Established in 1973, the Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment Manufacturers (ALEM) represents the interests of UK manufacturers and suppliers of loading bay equipment including dock levellers, scissor lifts, tail lifts and dock shelters. In this role, the Association is a member of the British Materials Handling Association which itself is the UK national member of FEM – the European Federation of Materials Handling and Storage Equipment.
President at ALEM
High on the ALEM agenda is the ever-present threat posed by counterfeit and non-compliant equipment and machinery from both inside and outside of the EU. Manufacturers and importers of non-compliant equipment operate in contravention of 17 separate EU Directives and Regulations applying to the materials handling industry. These ensure the design and construction of safe, sustainable, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and ergonomic materials handling equipment. Significantly, compliance with these directives is law for any EU-based manufacturer but comes at a financial cost to both the manufacturer and the customer.
ALEM is committed to educating members in compliance and, as a matter of course, all ALEM member companies also commit to manufacturing ranges of equipment to increase efficiency and safety in and around the loading bay including dock shelters and seals, dock levellers, loading docks, mobile yard ramps and vehicle restraint systems. Accordingly, each company invests considerable time, expertise and money to ensure that these products fully comply with all relevant EU Directives and Regulations and are completely safe to use.
However, many products are imported from countries where manufacturing standards are poor and regulations, where they exist, are less stringent. Whilst equipment and machinery destined for EU countries are legally required to meet its legislative standards, many fail to do so.
ALEM members are constantly encountering problems with imported, inferior materials handling equipment that fails to meet even the most basic health and safety requirements. These problems include incorrect steel grades being used during the manufacturing process, incorporation of poor quality components, sub standard welding during assembly operations plus general instability and weakness of structures used to take the weight of fork trucks and other heavy mobile equipment. All of this adds up to a toxic mix that has been shown to endanger the lives of equipment operators and other workers using non-compliant imported machinery.
ALEM advises potential purchasers of handling equipment to check the credentials of the company that has manufactured it. All ALEM members are committed to complying with all relevant European Standards, the UK Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations and CE marking. In return for this commitment, the Association offers support, technical expertise and an unrivalled position within the industry in the UK and throughout Europe.
ALEM
020 8253 4501
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