IPAF pays tribute to retiring Bai Ri

IPAF has paid tribute to Bai Ri, former country representative for China, who retired earlier this year after nine years with the organisation.

IPAF colleagues and association members from China and Asia attended at party in honour of Bai during the APEX Asia exhibition in Shanghai this week.

Bai Ri (centre) and his wife Shirley Wang (right) at the party marking his retirement from IPAF. From left: Rhea Ong, Tim Mo, Amanda Tan, Peter Douglas, Bai Ri, Shirley Wang and Raymond Wat.

Peter Douglas, IPAF CEO, said; “Congratulations and thank you to our good friend Bai Ri, from the whole IPAF family worldwide. We owe you a huge amount for what you have achieved.

“In many ways, IPAF in China is Bei Ri. For the last nine years he has helped businesses in China understand what the IPAF family is all about. Nowhere in the world compares to China for the number of machines with IPAF stickers. Companies are proud to be members of IPAF and that is because of the hard work that you have done.”

Bai, who also celebrated his 69th birthday this week, has worked in engineering since leaving school at 17. His involvement in the AWP business began with manufacturer Beijing Jingcheng, where he spent more than a decade, and he joined IPAF in 2014.

When he started at IPAF it had around five members in China; it now has more than 50.

In an emotional speech, Bai thanked his wife and colleagues and said how important spreading the message of safety had been to him. His retirement plan is to travel, see more of his family, and improve his piano and saxophone playing. His wife, Shirley, said; “He is going to spend more time in the kitchen...”

Tim Mo, the former Haulotte China marketing manager, succeeded Bai Ri in August this year.