LEEA’s annual flagship occasion was supported by RiConnect, a supplier of cloud-based Software program as a Service (SaaS), as Headline Sponsor, together with sponsors Yoke and Hoist. The present flooring was filled with over 100 manufacturers showcasing lifting, rigging and height-safety options.
Talking within the exhibition flooring theatre, members of the LEEA staff took the chance to replace guests on LEEA’s newest initiatives equivalent to a presentation by LEEA’s Venture Officer Adam Chipperfield, together with Director Membership Matt Barber, on the evolution of how the affiliation assesses its members.
The theatre additionally hosted the member showcase, the place a few of the many progressive merchandise at LiftEx have been demonstrated and defined, such because the ROV Professional Shank Hook from Van Beest. RiConnect demonstrated how RFID-embedded lifting merchandise remodel asset administration and traceability, together with the Digital Product Passport (DPP). A joint presentation from G2 Ocean and Onix checked out how digitalisation is reworking lifting compliance within the maritime sector. To additional exhibit how sensible expertise is revolutionising the lifting business YOKE Industrial Corp checked out how connecting bodily merchandise to digital platforms enhances traceability, boosts security and simplifies compliance, and CheckedOK confirmed the newest function launch for making inspection administration easy.
There was a step into the longer term with Spanset and Auxivo explaining how Exoskeletons scale back fatigue, enhance posture and shield staff from pressure throughout industries. An indication confirmed how wearable help programs can increase productiveness, security and long-term wellbeing.
Core Inspection Software program confirmed how lifting and rigging groups are reducing report turnaround from weeks to hours whereas eliminating 99% of rework and 99% of missed recertifications. There was an introduction to, and demonstration of, the BUDDIE SYSTEM, claimed to be the world’s first wi-fi prompt security alert system for crane operators.
Movement Software program explored the implications of non-compliance and the way its Movement Kinetic software program resolution avoids this via environment friendly inspection workflows, realtime reporting and seamless knowledge administration. And Bekaert revealed how leading edge applied sciences are reworking rope inspection.
On condition that even the perfect tools can fail if used incorrectly, there was an informative session exploring real-world examples of lifting tools misuse throughout totally different industries. Offering insights into widespread causes of misuse, the affect on security and effectivity in addition to how design, coaching and product innovation can assist forestall incidents, the presentation drew on experience from pewag, Modulift, Load Monitoring Programs and Aberdeen Net. They highlighted sensible steps to enhance security tradition and guarantee tools is used as supposed.
Thought leaders
LEEA CEO Ross Moloney kicked off proceedings at LiftEx’s extremely enlightening Thought Management Convention, discussing “expertise as a technique to pay the payments”, as he explored how the lifting business can appeal to new expertise, develop their expertise and retain a robust motivated workforce. Given that individuals assist a enterprise to thrive, he addressed points round attracting the correct folks, growing them in the correct method and retain present employees.
“We all know that whenever you practice folks, you have got people who find themselves happier,” he mentioned. “There may be an elevated wellbeing related to any form of coaching and there’s a lot of proof that clearly reveals that when companies practice, they’re far much less prone to fail.”
Coaching is often seen as costly however expertise pay the payments, so it is very important see coaching as an funding with a return fairly than one thing chances are you’ll resent that has a value. Nevertheless, the coaching that we should supply and the coaching our business should supply to its staff, should focus on rules. So, coaching ought to be chosen fastidiously. LEEA coaching, for instance, is transferring from reminiscence checks to competence assessments, which implies linking coaching to occupation to make sure that an individual is sweet at their job. Having an amazing staff shouldn’t be a matter of luck, it requires an funding.
Selecting up the theme of individuals improvement, in a chat titled: ‘You’re solely as robust as your staff – constructing the longer term via expertise’, Wim Fabricius, President & MD EMEA of Kito Crosby, mentioned how the longer term will belong to the organisations that may unite robust groups with innovation, growing the abilities and tradition wanted to create not only a extra aggressive business, however a safer one.
Tim Battersby, Technical Gross sales Supervisor at RiConnect appeared on the Digital Product Passport, which is actually a set of development, product associated, machine-readable knowledge. Implementation has been mandated by the European Fee as a part of its new rules introduced in throughout 2023 that assist in the direction of making a extra round economic system within the EU.
Anton van der Zalm, Vice President Company Analysis & Improvement at Van Beest BV, checked out improvements in load launch and retrieval from floor to seabed and again. As subsea operations turn into extra advanced and efficiency-driven, the expertise behind load launch and retrieval continues to evolve. The most recent improvements in subsea set up tools have been explored, with a deal with smarter, safer strategies for deploying and recovering masses from the seabed.
Adeoluwa Bamgbade, Non permanent Works Coordinator, SCS Railways JV, gave an interesting exploration of how the advanced extraction of tunnel boring machines weighing as much as 880 tonnes from the HS2 London tunnels, 45 metres beneath the bottom.
LEEA’s Head of International Trade Requirements & Laws Ben Dobbs supplied an replace on the Equipment Directive and was adopted by LEEA colleague, Director of Infrastructure Ian Bannister, who up to date the viewers on the HSE LOLER overview.
Harley Parkin of GGR Group provided attendees a view of what’s subsequent for the business by highlighting the newest improvements designed to spice up security, precision and effectivity throughout lifting operations. She explored how specialist lifting has been utterly redefined in three key areas: glass insulation, confined entry work and 0 emission options. Strolling via how handbook, excessive threat strategies have moved to engineered precision lifting it was defined how this shift helps to sort out fashionable development pressures equivalent to restricted entry, shorter deadlines, and bold carbon discount targets.
Ollie Brown, Economist at Globaldata PLC, briefed LiftEx in the marketplace developments, new challenge developments and maritime commerce dynamics and implications on vertical development amid evolving worldwide commerce. International development output slowed in 2025, a yr characterised by elements equivalent to funding deficits and provide chain disruption, nevertheless it’s forecast to develop by 3.3% in 2026.
He highlighted how there’s funding for multi-billion greenback tasks such because the Jeddah Tower, beneath development in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, that goals to be the world’s first constructing to exceed 1,000 metres in top. The tower is the centrepiece of the Jeddah Financial Metropolis challenge, an enormous city improvement supposed to assist diversify Saudi Arabia’s economic system.
Reaching a challenge of this scale efficiently relies on having the perfect sub-contractors, suppliers of supplies, architects, engineers and expert labour. Brown instructed that individuals nonetheless aspire to work internationally and collaborate, which is constructive for the development business.
Rounding off the session, Kevin Bennison and Darren Biggs, Lively Chairs of ILLAPG, gave a passionate supply on lifting security via collaboration by explaining how the Trade Lifting Lead AP Group (ILLAPG) is elevating requirements throughout Trade and inspiring business members to get entangled.
LiftEx 2026 will return to the Exhibition Centre in Liverpool on 24th and 25th November 2026. Requests for stand area and sponsorship alternatives at LiftEx 2025 shall be handled on a first-come, first-served foundation, so please contact Leah Phelps on +44 20 3488 2865 or at enquiries@L2Events.com to safe a sponsorship bundle or a primary place on the exhibition.
