Scaffold Industry January 2009 - 43

Industry Briefs utive vice president and president of JLG Industries. JLG Industries has been selling and servicing products in the Asian market for decades. The company opened an office in Beijing in 2002 to enhance responsiveness for its Chinese customers in the shipyard, construction, airport, hotel, industrial and maintenance industries. “This locally produced product will give Oshkosh a distinct strategic advantage in a very aggressive, competitive Asian landscape. JLG product made at the Tianjin facility will be targeted for the China and Asian markets and be a complement to other JLG manufacturing facilities which build product for the rest of the world,” said Oshkosh Corporation chairman and chief executive officer Robert Bohn. As part of its on-going social outreach program in China, the company also donated two JLG telehandlers to help local officials in the rebuilding in Wenchuan County, which was tragically impacted by the major earthquake that occurred in May in Sichuan Province. Spain, Abu Dhabi Companies Form Joint Venture Arkan Building Materials PJSC of Abu Dhabi and Urbina SA of Spain have incorporated a new joint venture company to supply scaffolding and related products to the Gulf region. The new company, which is called ARKAN URBINA LLC, will initially supply materials imported from Spain but will soon start building a scaffolding factory at the Arkan Industrial Park, Al Ain. Based in Abu Dhabi, ARKAN URBINA LLC will supply equipment to serve the construction, petrochemical and aeronautical industries throughout the Gulf region. “We are excited to launch this new venture in partnership with Urbina S.A., who have a global reputation for their manufacturing expertise and are an acknowledged leader in the European construction industry,” said Mohsen Al www.scaffold.org Marri, of Arkan Building Materials. “We see this joint venture as an opportunity for us to expand our portfolio and benefit from European manufacturing know-how, and we are committed to work closely with Urbina to leverage our combined strengths to cater to the rising demand for scaffolding materials in the Middle East.” Urbina SA is a multinational company based in Spain with over 50 years’ experience in supplying construction equipment, paint and related products. In addition to the joint venture in Abu Dhabi, Urbina also operates in Spain, Brazil, Morocco, Mexico, Columbia and Romania. AWP Manufacturers, Rental Companies Discuss Standardized Training Senior management from North American aerial work platform (AWP) manufacturers and rental companies met Nov. 11 to discuss AWP operator training. Although not sponsored by the International Powered Access Federation, IPAF convened the meeting and acted as secretary for the group. The meeting was prompted by a keynote address that Skyjack group president Ken McDougall delivered at the APEX Conference held Sept. 17 in Maastricht, the Netherlands. During his speech McDougall discussed the need for some form of standardized training for AWP operators and called for action by manufacturers to promote standardized training as the surest way of minimizing the risk of accidents. The purpose of the Nov. 11 meeting was to discuss how operator training standards can be raised and to investigate whether it is possible to agree on minimum standards of operator training. The meeting allowed participants to review current national and international regulations and standards, hear how other industries address training, and discuss the many various aspects of training. During discussions, the group uncovered multiple issues that need to be analyzed and researched before any recommendations can be made. Included among those issues was a review of the activities of other trade associations, governmental bodies, unions and others involved in AWP operator training and benchmarking best practices. “Editors Note: The SIA in an effort to broaden the scope and participation regarding this important initiative has invited all interested parties to participate in the next level of discussion regarding these issues at their upcoming AWP Council Meeting taking place in Orlando, FL on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 9:30am.” Sherer, Amick Join Spider as District Sales Reps Spider, a division of SafeWorks, LLC, recently hired Bill Sherer and John Amick as district sales representatives for the company’s Houston location. In their new positions, Sherer and Amick will be responsible for solving the suspended access and safety challenges of contractors and facility owners in the Houston area. Sherer has extensive national account and territory sales experience in the building materials industry. While at General Electric Lighting, he managed all aspects of distribution sales including marketing, training, and promotions in the company’s Houston location. Most recently, he was promoted to distributor products/contractor sales engineer at GE Electric Industrial, concentrating on high-profile business development and account management. Amick brings over 20 years of business development and management expertise in both the regional and national heavy equipment rental industry. As area branch manager with United Rentals Trench Safety Division in Houston, he was responsible for P&L management, sales management, fleet utilization and asset management, as well as directing and implementing operations, sales and market strategies to drive revenue. Scaffold Industry JANUARY 2009 41

Scaffold Industry January 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Scaffold Industry January 2009