Over 50 exhibits from the industrial trucks segment at CeMAT 2011 did not meet the European directives requirements regarding machine safety exhaust emissions and noise emissions.

The German Engineering Federation (VDMA)'s Materials Handling and Logistics Systems Sector Association discovered this during an inspection at the expo and submitted the information to local authority, the Trade Supervisory Office, in Hannover for further investigation.

VDMA's industrial trucks group spokesman Sascha Schmel tells Forkliftaction.com News that a total of five market surveillance officials made rounds on two days of the trade fair and confirmed the violations found by the association.

However, the sheer number of non-compliant products prevented the market surveillance enforcement authorities from conducting a complete inspection of all the exhibitors. Some of the manufacturers were confronted with their product violations and several have to provide further information to avoid sanctions.

Schmel explains that non-compliant equipment must be marked if exhibited at a European show or sales room. "Therefore, a plate was put on some trucks saying 'Due to violation of EU legislation, this truck must not be sold in Europe in the current version'.

"If such a truck is found in daily operation, it might be put out of service until it was made compliant. If an accident with a non-compliant truck happens, the company can be held responsible for providing non-compliant work equipment to their employees."

The sealed, tamperproof plates affixed to the exhibits also protect potential buyers from illegally operating the non-compliant products in Europe. The Trade Supervisory Office say it will investigate and follow up on all information it has received after the trade fair.

Despite the successful mission, Schmel expresses concerns.

"Both the (extent) and the number of violations are alarming.

"However, it did not surprise us that - at least to our knowledge - the majority of the violations were found in connection with imported products from manufacturers that only recently entered the European market or are planning to do so."

He adds that since non-European manufacturers also have access to all European directives and standards for industrial truck products, their only motive could be short-term financial success or entry into the market with "tacit acceptance and knowledge" that the products violate regulations and standards.

"Established manufacturers that also use non-European development and production facilities for some or all of their products show that it is possible to manufacture EU-compliant equipment anywhere in the world," Schmel says.

Peter Günther, managing director of the Materials Handling and Logistics Systems Sector Association, praises the action taken by the market surveillance authorities at CeMAT 2011.

"The authorities involved definitely accomplished a lot within the extent of their means and capabilities. When measured by the requirements of the legislators and, above all, by the number of apparent violations however, you would have expected a much larger task force," he says.

However, Günther adds: "It is obvious that there is a blatant imbalance between the legislators' intention to regulate and the ability to enforce. The VDMA will remain in contact with the relevant authorities, offering support as needed and urging punishment of any known violations.

"On their side, politicians need to urgently reconsider this matter and increase market surveillance capacities in the future instead of diminishing them."

The mission was only carried out at the initiative of the VDMA and was limited to the industrial truck segment.