IAPA winners: Working wonders

More than 450 industry professionals gathered on 4 April 2017 in London, UK, to honour the winners of the International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs). Jointly organised by Access International and IPAF, the IAPAs celebrate best practice and excellence in the powered access industry.

Not only was it a record attendance but the quality of the entries was very high, with more than 100 across the 12 categories at this year’s event. AI and IPAF would like to congratulate the outstanding winners but also encourage all those who took part and didn’t take home a trophy to apply again next year.

The winners of the IAPAs 2017 are, with judges’ comments:

Access Rental Company of the Year

RIWAL, EUROPE/EURASIA

This company has a truly rounded approach which has helped it make great progress. It has also found time to be innovative with new technologies.

Ray Cooke (second from left), head of the Health & Safety Executive’s Construction Sector Safety Unit, presents the award to the Riwal team, including Norty Turner (second from right), the company’s CEO.

Powered Access Pioneer

ALO GROUP, CHILE

Converting people from risky work methods to access platforms in a young market is no easy task. Alo has pioneered this in Chile through its innovative Day of Height and in working with colleges to add risk prevention in the curriculum.

Contribution to Safe Working at Height

MODERN ACCESS & SCAFFOLDING, HONG KONG

Modern has a track record in modernising working at height practices in Hong Kong, and continued to push forward last year, introducing lower level access and lifeline products to the market.

Ivan Chu and Kenneth Ng, assistant sales managers from Modern Access & Scaffolding, receive their award from Kai Schliephake, IAPA judge and managing director of PartnerLift in Germany.

Product of the Year – Mast climbing work platforms/hoists

ALIMAK HEK’S MAMMOTH TRIPLEX SYSTEM

This is a fantastic three-in-one product, with a central materials hoist flanked either side by two high-speed passenger hoists. A massive hoist arrangement for demanding projects. Very impressive engineering.

Trevor Pease (right), president of KHL for the Americas, with award winner Russell Bates, managing director of Alimak Hek UK.

Product of the Year – Self-propelled above 20ft/6.1m

TEUPEN’S PUMA 42GTX

The judges were excited by this product. Combining an all-terrain Menzi Muck excavator chassis with a Leo 40GTX boom demonstrated imagination and exceptional engineering skills. The result is a truly functional extreme off-road lift.

Craig Rooke, sales director UK & Ireland, Teupen; Martin Borutta, managing director Teupen; Rick Mustillo, IAPA judge and award presenter; and Tobias Ritzenhöfer, director of Engineering, Teupen.

Product of the Year – Vehicle/trailer-mounted

CTE’S B-LIFT 17E

We were impressed with the innovative battery technology, which allows the platform to work for a considerable time without using the engine, combined with its ability to work in narrow spaces.

Project of the Year

SMART PLATFORM SOLUTIONS for its SEA LOCK MAINTENANCE SYSTEM

The company provided maintenance for sea locks of the Oosterscheldekering, a dam which runs between the Zeeland islands of Schouwen-Duiveland and Noord-Beveland in the Netherlands to protect the country from flooding. Smart Platform Solutions used a JLG telescopic boom lift, with its platform and jib substituted by a self climbing gondola to create a Mobile Suspended Platform (MSP).

Jos van Grootveld (left), director, Smart Platforms Solutions, accepts the award from John Garrison, CEO and President of Terex Corp.

Innovative Technology prize SERIOUS LABS, CANADA, for the VRSL: AWP TRAINER

This virtual reality simulator brings to the access industry technology that has previously only been available in the military and aerospace industries. It offers a fantastic learning experience for operators.

From left: Wade Carson, Serous Labs; award presenter Brad Boehler, president of Skyjack; and Jim Colvin, CEO, Serious Labs.

IPAF Training Centre of the Year

MANLIFT, MIDDLE EAST & INDIA

Manlift grew its training numbers by 35% last year, offered courses in eight languages, and is playing a significant role in developing training in the Middle East and India.

Josee Grilli, VP human Resources and Thierry Lachapelle, VP marketing, AGF Access Group present the award to Wim van Meer (middle), from Riwal - representing Manlift.

IPAF Training Instructor of the Year

ANDERSON PUFF of MILLS, BRAZIL

Anderson Puff achieved a great deal in 2016. He promoted training to state authorities, major companies and also embraced eLearning techniques, demonstrating a remarkable work ethic.

Mike Evans (left), IAPA 2017 judged and former winner of the IAPA Lifetime Achievement Award, presents the trophy to Anderson Puff from Mills.

Access Photograph of the Year (sponsored by Facelift)

ED DARWIN, NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS, for Platform Inspecting a Gloster

The photo shows a Versalift platform donated by Nationwide inspecting a replica of the Gloster E28/39 aircraft, located close to Nationwide’s head office in Lutterworth and the first aircraft to use an engine designed by Frank Whittle, inventor of the turbojet.

Ed Darwin of Nationwide Platforms picks up the €1000 cash prize from Gordon Leicester of UK access rental company Facelift, which sponsors the award.

IPAF/Access International Lifetime Achievement Award

ROGER BOWDEN, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, NIFTYLIFT, UK

In the late 1960s Roger Bowden embarked on a five-year student-apprenticeship scheme at Brunel University, sponsored by John Laing Construction. He graduated in Mechanical Engineering and Production Technology in 1971 and went on to serve as chief engineer for EPL International, the JLC specialist hire company, before forming a one-man sales company in 1977, then a rental company in 1980.

In 1985, he went on to start the company that would define his career. That company is Niftylift; which has grown since then to 460 employees with operations in more than 40 countries around the world.

Roger Bowden is passionate about engineering education and has supported the development of hundreds of apprentices and undergraduate engineers at Niftylift, which is also a long-term sponsor of the Engineering Education Scheme, nurturing young engineers, and runs an Institution of Mechanical Engineers Development Scheme.

Between 2004 and 2011, he chaired IPAF’s Manufacturer’s Technical Committee and in 2006 received an Honorary Doctorate from Brunel University for services to engineering.