Readers will be saddened to hear of the death of Chris Andrew, who was a familiar figure in the materials handling and flameproof sector for many years. Chris, 59, suffered a heart attack following bypass surgery and died on December 11th.

For the past 10 years, Chris was the UK Product Manager for the German manufacturer Sichelschmidt, and had also worked for Ability Handling and Pyroban.

"Chris was a true expert in his field, an enthusiastic colleague and loyal friend who will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him," says managing director Ralf Sichelschmidt. "We extend our sincere sympathies to his wife, Judith, and his children."