growth in Palfinger’s market share in the truck mounted aerial platform sector in Italy and abroad.”

In January 2019, while retaining his position as CEO of Palfinger Platforms Italy, Balugani also took on the post of product line leader for the entire global aerial platforms division of Palfinger. “I wanted to create a global organisation focused on product development and innovation, and this mission has absorbed all my energy. The overall aim was to coordinate and integrate precious resources and engineering ideas of great strategic importance and value.” This approach, Balugani added, would leave a strong foundation for the access division in the years to come.

In the last few months, Balugani provided added support to the advancement of Palfinger’s corporate strategy in EMEA, with significant increases in market penetration, said the company.

While it has not yet been confirmed what Balugani’s next role will be, he said he would continue to serve the lift industry and thanked Palfinger for its confidence in him since joining the company.