Opinion Pieces

Forecasting is an essential function for businesses of all sizes. The process brings value to organisations as it identifies key drivers that lead to better financial results.   We’ll inevitably come to exploring business forecasting in the COVID-19 era, but first let’s look at this important, yet often overlooked, subject more generally. In my career, […]

When the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic struck, people diligently followed lockdown conditions and got to grips with a world turned upside down. Homebound work, shopping, teaching and even entertainment regimes were quickly established, and we soon found communications technology to be a tremendous enabler in getting through the COVID era – Zoom, Whatsapp, Microsoft Teams, Skype, […]

“Nobody can say that the present time is not an exciting period for anyone involved in transport and logistics,” says Rob Fisher, show director of IMHX. IMHX  is the UK’s largest logistics and supply chain exhibition. The next event in the IMHX series takes place on September 14-16, 2021, at the NEC, Birmingham “Logistics organisations […]

Our challenge is an eternal one.  The wrestle with gravity. It was here before us, and it will outlive all of us.   I feel a burden of responsibility heading up our 75 year old association. As well as to the current and future membership, the initial aspirations of LEEA’s Founding Fathers weighs heavily on […]

Testing must become second nature in a manufacturing or industrial environment, says Joel Cox, president at Pintsch Bubenzer USA.   Google (yes, it is a verb now) ‘test’ or ‘testing’ and many COVID-19 references will appear in the search results. These words are commonplace in the medical world; we hear of doctors testing for a […]

Lift truck operators could be at risk of accidents if vehicles are not inspected properly says CFTS (Consolidated Fork Truck Services) – the UK body behind the national standard for Thorough Examinations. “Many within the materials handling, construction and agriculture industries will be familiar with LOLER [Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations], which legally requires […]

Recently I have been asked how The Crosby Group has handled the ongoing pandemic at our factories across the globe. I understand why people enquire as we’ve got approximately 30 global sites with a heavy footprint in Europe and North America – both COVID-19 hotspots. The non-discriminatory nature of the virus means global companies have […]

The nature of the lifting industry is that it is actually a collection of a wide range of specialist industries which coalesce around the single act of fighting gravity. Designers, manufacturers, inspectors, fitters, engineers; the list of front line occupations in our industry goes on and on. Before you even think of the numerous support […]

The world will never be the same again, says David Ayling, managing director at Wheatstone Projects, which might not be a bad thing. I was embarrassed to check my LinkedIn account the other week to find a number of messages from friends and business associates in China, asking about my welfare as the coronavirus started […]

Ross Moloney CEO of the Lifting Equipment Engineeris Association (LEEA) recommends being light on your feet and adapting plans quickly when circumstances change. What a surprise to be asked to write something about leadership.  This either means that I’m doing something right, or instead something very wrong, and there’s a hint of irony in the […]