Hyster-Yale Materials Handling announces that Steven LaFevers, Vice President of Global Emerging Technology, has been named a 2024 Rainmaker by DC Velocity, a supply chain and logistics trade publication. This recognition honors LaFevers’ for his accomplishments at Hyster-Yale, most notably building the company’s Emerging Technology division from the ground up.
“I’ve worn a lot of different hats in my 24-plus years with Hyster-Yale, but the most rewarding has been developing and leading our Emerging Technology team,” said LaFevers. “I’m honored by this recognition, but want to acknowledge that it doesn’t solely belong to me – it belongs to every member of the team. Without their hard work and ingenuity, we wouldn’t be able to develop and launch technologies that bring our company and our industry into the future.”
LaFevers’ division embodies the technology innovation capabilities of a startup while leveraging the company’s resources as a mature materials handling manufacturer. The Emerging Technology team has grown significantly, from 25 employees to more than 150 in the last few years alone, and has introduced groundbreaking technology solutions to the market. LaFevers held a pivotal role in developing and launching a first-of-its-kind operator assistance technology suite, marketed through the Yale® and Hyster® brands as Yale Reliant™ and Hyster Reaction™.
Since its commercial launch in 2021, Hyster Reaction and Yale Reliant have been deployed on more than 6,000 lift trucks and accumulated more than 14 million hours of real-world run time. In response to customer demand, the company has rapidly expanded the availability of the solution from an original lineup of five lift truck models at launch to a total of 59 models. LaFevers also spearheaded the adoption of the company’s lift truck telematics solution. They oversaw the commercialization of the company’s automated lift trucks, which have grown to a commercially installed base of over 500 units and counting.
Through his years of experience, LaFevers has also become a go-to source for media outlets covering the space on materials handling trends and technology. He has participated in interviews and written bylined articles for publications, including Robotics 24/7, Workplace Material Handling & Safety, Food Logistics, and more. Additionally, LaFevers is one of the founding members of the Board of Directors for the East Carolina University (ECU) Innovation Foundation.
