Leading the industry

Yale and Cat Lift Trucks scoop the safety related
FLTA Awards at the recent ceremony held in
Birmingham

The FLTA Awards event was
co-presented by Channel
Five news presenter Emma
Crosby, and the winners were
awarded Archie statuettes, the
materials handling industry’s most
coveted prize. Each Archie is solid
bronze, stands 14 inches high and
weighs in at a hefty 12lb.

Yale’s Mast-Mounted LED Lights
won the Safety Award, and Cat Lift
Trucks’ NPP16-20N2 (R)(E) Power
Pallet Trucks took the Ergonomics
award. Babcock International Group
was named “Safe Site” for its
innovative approach to safety
management. Rather than dictate
protocol, Babcock involved all of its
forklift drivers and supervisors in an
open and honest discussion on the
subject of safety to identify key
issues. Discussions resulted in the
introduction of 21 safety standards,
and empowered more than 550 staff
to help achieve compliance.

Other product category winners
on the night were BMB
Weatherproof Canopies’ Pallet Truck
Bag (Environment) and Aisle-
Master’s Cold Store Aisle-Master
(Innovation). Interfit won Supplier of
the Year and individual awards were
presented to Mathew Wood of
Rushlift Ltd (Apprentice of the Year),
Malcolm Pearson of Midac UK
(Services to the industry), and the
Association’s former chief executive,
David Ellison, was honoured for
Services to the Fork Lift Truck
Association.

During dinner, the winner of the
inaugural Customer Focus Award –
identifying the fork truck dealership
deemed to have provided the most
innovative or appropriate solution to
a customer’s particular materials
handling requirements – was
decided by an open vote of attendees.

A great cheer went up as Douglas
Gillespie Plant was announced the
winner. Afterwards, guests enjoyed a
tribute to the Sixties with cabaret
performer Miss Sixties and danced
into the small hours with FLTA
Awards’ favourites LIVE!
“Awards 2013 has been a resounding
success,” said FLTA chief executive
Peter Harvey. “This event continues
to celebrate all that is good in the
materials handling industry and, for
more than 19 years, we have
encouraged the progress that has
been achieved.

“Every one of our ‘Pick of the Year’
represents a significant advance in
ensuring that forklift trucks are
working more safely, more efficiently
and with less impact on the
environment. We are proud to
recognise and reward such advances.”