The Fork Lift Truck Association has revealed that it received a record number of entries from companies across the globe for its Annual Awards for Excellence 2017 – setting its Nominations Committee its toughest challenge yet.
After much scrutiny and deliberation, just 25 products and services, from 20 different companies, made the grade, finding their spot on the shortlist that is the industry’s Pick of the Year – the definitive buyer’s guide to all that’s best in the fork lift truck sector. According to Peter Harvey MBE, Chief Executive of the FLTA: “This year was our biggest turn out of entries in the event’s 23-year history. The first challenge facing these entrants was to convince our Nominations Committee that their entry is fit to transition from Nominee to Finalist.
“This committee comprises some of the most experienced and astute individuals within the fork lift truck sector. Each member is fiercely independent and brings a deep and practical understanding of engineering and workplace environments to the selection process – which is why our Finalists and winners are so diverse.
“This year is no exception. Our Pick of the Year includes everything from next generation blue-light safety technology and order pickers that come to you when you call them to attitude and behaviour influencing videos.
“However, they share a common denominator: a commitment to creating something innovative and exceptional that will really make a difference to the lives of those million people who work with and alongside fork lift trucks.
“Some of this year’s 20 companies are household names, but some are smaller, enterprising young firms that are destined for success in this very competitive sector.”
For the first-time ever, and to ensure the integrity of the awards, winners in the product categories will be decided by a jury of 12 materials handling experts drawn from across the sector, including end users.
Peter Harvey explains: “In an age where online competitions are under threat from potential voting manipulation, we decided that an online ballot was no longer the most appropriate mechanism for selecting the winners of such a prestigious award.
“Our jury is composed of experienced and knowledgeable professionals from within all sides of the industry. They have the up-to-date and relevant sales and technical experience to recognise excellence within our highly competitive sector.
Winners will be revealed on Saturday 4th March at the impressive International Centre Telford in a black-tie Oscars-style ceremony.
The FLTA Awards for Excellence 2017 Finalists are:
Environment
ECOBAT VERTU System
Fronius Selectiva 2kw battery charging system
Hyster J8.0XN Lithium ION powered electric fork lift
Toyota Traigo 48 range
Ergonomics
Crown Lift Trucks RT Series ride-on pallet truck
Linde Material Handling N20 low level order picker with Optipick
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks SENSiA reach truck cold store cabin
Toyota BT Staxio
Yale MPT Series rider pallet truck
Safety
Abbey Attachments Safe Load
Combilift Safelift
Crown Lift Trucks WAV60 Work Assist Vehicle
Doosan Industrial Vehicle UK Electro-magnetic Automatic Electric Parking Brake
Flogas Gaslight cylinders
Linde Material Handling Roadster
Mentor “Can you live with it” video training module
Venta LinearLED Safety lamp
Weston Handling ACKPad
Innovation
Abbey Attachments Safe Load
B & B Attachments KAUP Double Pallet Handler
Cavaion Baumann ELX50
Combilift Combi-CS counterbalance pedestrian stacker
Flogas Gaslight cylinders
Hubtex EZK35 (Series 2610) with Vacumat
Hyster Multi Tool Changer
Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks EDiA EX 80V electric counterbalance
Translift Bendi SpaceMate
Venta LinearLED Blue Safety Lamp
Weston Handling ACKPad
The Fork Lift Truck Association is the UK’s independent authority on fork lift trucks. For more information, please visit www.fork-truck.org.uk or call 01635 277577.
