The Insider

We must continue to train-up our growing community and upkeep the lifting products it uses, says Steve Napieralski, president at Oz Lifting. When the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) launched its fifth Global Lifting Awareness Day campaign (see insert) it also pointed to skills and employment as its #GLAD2024 themes. They’re great pillars for such […]

In the second of a two-part article, Doug Stitt, president and CEO at The Caldwell Group Inc., reminds industry why an educational approach must be taken from shop floor to C-suite. As I wrote in conclusion to this column in the last edition of 2023, I go to the same Company College as a new […]

In the first of a two-part article, Doug Stitt, president and CEO at The Caldwell Group Inc, urges industry to take an educational approach to preparing a business for success in the new world. We start on the factory floor. The US, especially, could be better at implementing industrial policy and providing support when it […]

The electric overhead travelling crane industry, like the steel sector, must clean up its act when it comes to sustainability, says Joel Cox. Component suppliers can offer a unique and valuable perspective. They get to work in the many different sectors where the products they sell or services they provide are applied. In the morning, […]

We’ve got to get better at promoting our industry’s unique selling points, says Steve Napieralski, president at Oz Lifting. We share much in common with other industries, but we should focus more on what sets us apart. Lifting is different – better, even -than many sectors despite the fact that it continues to stay under […]

The best leaders can keep people heading in the same direction, even when the tide turns, but finding them isn’t easy, says Doug Stitt, president and CEO at The Caldwell Group Inc.   ‘Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream…’ The trouble is, happily rowing down gentle streams ain’t business. It is sometimes, […]

There remains a place for individuals to shine, even in the new world, and especially in the lifting industry, says Joel Cox, in his final column before #GLAD2023.   Things are markedly different to when Dancing Machine was released by the Jackson 5 in 1974. The quintet made famous the robot-style dance, which they performed […]

A team’s ability to have respectful, meaningful conversations is a cornerstone of healthy company culture, says Steve Napieralski, president at Oz Lifting. If you read this magazine’s recent ProMat review, you’d have seen an interview with Parker Hale, inside sales specialist at my company, in which he reflected on his first trade fair appearance. “Wow,” […]

‘Made in…’ can be a great stamp of quality and acceptance, but there must be value to support it, says Doug Stitt, president and CEO at The Caldwell Group Inc. Walk the aisles of a trade show like ProMat, which was took place in Chicago, just a few weeks ago, and you’ll see and hear […]

Operations and maintenance programming seems to be more important in some markets than others, which is exposed when implementing cross-industry strategy, says Joel Cox. As I spend time with stakeholders in various markets, I’m reminded of the constant need to share knowledge that drives continued improvement of industry best practices. At the time of writing, […]