Regional Manager Justin Boehm takes a look at LEEA’s year, highlighting a number of stand out successes.
2024 has truly been a milestone year for the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) in Australia and New Zealand. We’ve continued to set the bar high with our unwavering commitment to improving standards, promoting safety and fostering collaboration within the lifting equipment industry.
A significant highlight of the year was the expansion of LEEA’s training programs into Australia. This year, we teamed up with our Licensed Training Partners (LTP) – ATC Offshore and Tower Crane Training – to deliver LEEA’s highly regarded, globally recognised training courses. Thanks to these partnerships, LEEA members can now offer comprehensive training to their lifting industry professionals, ensuring they are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills to maintain safety and efficiency during their examinations and inspections through their local LTP.
LEEA’s dedication to enhancing industry standards remains steadfast. In 2024 we’ve made significant progress in our work to raise standards, in particular through the development of the Australia and New Zealand Technical Committee. The inaugural LEEA ANZ Technical Committee meeting was a pivotal event for us, symbolising a new chapter for LEEA in the region. We are thrilled to announce Ashlea Johnston from Bunzl Safety and Lifting as the new Chair of the Technical Committee. Ashlea, with her extensive industry background, is a fantastic ambassador for our field. She will lead a committee of technical experts from across our industry, whose focus will be on renewing guidance documents for the local market, providing a unified voice in our representations to Standards Australia and offering expert knowledge to our global technical advisory team based in the UK.
This year Australian members were again winners at the LEEA Awards, held at the world-famous Dorchester in London. The LEEA Awards received hundreds of nominations from across the LEEA membership globally and Bunzl Safety and Lifting took out two awards – Sustainability Excellence and the Excellence in Safety awards. This is a significant achievement for our region and we should again commend our industry leaders for their commitment.
However, on top of all that, the crowning glory of the year was undoubtedly LiftEx on the Gold Coast. This two-day exhibition brought together global manufacturers, industry leaders and professionals from across the region. LiftEx Gold Coast was our first full-scale exhibition outside the UK and set a new standard for future events. The event attracted visitors from all corners of the country, as well as international attendees, providing a platform for high-level conversations, significant business deals and valuable networking opportunities. Exhibitors and attendees alike praised the quality and quantity of inquiries received, with many confirming substantial orders during the event. This success has spurred us to plan our next major expo in 2026.
Looking ahead, we’re gearing up for an even bigger year in 2025. We’ll be introducing new products and revamped training programs for end-users of lifting equipment. Our training courses for lifting industry professionals will receive a fresh update. Additionally, we’ll be honouring our industry legends with a new annual award and ensuring that our industry stalwarts receive the recognition they deserve for dedication to our industry.
As we move forward, LEEA remains committed to its vision of lifting and height safety industries which have eliminated accidents, injuries and fatalities. Our dedication to promoting enhanced standards and industry best practice, through our achievements of this year, are a testament to the association’s capability and the collaborative efforts of its members. With continued focus on training, standards and industry collaboration, LEEA is poised to lead the lifting industry into a new era.
As we look ahead to 2025, we are excited to continue building on our successes, driving innovation and fostering a culture of safety and excellence in the lifting equipment industry.