New Komatsu mining VP Funcannon most recently served as director of engineering for large mining trucks like the 830E-1AC shown here.Komatsu America has named the new vice president of its mining division following the departure of former VP Erik Wilde.
Dan Funcannon, who has been with Komatsu for 22 years, is the company’s new mining head and general manager. He will be responsible for mining sales and support throughout North America and for 200-ton and larger mining trucks globally.
Funcannon replaces Wilde who recently became executive VP at Generac Power Systems.
RELATED >> Komatsu acquires mining equipment maker Joy Global for $3 billion
“I’m looking forward to showing our customers how a trusted partner like Komatsu can add value with services and solutions that help their operations succeed,” Funcannon said in a prepared statement. “This mining environment is no time to retreat and hope the storm passes. Komatsu will press forward with leading technologies like autonomous trucks and innovative mine optimization tools that can help our customers be more efficient now and prepare them for the future.”
FuncannonFuncannon began as a design engineer at Komatsu in 1994 and most recently served as the director of engineering for large mining trucks. He also oversaw research and development projects including “new AC drive haul trucks, autonomous technology adoption into large mining trucks and innovations to mining trucks that improve safety, quality, reliability and productivity,” Komatsu says.
Funcannon, who received his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress Executive Council and the Bradley University Executive Advisory Committee for the Dean of Engineering.
Though a global slump in demand for mining equipment has been bleeding money from competitor Caterpillar for some time, it took a while longer for the effects to impact Komatsu as heavily. Profit for the Japanese equipment maker fell 52 percent to 15.5 billion yen ($151 million) during the first quarter of the year as sales fell 13 percent to 389.2 billion yen ($3.8 billion).
Despite the continued struggles with the mining sector, Komatsu announced in July that it would acquire Wisconsin-based surface and underground mining equipment manufacturer Joy Global. The $2.9 billion deal would make Joy, makers of the P&H, Joy and Montabert equipment brands, a subsidiary of Komatsu.
The company expects a long-term rebound for mining driven by “population growth and rapid urbanization around the world.”
