IPAF and Chinese access manufacturers meet at Bauma China

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and Chinese manufacturer and IPAF-member Beijing JingCheng Heavy Industry jointly convened a meeting of 10 Chinese access manufacturers at the Bauma China exhibition in Shanghai to discuss the development of the access market in the country.

Among the issues raised was the almost total lack of a rental industry in China; the need for government regulation to encourage safe work at height; the easy availability of low priced labour; the price of powered access equipment; and the need to boost the technical quality of machines.

"The meeting provoked lively discussion on how the industry can grow within China", said IPAF managing director Tim Whiteman, "A lot of information came out of the meeting about the challenges facing the industry in China.

"Two extraordinary statistics which illustrate the challenge and the opportunity were the following: 3000 people are killed every year in accidents involving scaffolding and yet annual sales of powered access in the whole of China are currently less than those in Brazil".

Mr Whiteman gave a presentation on the work that the organisation does to promote the safe and effective use of powered access, and John Ball, IPAF president and managing director of Height for Hire, discussed what European rental companies look for when buying new equipment.

The meeting was chaired by Jack Zhang, vice editor-in chief of China Construction Machinery magazine.

Pictured at the meeting, from left, are: Colin Zhuang (Haulotte regional sales manager, China), Bernie Kiekebosch (Haulotte), John Ball (Height for Hire and IPAF), Su Jie (chairman Beijing JingCheng Heavy Industry), Tim Whiteman (IPAF), Bai Ri (vice technical director Beijing JingCheng) and Michelle Yu (international trade section chief, Beijing JingCheng).