(L-R) Tim Waples and David Rowell

Despite challenging market conditions, speakers at the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) AGM were upbeat on the outlook for the UK's forklift sector.

Scott Livermore of Oxford Economics, which surveyed the association's members for a twice-yearly economic forecast, says although 2011 output was weaker than expected and 2012 manufacturing activity was expected to remain sluggish, BITA members provided evidence that offered room for "cautious optimism".

"Order books and actual sales in the sector appear to be in better shape than the macro-economic position would suggest," Livermore says. "Although manufacturing felt the brunt of the weaker-than-expected second half of 2011, with growth averaging just 0.5% compared to an expected 2% last September, survey data has picked up over the last six months. This has been helped by a rebound in new orders, both total and export orders."

Jim Moran, president of the US-based Industrial Truck Association, shared insights from across the Atlantic, where similar trends are apparent, with the market showing modest recovery but subject to the vagaries of market and the political backdrop of the forthcoming presidential election.

Bill Goodwin, who leads the BITA apprenticeship program, announced the establishment in April 2012 of an industry steering committee on apprenticeships, comprising most major companies. The program will focus on establishing closer contact with schools to attract young people into forklift apprenticeships.

The 11 May AGM also marked the completion of the two-year BITA presidential term of Tim Waples of Doosan Industrial Vehicle UK Ltd. His successor, Hyster European operations manager David Rowell, paid tribute to his achievements in office.

"Tim has presided over BITA at a time of much change in our industry. All of it has been extremely positive, particularly the continuing recovery from the depths of recession and the launch of an industry apprenticeship scheme under the aegis of the BITA Academy at City of Bristol College," Rowell says. (Forkliftaction.com News #535)