From the board room to the loading dock, women work in all parts of the material handling industry.
And while more women are joining the field every year, men still far outnumber them.
So what's it like to be a woman working in material handling?
"Being a woman in what is traditionally viewed as a male dominated industry could be considered a challenge, but I also look to find opportunity in the fact that I come with a slightly different perspective," said Els Thermote, chief executive officer of Systems Material Handling Company (SMH).
Thermote's title takes some people by surprise.
"Basically, every time somebody asks me what my profession is, I always have to repeat myself. I know for a fact that it is not my English. And then you see their face change. ‘Interesting' is a comment I receive a lot, or ‘Oh, I thought you were in the fashion industry.'"
Thermote works in the family business, founded by her father, Paul Thermote, and Paul Vanhalst in Belgium in 1969. That
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"Our house was in the middle of the buildings used by TVH and the company was my playground," she said. "I started when I was a little girl, sweeping the floors and counting inventory. I always knew I wanted to work in ‘Daddy's company.' I went through the different layers of the company. When I graduated, I first was responsible for developing markets outside of Europe."
Her work eventually led to South Africa, where a branch was not performing well.
"I stayed there for 5 months and from then onwards, I continued our expansion of export business," she said.
Thermote's first position at SMH was international sales manager.
"I first wanted to learn all about the company, the differences in culture and doing business. Everybody at SMH has been very helpful in the process. Without this strong support, I wouldn't have been able to process as quickly," she said, and after one year, Thermote became a vice president and now has been CEO for three years.
"In 2003, TVH acquired SMH to acquire a strong entry into the Americas," she said. "As we decided to acquire SMH, I volunteered to move here to participate in the management. Similar to immigrants of the past, I came to America to start a new chapter in our family business and start my own family as well."
She and her husband have two sons, 2 and 3 years old, and Thermote said she doesn't think it's any more difficult for a woman to balance work and family than a man.
"As with any career person, you need the support of your mate and I am fortunate to have a supportive husband. Together, if you want something, you can make it work. Additionally, we have a great nanny, so that definitely helps a lot," Thermote said.
And while being a CEO also means always being available, Thermote said that doesn't need to be any harder than you make it.
"With the technology available, it is easier to work from a distance and stay informed and involved. I have my BlackBerry with me 24 hours a day and whenever I have a spare minute, I check my e-mails," she said. "I think it is important to have a good balance between your personal life and business. My father worked day and night and did not spend much time with us. I never take that as a negative, because TVH would not have been what it is today without his level of commitment and invested time, as TVH started from scratch. However, today, we are a medium-sized company and have a great work force. This allows me to spend time with my family as well," she said.
Communication also is a large part of Thermote's job.
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