2021 has seen continued growth and success for the Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment Manufacturers (ALEM).
Executive Committee Member at ALEM
Three major initiatives were undertaken during 2021. The first of these is the forthcoming publication of prEN1570-1 Safety requirements for lifting tables – Part 1: Lifting tables serving up to two fixed landings.
Due to the Covid pandemic, restrictions in physical meetings have delayed publication. However, all comments have now been received from the CEN Health and Safety Consultants and member states, and are currently being reviewed, but physical meetings of the working group are still not possible. Consequently, a six months extension has been granted to the deadline for submissions which will delay the final publication.
The second project undertaken this year was a comprehensive survey of ALEM members to assess the state of the market for their equipment in the UK. This regular, six-monthly survey began in 2017, and has become a useful tool for helping members to understand market demand and prospects for their products.
Results of the most recent survey, conducted during May and June 2021, suggested that demand in the first half of the year was slightly ahead of the peak levels seen in 2018 and 2019. Respondents provided answers to questions relating to demand across nine different product groups in the previous six months.
ALEM President, Richard Spinks of Loading Bay Lifts Limited, says, “It was pleasing to note that despite uncertainty surrounding Brexit, Covid and volatile steel prices, many ALEM members were performing similarly well and confirms that the UK remains active and open for business.”
The third initiative from ALEM was the launch of a campaign to boost the services available to its members. Richard Spinks explains, “As an Association, we are increasingly aware of companies that are unfamiliar with many important issues affecting our industry. When we looked more deeply into the problem, we discovered that the lack of knowledge regarding such issues as the importance of CE/UKCA marking, latest legislation and the impact of Brexit, are just the tip of the iceberg.”
ALEM members now benefit from regular Brexit bulletins and a series of webinars organised by BMHF member companies. Armed with the full support of the Health and Safety Executive, ALEM members are also much better placed to counter various threats to their businesses including cheaper, non-compliant and potentially unsafe equipment from non EU countries and, worryingly, from some UK companies.
ALEM
020 8253 4501
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