 Standing, from left: Michal Obuchowicz, Krystian Michalak, Tom Lavigne,
Randy Langwell, LiAnna Gusso, Corey Nelson, James Ralphs, Ian Campbell, Robyn Watson, Stephen Myckatyn, Randy Hiles and Nav Mander. |
Nav Mander, Randy Hiles, Corey Nelson and Robyn Watson each received CAD500 as a first place winner in a 5 May forklift competition in British Columbia.
Nearly 75 operators from more than 30 companies participated in the 15th annual BC championship forklift rally at the Cloverdale Agriplex arena in Surrey.
Four continuously operated obstacle courses tested each operator's best practice and forklift skills. Challenges included forklift versions of bowling, basketball and soccer.
Mander and Hiles, both with the Ambient facility of EV Logistics, won in the narrow-aisle reach truck and counterbalance electric divisions, respectively.
Nelson with Americold Logistics LLC won in the counterbalance propane division, and Watson from Best Buy Co Inc proved best with the power pallet jack.
Second place awards of CAD300 went to James Ralphs of London Drugs in the reach truck category, LiAnna Gusso of Kerry Canada Inc on the counterbalance electric, Randy Langwell of Americold on the counterbalance propane and Stephen Myckatyn of EV Logistics - Ambient with the power pallet jack.
Third place awards of CAD100 went to Krystian Michalak of RC Products Ltd on the reach truck, Michal Obuchowicz of Kal Tire on the counterbalance electric, Tom Lavigne of Ainsworth Engineered Canada LP on the counterbalance propane and Ian Campbell of the Cliveden facility of VersaCold on the power pallet jack.
The non-profit Canadian Material Handling & Distribution Society of Richmond, BC presented the forklift rally in partnership with the provincial WorkSafeBC agency.
Sponsors included Johnston Equipment, East Penn Manufacturing, Harding Forklift Services Ltd, Williams Machinery LP, NIS Training Ltd, Forkliftaction.com, TVH, FIOSA-MIOSA, Pivot Industrial Training Services and Adecco Employment Services Ltd.
John Gilder, society general manager, notes team members from Raymond dealership Johnston Equipment were grilling Smokies on the barbeque. The Adecco group supplied a bouncy castle for the kids' enjoyment, and four rally girls helped cheer on the contestants.
Johnston Equipment for Raymond, Harding Forklift for Yale and Williams Machinery for Clark supplied forklifts. Johnston Equipment also supplied and set up racking. Each contest judge is certified as a trainer by a mobile equipment training company such as Pivot, NIS, Sayers International and DWM Unlimited.
A major Canadian television network broadcast aspects of the event during the noon and evening news programs.
"We have never received press like this before," Gilder says. "We received numerous calls and emails from people wanting to compete next year due to exposure we received."
The 2013 date is set for 4 May.
The BC championship forklift rally began in 1997 as a venue to promote forklift skills and safety.