flta awards interview l
No sooner is one year’s Awards for Excellence completed than the work starts on the next... With nominations now open for 2011, ShD caught up with the Fork Lift Truck Association’s chief executive, David Ellison, to talk about this year’s event... and what we can expect in 2011.
The inside scoop
ShD: OK, let’s start with Awards 2010... any standout memories? David Ellison: I have dozens but have narrowed it down to three. First the reception given to Kevin Lofting, the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award; Kevin was one of the architects of the Awards for Excellence and in his capacity as MD of Capital Asset back in 1996, he was the first person to sponsor the Awards. Second would be BBC Radio 2’s Simon Mayo. Amazingly, Simon previewed the Awards on the Friday evening... and then announced the winners in what he described as a “world exclusive” on the Monday after! Priceless publicity. Third would have to be a small group of nuns (not in uniform) who hit the dance floor late in the evening having convinced one of our “bouncers” to not only admit them, but also to join them in cutting a rug! ShD: The 2010 Awards moved to a different venue from usual – is this something we can expect to see continued? DE: We wouldn’t rule out further venue changes down the line – we are always re-evaluating possibilities to ensure that attendees and sponsors enjoy the best experience we can give them. The Hinckley Barceló was good and the reduction of the scale suited the mood of the times, but for 2011 we will be back at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole. The King Suite will provide us with the scale and space required to stage the type of evening our industry deserves and will comfortably accommodate the increase in attendance that we anticipate as the economy continues to improve.
With its central location, it offers easy access for guests from all over the UK and its proximity to Birmingham International Airport will allow easy access for our overseas visitors.
Importantly, we have been able to negotiate very competitive room rates for our guests, in a drive to keep expenses at an acceptable level. ShD: You seem to have retained your sponsors despite the recession. DE: We have a marvellous group of sponsors and supporters who have been unswerving in their support for the Awards: Albury Asset Rentals, Doosan Infracore, Exide Technologies Industrial Energy, Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks, Narrow Aisle and Samuk Lift Trucks; our entertainment sponsor Linde Material Handling; plus our supporters: Bibby Leasing, Curtis Instruments, Integrity
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Handling, Jungheinrich, The Oval Group and The Private Health Partnership. They appreciate the importance of the Awards and have kept faith, even during the tough times. I believe the entire industry owes them a debt of gratitude. ShD: There were some surprise winners this year… are you expecting more from the next Awards? DE: I think there are always some surprise winners. That’s part of the fun of the evening! In reality it all depends who enters. Anyone can nominate a new product or service and see it shortlisted for our Pick of the Year. The winners are then decided by an open vote – which puts all finalists on an equal footing. That means a small company has as much chance as a big one, so literally anybody can win.
What we look for in an entry – and this seems to be reflected in the public vote – is something interesting and innovative. That doesn’t necessarily mean an entirely new design of fork lift truck. It needs to be something ingenious that offers users a real and immediate benefit. A good example of that would be the Palletcap – a cardboard warning device that helps prevent stock damage. It was one of those simple ideas that seemed obvious... but no-one had done it before and it has proved very successful. I know that winning an award gave them a real boost in the marketplace, as it does for everyone who collects an Archie.
Whatever the final line up, one thing is certain: there will be some extremely tough competition. ShD: This year’s finalists included companies that aren’t FLTA Members. Don’t you need to be an FLTA Member to enter or to win an Archie? DE: Not at all. It is a popular misconception – or rather an assumption – but literally anyone can enter on behalf of themselves or someone else. In fact, this year’s winner of the Award for Innovation, which is often considered the most prestigious category in our Pick of the Year, wasn’t
an FLTA Member. The only things that matter are the quality of the entry, evidence that it hasn’t been submitted before and confirmation that it has been launched within the last year (in this case, between October 2009 and September 30th 2010). ShD: We’re still feeling the effects of the recession – do you think that the calibre of the entries will suffer? DE:Absolutely not. The quality of entries and the high level of attendance at Awards 2010 prove that the industry is committed to raising standards and to celebrating excellence. There is nothing to suggest that this year will be any different. Indeed, with the gradual global upturn we anticipate that more companies have chosen 2010 to unveil products that were, perhaps held back during the worst of the recession. ShD: Isn’t it always the big boys who win? DE: Far from it. As I think I mentioned earlier, smaller companies have consistently proved successful. In the 2010 Awards, only one of the main category winners could be described as a leading player. (Check out a list of previous winners by visiting
www.fork-truck.org.uk/awards and clicking on ‘Roll of Honour’).
Like the Oscars, in the end it all comes down to a matter of opinion. It doesn’t matter one iota what I or anyone else at the FLTA thinks. Once the Nominations Committee has scrutinised the entry and accepted it into our Pick of the Year, it’s up to the readers of magazines such as ShD to decide who most deserves it. ShD: How do I enter? DE: It really couldn’t be easier. Simply go to
www.fork-truck.org.uk/awards and click on ‘How to Enter’. You’ll find two forms. Form 1 is for a product or service (Environment, Ergonomics, Safety and Innovation) while Form 2 is for individuals (Lifetime Achievement, Services to the Fork Lift Truck Industry and Design Achievement (individual or team).
A nomination form is needed for each entry in each category, so you may need to print off more than one form if you wish to make more than one nomination. The forms must reach the FLTA by Thursday 30th September at this address: Fork Lift Truck Association, Manor Farm Buildings, Lasham, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 5SL, mail@fork-
truck.org.uk, phone 01256 381441 If you are thinking of entering a nomination don’t delay – do it now! ●
www.fork-truck.org.uk
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