WLN – Will BITA be present at IMHX 2013 and will they have a stand?
BITA is one of the founding partners behind IMHX and it will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of our year. We can be found at Stand 19H130 – Hall 19.
WLN – For our readers who are unfamiliar with BITA, please can you provide a brief explanation of what the organisation does and how it benefits people and organisations in the warehousing and logistics industry?
BITA, the British Industrial Truck Association, is a trade association representing a membership that comprises forklift truck manufacturers, suppliers, service providers and media operating in the UK.
BITA members, including many international brands, manufacture and distribute over 90% of all new forklifts procured each year in the UK. They employ 7,000 people directly, and enjoy a combined annual turnover of £1.3bn. BITA members play an increasingly important role in the UK’s overall economic health, supply chain effectiveness and environmental performance.
It is the voice of the industry in matters technical and legislative at the highest levels in Europe and internationally. BITA is able to act for its members in this field through its close working relationship with bodies such as the UK Health and Safety Executive, the European Committee for Standardization and the International Standards Organisation.
As a member of the British Materials Handling Foundation, BITA is also allied with the Fédération Européenne de la Manutention (FEM), the European manufacturers’ association of materials handling, lifting and storage equipment.
Another benefit for members is that BITA produces a wide range of specialist publications, encompassing best practice and health and safety assurance, as well as technical guidance notes and unique market insight.
WLN – What initiatives does BITA have planned for 2013 relating to the materials handling industry?
In 2013 BITA will continue to focus on safety and success for all our members and the wider materials handling industry. At IMHX we are looking forward to celebrating the second IMHX Design 4 Safety Awards, expanded this year to six categories to encompass the full range of materials handling disciplines represented at the show.
Created to highlight the importance of safety design features in products and services, Design 4 Safety also provides a great opportunity for the industry to show the world how seriously it takes safety – and how much innovation is focused on assuring it.
Our Category Winners will be revealed at an Awards ceremony on the first day of the show, then it’s over to show visitors who are all invited to elect an overall Popular Winner (“the Professionals’ Choice”) by visiting the BITA stand. The Popular Winner will be unveiled on the final day of the show.
Our other key priority during 2013 is to keep promoting the huge opportunities offered by industry apprentice schemes, such as our own BITA Academy. It’s vital to ensure there is a plentiful supply of fresh talent coming into the industry, to ensure that the lift truck engineering workforce remains strong enough to keep up with the needs of our users throughout the warehouse and logistics industries. But a lift-truck engineering apprenticeship is also potentially the beginning of a successful career – IMHX visitors can learn more at the BITA Academy’s own IMHX stand, 19H130 – Hall 19.
BITA
James Clark, Secretary General
Tel. 01344 623800
Email james.clark@bita.org.uk
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