IAPA 2017 winners announced

More than 450 industry professionals gathered in London, UK, on Tuesday last week, 4 April, for the International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs).

Attendees at the gala awards ceremony, organised by Access International and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), were also the first to learn that the next annual IPAF Summit and IAPAs will be held on 8 March 2018 at the Hilton Miami Downtown Hotel, Florida, USA.

The 2017 IAPA winners (with judges' comments) are:

The IAPA 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.

Access Rental Company of the Year

RIWAL, EUROPE/GLOBAL

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 and is present in the Middle East, India and Kazakhstan, as well as Europe.

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.

Product of the Year – Mast climbing work platforms/hoists

ALIMAK HEK for the 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.

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

TEUPEN for the 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.

Product of the Year – Vehicle/trailer-mounted

CTE for the B-LIFT 17E

The judges 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 PLATFORMS SOLUTIONS, THE NETHERLANDS, for the SEA LOCK MAINTENANCE SYSTEM

This was an ingenious solution to a demanding task. Smart Platforms should be commended for its ‘outside the box’ thinking.

IPAF Training Centre of the Year

MANLIFT, MIDDLE EAST

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.

IPAF Training Instructor of the Year

ANDERSON PUFF, 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.

Access Photograph of the Year (sponsored by Facelift)

ED DARWIN, NATIONWIDE PLATFORMS, UK

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.

IPAF/Access International Lifetime Achievement Award

ROGER BOWDEN, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN, NIFTYLIFT, UK

Born and educated in the UK, Mr Bowden’s mind was firmly set on creative engineering from an early age.  In the late 1960s he embarked on a five-year student-apprenticeship scheme at Brunel University, organised in collaboration with sponsoring company 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, and then a rental company in 1980.

In 1985, Mr Bowden 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.

An example of how his vision has shaped Niftylift’s legacy, was the introduction of the HR21 Hybrid, the first hybrid powered access platform in 2007.

In 2009 Niftylift pioneered the secondary guarding principle, with the introduction of the SiOPS (Sustained Involuntary Operation Prevention System) on its self-propelled products. 

Mr 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 the Manufacturer's Technical Committee for IPAF and in 2006 received an Honorary Doctorate at Brunel University for services to Engineering.

To this day, he actively drives innovation within Niftylift with the view that without improvement there cannot be growth.

The judges

The independent, impartial judging panel spent a full day considering the more than 100 entries received. The judges made decisions based on the merit of each entry and were excluded from entering their company for any award. The 2017 judges were:

•  Andy Studdert, CEO of NES Rentals and IPAF Immediate Past President;

• Eline Oudenbroek, managing director of Holland Lift International;

• Kai Schliephake, managing director of PartnerLift;

• Mike Evans, consultant and a past winner of a Lifetime Achievement Award;

• Rick Mustillo, founder of Kookaburra Equipment Sales and president of Australia’s Elevating Work Platform Association;

• Non-voting chair of judges: Euan Youdale, editor of Access International.

More event details are available at www.iapa-summit.info