Europlatform Conference Unites European Access Professionals

Enlarge Image Wumag's 337-foot ATA 1003 made its debut at Europlatform.

September 17, 2007 • The first Europlatform conference held last week in Basel, Switzerland, attracted more than 100 executive, senior managers and owners of access rental companies across Europe. The one-day conference, organized by IPAF and industry publication Access International, featured speakers including Markus Schnyder, a safety engineer from the Swiss safety authority Suva, who showed why safety is a management issue, and Steve Shaughnessy of A-Plant, who looked at what Europe's rental companies can learn from the United States.

“Top access management from all over Europe came to Europlatform and made it a great success,” said Tim Whiteman, IPAF managing director. “The speakers, the networking, the world's largest truck mounted platform • all made this a tremendous start to a series of top-quality annual conferences.”

 

In his presentation on responsible financial models for access rental, Kevin Appleton, CEO of the Lavendon Group, the world's largest access-only rental company, said there are no shortcuts to creating value in the industry. “We have found the quality of engineering to be the key driver to create value,” said Appleton. “The long-term future is likely to belong to businesses run on a cautious and consistent basis.”

 

Appleton warned access rental companies against growing too quickly. Companies who build their fleet quickly with high investments may find themselves struggling to maintain debt repayments when market conditions worsen. He said an operating model based on extending the lifetime of access equipment, rather than keeping machines for just five or six years • was more likely to build value.

 

This view was echoed by Pierrick Lourdain, group sales manager of the Haulotte Group, who predicted forthcoming bankruptcies among several European rental companies in the coming months. He said this might force manufacturers to become more directly involved in rental in order to protect their investments.

 

Lourdain's presentation examined the question of whether manufacturers can or should rent. He explained the circumstances under which manufacturers will find it viable to buy up overstretched rental companies or start their own. Lourdain concluded that the best way forward was for each player in the industry to concentrate on doing what it does best. 

 

The Wumag 337-foot ATA 1003, made its debut during the Europlatform conference next to the 344-foot hotel tower. The machine, owned by rental specialist Eisele of Germany, drew spectators to experience this safe and effective way to work at height, with the use of full-body safety harnesses.

 

The next Europlatform will be held in September 2008.