EUROPLATFORM
37
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013
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INTERNATIONAL
He said his company’s growth strategy was
driven by international expansion and that
these moves were not seen as short term; “It
takes us 10 years before we can make a profit
in a new country. So don’t be an opportunist.
In our experience it takes a lot of time, and
you have to be confident that your business
model will be competitive in a new market.”
Mr Rosenkrands, chief operating officer
of Riwal, highlighted the particular demands
of managing large booms and emphasised
a theme of shared responsibility between
manufacturers, dealers and rental companies.
“Should we be scared [about large booms]?
No, but a big boom and small boom are
very different things and there is a shared
responsibility between manufacturers and
rental houses to make this sector safe.”
He singled out the need for boom ropes on
large machines to be replaced after seven years
of operation. “A huge number of big booms
were bought in Europe in the years [before
the crisis] and they will need their boom
ropes replaced…Is this happening? I hope
so. It’s a big job. And what about machines
sold outside of Europe? Who is responsible? I
think we all are…we need to step up.”
Asset values
Ritchie Bros. key account manager, Michael
Rohmeder, described the possible long term
implications on asset values of used equipment
on the use of Tier IV/Stage 3 engines, with
developing regions of the world unable to
source the high quality fuels or additives that
these machines require.
He said it was unclear whether the engine
manufacturers had ‘de-tiering’ solutions in
place that would allow the export of the latest
machines to these areas. “Will there be de-
tiering kits, how much will they cost, and how
complicated will they be?”
“I am not saying there will not be a solution,
but today, I haven’t seen it. You as an industry
need to ask the questions. We are facing a
technological disruption – this will have an
impact, but I don’t know what the impact
will be.The ‘third life’ of equipment may even
disappear completely if there is no de-tiering
kit,” added Mr Rohmeder.
Chris Wraith, technical officer at IPAF,
raised the issue of operators leaving the basket
at height and said there was a need for clear
and concise guidance and an understanding
of the ‘exceptional circumstances’ that would
allow such practices.
“It happens, whether we like it or not,
thousands of times a day all around the
world….There is a place for it, as long as it is
planned and managed.”Mr Wraith cited the
case of workers on electricity pylons who can
be transported to their work locations without
arduous and potentially risky climbing. Mr
Wraith said IPAF was working on creating
fuller guidelines on the issue.
The final speaker of the day was Andy
Studdert, chief executive officer of NES
Rentals in the US, who described how new
technology was helping his company improve
its processes in areas including sales and
pricing.
However, it was NES’s policy on home
working that perhaps attracted most interest,
with delegates requesting details of the
company’s practice of allowing clerical and
other office staff to work four, 10 hour days
a week, two at home and two at the office.
Mr Studdert said the policy has increased
worker productivity by more than 35% and
significantly reduced office costs.
AI
EUROPLATFORM 2014
Tim Whiteman, IPAF chief executive officer,
announced at the close of the conference that
next year’s event will be held on 25 September
in Berlin, Germany.
Some 120 delegates gathered
at the Pera Palace hotel for
the Europlatform conference.
Mustafa Bilgin said the Turkish market was
ready to take off.
Chris Wraith, technical officer at IPAF
believes there should be clear and concise
guidance for exiting the basket at height.
The Panel Discussion from left: Steve
Couling, IPAF President and managing
director, Time-Versalift; Søren
Rosenkrands, COO, Riwal; Pierre Boels,
CEO, Boels Rental; Merve Yerdelen
Elliatioglu, general manager and director,
Tatmak & Karyer Group of Companies.
Serkan Acar,
general manager
of rental company
Acarlar Macine
(left), and Faruk
Aksoy, secretary
general of
associations IMDER
and ISDER.
