Access award winners announced in London
25 March 2010
Lavendon Access Services, the three founders of Genie Industries and small rental and training companies from Chile and Singapore were among the winners at the second International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs) held in London on Thursday 26 March.
An audience of over 400 at the Grange St Paul's Hotel in central London saw Lavendon win access rental company of the year - with the judges stating that "big can often be beautiful' - while Ward Bushnell, Roger Brown and Bob Wilkerson won the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The awards are jointly organised by Access International magazine and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF).
The safety champion of the year award was shared between Skyjack's Brad Boehler and Kevin O'Shea of Atlanta-based Mastclimbers, and the product of the year award went to Spanish manufacturer Mecaplus for its innovative self-leveling articulated boom platform.
Award winners included Niftylift, A-Plant, BS Technologies from Singapore and Alo Rentals/Alo Training from Chile, which is the first winner from Latin America.
The full list of winners was as follows:
Access Rental Company of the Year
Lavendon Access Services
Access International New Product of the Year
Mecaplus (ME12SL)
IPAF/Access International Lifetime Achievement Award
Roger Brown, Ward Bushnell, Roger Wilkerson, Genie Industries
IPAF Safety Champion of the Year
Brad Boehler (Skyjack)
Kevin O'Shea (Mastclimbers)
Contribution to Safe Working at Height - Rental Company
A-Plant Powered Access
Contribution to Safe Working at Height - Manufacturer
Niftylift
Contribution to Safe Working at Height - End User
Crown House Technologies
Mast Climbing Platform Achievement Award
Harsco Infrastructure (formerly SGB Mastclimbers)
Access Industry Training Award
Serfin
Access Industry Sustainability Award
RSC Equipment Rental
IPAF AWARDS
Best Marketing Campaign for IPAF Training
Alo Rentals/Alo Training (Chile)
IPAF Training Instructor of the Year
Jildou de Jong (Kamphuis Hoogwerkers)
Gerry Palmer (HSS Hire/HSS Training)
Best New IPAF Training Centre
BS Technology (Singapore)
The judges said that it had been a difficult job choosing the winners - 85 entries were received in total, 20% more than in 2009 - and said all the winners and shortlisted companies should be congratulated for their performances in 2009.
Of Lavendon, the judges said; "Big can often be beautiful. The judges wanted to recognise Lavendon Access Services' leadership during a difficult year. While expanding through acquisitions and dealing with the economic challenges, it stayed true to its core values, investing in its health and safety activities and in the development of its employees."
The judges paid tribute to the three founders of Genie Industries: "Roger, Ward and Bob jointly built one of the world's biggest aerial platform businesses and at the same time helped to develop a rental industry that is now a global business. Although they became a major company, they stayed true to their values of innovation, safety, teamwork and customer satisfaction. Each played a key role in the success of Genie and leave a legacy of excellence and integrity.
RSC Equipment Rentals was the first ever winner of the Sustainability award, with the judges stating that its emissions tracking system "will set the standard for environmental awareness and customer services in the rental business worldwide."
In the IPAF Awards, BS Technology of Singapore won the new IPAF training centre award and was described as having "extraordinary corporate courage in promoting aerial platform training in areas where regulations and common practices are working against them". Chile's Alo Rentals/Alo Training won the IPAF training marketing award for its pioneering efforts to promote operator training in South America.
Judges said Niftylift - winner of the Contribution to Safe Working, Manufacturer award - should be "congratulated on its timely answer to a real and current safety risk - that of an operator being pinned in the basket by overhead obstructions. Its sensor device on the platform controls has the potential to be a life saving device."
They praised the focus on safety at A-Plant Powered Access, and said that "the claim that health and safety is part of the company's DNA is a convincing one. From general policy down to detailed technical issues, A-Plant is A-Plus in safety."
The full list of winning and shortlisted companies is as follows:
SHORTLISTS AND WINNERS
IPAF Safety Champion of the Year
Brad Boehler (Skyjack) - JOINT WINNER
Kevin O'Shea (Mastclimbers) - JOINT WINNER
Carl Evans (HSS Hire/HSS Training)
Gerry Mulholland (CrownHouseTechnologies)
Access Rental Company of the Year
Lavendon Access Services - WINNER
Access Plus
A-Plant Powered Access
HSS Hire
Riwal
Access International New Product of the Year
Mecaplus (ME12SL) - WINNER
Dinolift (XTC series)
Hinowa (Goldlift 14.70 Battery)
JLG Industries (Toucan 10E)
Niftylift (Height Rider 21 Hybrid All-Wheel-Drive)
Contribution to Safe Working at Height - Rental Company
A-Plant Powered Access - WINNER
Alo Rental
BS Technology
Harsco Infrastructure (formerly SGB Mastclimbers)
Lavendon Access Services
Contribution to Safe Working at Height - Manufacturer
Niftylift - WINNER
JLG Industries
Matilsa
Skyjack
Contribution to Safe Working at Height - End User
Crown House Technologies - WINNER
Mast Climbing Platform Achievement Award
Harsco Infrastructure (formerly SGB Mastclimbers) - WINNER
Mastclimbers
XL Developpement
Access Industry Training Award
Serfin - WINNER
Access Plus
A-Plant Powered Access
HSS Hire
Lavendon Access Services
RSC Equipment Rental
Access Industry Sustainability Award
RSC Equipment Rental - WINNER
IPAF/Access International Lifetime Achievement Award
Roger Brown, Ward Bushnell, Roger Wilkerson, Genie Industries - WINNERS
IPAF AWARDS
Best Marketing Campaign for IPAF Training
Alo Rentals/Alo Training (Chile) - WINNER
IPAF Training Instructor of the Year
Jildou de Jong (Kamphuis Hoogwerkers) - JOINT WINNER
Gerry Palmer (HSS Hire/HSS Training) - JOINT WINNER
Chris Buisseret (Rapid Platforms)
Jur Kamsteeg (Riwal)
Best New IPAF Training Centre
BS Technology (Singapore) - WINNER
HSS Hire (UK)
Mollo Noleggio (Italy)
The judging panel for the awards was:
Paul Adorian (Managing Director, Powered Access Certification (PAC), UK)
John Ball (IPAF President, Managing director, Height for Hire/EasiUplifts, Republic of Ireland)
Renzo Pagliero (Managing Director, Multitel Pagliero, Italy)
Murray Pollok (Managing Editor, Access International, UK)
Andy Studdert (CEO, NES Rentals, USA)
A full report on the awards will appear in the May issue of Access International magazine.