David Semple to speak at CATT

The latest speaker confirmed for this year’s International Cranes and Transport Turkey conference is David Semple, Manitowoc vice president for sales in 45 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

A graduate of Bordeaux Business school in France and holder of a MBA from Aston University in the UK, David Semple joined the crane industry in 1998 after a first work experience in Syria. Until 2005 he was managing the sales of Potain tower cranes over the Middle-East region, successively based in France, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates. After the integration of Potain and Grove in the Manitowoc Group in the early 2000s, Semple was tasked in 2005 with establishing and managing the group’s regional offices in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone, supporting all Manitowoc dealers over 20 countries in the Middle-East. In 2011 he was promoted to the role of vice-president sales, for a wider region, including 45 countries in the Middle-East and English-speaking countries of Africa.

In his presentation Semple will talk about the dangers of counterfeit crane parts, especially tower crane mast sections, which can be severely flawed and cause death and serious injury.

International Cranes and Transport Turkey brings together international experts and top level speakers with major players in the region to focus on key issues facing the crane and specialized transport industry. Sharing and comparing experience among leading industry peers in the unique environment created at this event can bring real reward in operating a safer and more efficient business.

CATT has a unique audience of senior executives and leading professionals from the crane and heavy lift sector and includes the buoyant energy sector. Be involved at the cutting edge of industry development by attending, sponsoring, speaking at or otherwise contributing to this event. The conference will be supported and sponsored by leading crane and specialized transport equipment manufacturers as well as the suppliers of equipment and services to the industry. It follows the very successful crane and transport events held previously in Amsterdam, Netherlands; Istanbul, Turkey; São Paulo, Brazil; and Shanghai, China.

Turkey is the bridge between Europe and Asia. Its geographical location provides a unique gateway to Asia with close economic ties to the Middle East, North Africa and South Eastern Europe. The Turkish economy has shown remarkable and steady growth over the last eight years. This impressive performance has encouraged experts and international financial institutions to make confident forecasts about the economic future. Huge investment is coming in infrastructure and energy sector development in the country and the surrounding region. With the consequential boost in demand for cranes and specialized transport equipment, skills and services, there is an increasing need for experienced operators and higher standards of safety in the region. Equipment operators, contractors and others need to ensure that they are working to world class standards of best practice using the best equipment.