The Tampa Bay area recently landed the corporate headquarters of Manitowoc Foodservices, an international commercial kitchen equipment manufacturer that spun off from its Wisconsin-based parent and went public on March 4.

The Trinity-based company, led by new CEO Hubertus Muehlhauser, generated $1.5 billion in revenue last year, placing it among the top 10 Tampa Bay area public companies in sales.

Before taking over at Manitowoc in August, the German-born Muehlhauser spent 12 years at consulting firm Arthur D. Little, where he analyzed the food chain from farm to consumer. After that, he oversaw European and Asian operations for Agco Corporation, an agricultural equipment manufacturer.

Muehlhauser, 46, chatted with the Tampa Bay Times about the Tampa Bay area and his vision for the company in Florida. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.