Movers & Shakers

Local News
- 8 Jul 2021 ( #1033 )
3 min read
Auston
Auston
Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Ranger Lifting
has named industry veteran Oliver Auston as technical consultant. He will continue to serve as a Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) board representative.
Auston was co-founder of the UK brand Checkmate, a height safety pioneer, and brings a wealth of experience to the company.
Over the past 20 years, he has developed products from industrial soft goods through to complex engineered products, such as a full range of self-retracting lifelines, as well as bespoke machinery to enhance and automate manufacturing processes in both height safety and heavy lifting slings. Auston has over 70 patents credited to his name and has won numerous accolades, including two Queen's Awards for International Trade and Innovation, plus countless industry product and business honours, including LEEA Manager of the Year.

Harting
Harting
Espelkamp, Germany
Dietmar Harting, partner and board member of the Harting Technology Group, has been awarded the special Lifetime Achievement prize by the Markt&Technik trade publication. The prize was awarded in connection with this year's "Manager of the Year" election.
Harting, in addition to his great contributions to his group, was recognised for shaping the course of the electronics industry over many years through his personal commitment.
Harting joined his parents' company in 1967, became managing partner in 1973 and turned the small medium-sized company into a successful global player in his era.
In 1998, he became the first head of an SME to take the helm of the influential Central Association of the Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry (ZVEI) and steered the association back into safe waters following the turbulence caused by the foundation of Bitkom. Harting became a member of the committee of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and from 2003 to 2009 headed up the German Institute for Standardization (DIN), which thanked him for his work by presenting him with the DIN Ring of Honour.
In 2008, he was bestowed with the Trade Fair Honorary Gold Medal for his many years of service at Deutsche Messe AG, which included 12 years as deputy chairman of the supervisory board. In 2009, the city of Espelkamp, headquarters of the technology group, bestowed the honourary citizenship on Dietmar and Margrit Harting. In 2009, the couple was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit 1st class.

Leskinen
Leskinen
Helsinki, Finland
Timo Leskinen, SVP for human resources and a member of the Konecranes leadership team, has decided to leave the company and will take a position at another company. He will leave Konecranes on 30 September 2021.
"Timo has been a highly valued member of our Konecranes leadership team during the past eight years. I want to thank Timo for all his contributions at Konecranes and wish him the best of luck in his future career", says Rob Smith, president and CEO of Konecranes.
Konecranes will appoint a successor in due course.

Dobbins
Dobbins
Albion, Michigan, United States
Caster Concepts
has named Andrew R. Dobbins vice president of manufacturing for the company and its six associated businesses.
Dobbins has been involved with Caster Concepts since its inception more than 30 years ago when he was taught how to sweep the factory floor by Richard Dobbins, his grandfather and founder of the company.
Dobbins, 43, has spent the past five years as general manager of Caster Concepts, providing the energy and leadership for many operational initiatives.
Caster Concepts President William H. Dobbins says the appointment comes at an
exciting time for the company and the industry.
"There are many challenges and opportunities in manufacturing, and I am sure that
Andrew will provide the leadership needed to keep Caster Concepts in a continuous
improvement-and-growth mindset," he says.
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Movers & Shakers News Story - 19 Aug 2021 - 2 min read
Movers & Shakers News Story - 15 Feb 2024 - 3 min read
Briefs News Story - 30 May 2019 - 2 min read
HARTING opens plant in Poland News Story - 24 Jan 2019 - Bydgoszcz, Poland - 1 min read
Movers & Shakers News Story - 22 May 2025 - 1 min read
Konecranes updates financial targets News Story - 22 May 2025 - Hyvinkää, Finland - 1 min read
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Words of support …

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Inside The News
As a journalist focussed on the materials handling sector, it is difficult not to notice the regularity of news stories that detail injuries to – or worse still the deaths of – forklift operators... Continue reading

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Your Focus

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

As the material handling industry moves toward electrification, Volvo Penta’s electromobility platform offers purpose-built electric drivelines and energy storage subsystems tailored to the practical needs of industrial applications. Developed by the Volvo Group, this platform builds on proven technology already in use across heavy-duty applications such as trucks and construction equipment.

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