Scaffolding Industry - September 2008 - (Page 45)

Department Industry Briefs Haulotte Group Acquires Bil-Jax Today, the market is increasingly dominated by three players. Together, Haulotte and Bil-Jax will offer a competitive choice and better fulfil the needs of customers and partners, company officials said. Both companies are currently developing a comprehensive plan focusing on the integration of the combined business. Haulotte Group anticipates that this integration will be completed at the end of 2008. “We have taken the next natural step of growth and together can offer an increasingly exciting set of access solutions for customers, while becoming better positioned to compete in the access market,” said Bil-Jax CEO Jeff Ott. Mast Climbing Safety Guidelines Now Available Safe use guidelines for users of mast climbing work platforms in the United States are now available. Prepared by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and Kevin O’Shea of Mastclimbers LLC for use in the United States of America only, the 28-page document provides guidance and recommendations to insure that mast climbing work platforms (MCWPs) are installed, maintained, examined and used in a safe manner, and that training requirements are clearly established to control the quality of use, installation and planning. The document also includes typical checklists for daily and weekly inspections. Realizing that MCWPs are being increasingly used as temporary work places that give variable height access to areas above ground level, the guidelines were prepared following numerous requests from industry bodies, platform users and manufacturers for a comprehensive document that would help them increase safety in the workplace. The guidelines are based on the European document Health and Safety Guidance for Mast Climbing Work Platforms, Guideline BS7981 and BS EN 1495, Lifting Platforms – Mast Climbing Work Platforms. It also includes input from ANSI A92.9, OSHA 1926 Subpart L “Scaffolds”, Cal OSHA’s specific MCWP guidance, and IPAF’s International MCWP Committee. O’Shea, chairman of IPAF’s International Mast Climbing Work Platform (MCWP) Committee, explained the importance of the guidelines, “The U.S. is in the same position now that the U.K. was in with legislation on design and safe use falling further and further behind the uptake of the product in all market sectors. The British equivalent of these guidelines, BS7981, and the emergence of a strong design standard, transformed MCWP safety in the U.K. to the point where it is now considered as the safest method of powered access available. ANSI SIA 92.9 (the U.S. design standard) is currently being re-drafted and these Safe Use Regulations will provide the final piece of the jigsaw, and users, installers, manufacturers, rental companies and regulatory bodies will all benefit from this document.” Copies of the “IPAF Guidelines for the Safe Use of Mast Climbing Work Platforms: U.S. Edition 2008” are available free of charge and can be downloaded on-line at www.ipaf.org or www.awpt.org. Continued on page 44 Pictured are Alexandre Saubot (l.) and Jeff Ott (r.) Haulotte Group has acquired Archbold, Ohio-based Bil-Jax Inc. through its U.S. subsidiary. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Haulotte Group is a publicly traded company on the Euronext Paris securities market. “This acquisition will assist us in further developing our business,” said Haulotte Group COO Alexandre Saubot. “This will allow us to strengthen our worldwide position, increase our product offerings, and establish a manufacturing presence in North America.” Synergies will be realized in four areas: scale economics driven by Haulotte’s strong market position for aerial work platforms and Bil-Jax’s 60year history as a leader in North America for scaffolding and niche aerial work platforms, integration of engineering talent and resources to accelerate innovation and product development, streamlining operations through increased purchasing power and elimination of redundant costs and providing a complete access solution for customers in product and support areas. The global access market is highly competitive and growing at a fast pace. www.scaffold.org Scaffold Industry AUGUST 2008 43 http://www.ipaf.org http://www.awpt.org http://www.scaffold.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Scaffolding Industry - September 2008

Scaffolding Industry - September 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.