UK’s CEA joins federation

The UK's Construction Equipment Association (CEA) has recently joined the British Materials Handling Federation (BMHF), which is the representative UK organisation for all materials handling products.

Tim Faithfull, who has been appointed secretary general of the BMHF in addition to his role as director of member services for the CEA, said that the BMHF had not been representing the industry as such for at least the last 20 years, as it had been focusing on providing UK membership of FEM (the European Federation of Materials Handling) with a portal for members to be part of the European set up.

Mr Faithfull said, "My intention is to turn the BMHF into a proper federation working for the good of the materials handling industry."

The other members of the BMHF are ALEM (Association of Loading & Elevating Equipment); AMHSA (Automated Material Handling Systems Association); BITA (British Industrial Truck Association); IPAF (International Powered Access Federation); and SEMA (Storage Equipment Manufacturers Association).

Mr Faithfull said there would be opportunities for the members of all these associations to meet and discuss common issues. One such current issue is non-compliant imports and market surveillance, which ALEM, BITA and IPAF, along with the CEA, want the authorities to start taking seriously.

"By doing this collectively as the BMHF, as well as individually as associations," he said, "I believe that we can force change. Other common compliance issues which we can discuss and take a single voice to government include noise and engine emissions, but there will also be other general industry issues, interests and concerns where we can use the BMHF for the benefit of all."