UKMHA Archives

IMHX Visitor Registration Now Open

Posted on 11 May, 202531 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Visitor registration is now open for the International Materials Handling Exhibition (IMHX) 2025, the UK’s leading trade event for warehouse and intralogistics professionals. After a three-year hiatus, the exhibition returns to the NEC Birmingham from 9-11th September 2025.

IMHX 2025 is expected to welcome approximately 10,000 attendees and over 300 exhibitors showcasing the latest innovations in warehouse technology, automation, robotics and supply chain solutions. Industry leaders including Crown, Toyota Material Handling, Körber, Combilift, AutoStore, Exotec and Swisslog are among the major names already confirmed on the floorplan.

“We’re pleased to announce that registration is now open for IMHX 2025,” said Chris Morley, Group Director – Maritime & Logistics at Informa. “The sector has evolved significantly since IMHX 2022, driven by widespread automation, AI adoption and an increased focus on sustainability. IMHX 2025 will provide the perfect platform to explore these developments firsthand.”

New for 2025 is the Future Zone, presented in partnership with SEC Storage. This interactive area will feature cutting-edge technologies and solutions demonstrating the future of warehousing with a focus on renewables and solar, warehouse optimisation and eco tech. The event will also offer a comprehensive free seminar programme covering three key themes: smart technologies, environmental responsibility and operational excellence.

Returns to Birmingham NEC

IMHX is co-owned by the UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA), while supported by key industry associations including the Automated Material Handling Systems Association (AMHSA) and the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA).

Rob Fisher, Chief Executive Officer at the UKMHA commented: “The material handling industry is a vital pillar of the UK economy, and IMHX is uniquely positioned to support and showcase its continued evolution. Bringing together a broad spectrum of solutions, innovations, and operational advancements, IMHX is the must-attend exhibition for business leaders across logistics, transport and distribution. As co-owners of the event, UKMHA is eagerly anticipating what promises to be a dynamic and engaging edition this September. We’ll soon be unveiling our own unique visitor experience, and this year’s prestigious Archies Awards will take place during the show.”

Professionals from warehousing, distribution, supply chain, e-commerce, retail and manufacturing sectors can register for free entry at www.imhx.net

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Combilift Wins Two Major Accolades

Posted on 18 September, 202425 July, 2025 by Keith McKinley

Combilift gains further global recognition as it secures awards in 2 categories at the recent UK Materials Handling Association Awards in Birmingham on Saturday the 14th of September. Up against some of the biggest names in Material handling, the company walked away with the coveted ‘Ergonomic Innovation of the Year’ and the ‘Manufacturer Product Innovation of the Year’.

The Combi-CB70E was celebrated for its groundbreaking ergonomic design. The 7-ton electric-powered, multidirectional counterbalance forklift is the shortest 7-ton capacity truck on the market, making it highly efficient with long loads in tight spaces. The truck’s surprisingly spacious cab, with floor-to-ceiling panoramic glass, provides operators with excellent visibility and enhanced safety.
One of its standout features is the Auto Swivel Seat, which automatically swivels 15 degrees to the left or right, depending on the direction of travel. This feature significantly reduces driver strain, particularly when reversing.

The CB70E also incorporates a gas strut suspension system, typically found in larger industrial machinery. This advanced suspension and large super-elastic tyres ensure a smooth ride, even across rough or uneven terrain or during extended shifts. Combilift’s independent electric traction system -previous Red Dot award winner- provides 100% traction control for all front and rear drive wheels. This system eliminates the need for a differential lock on slippery surfaces, reduces load swing, and enhances safety and precision when transporting long, heavy loads particularly when navigating sideways, regardless of ground conditions.

Combilift’s second award, the ‘Manufacturer Product Innovation of the Year’, went to the Combi LC Blade, a cutting-edge machine designed specifically to address the growing challenges of transporting offshore wind turbine blades from the manufacturing plant to storage or transportation facilities. These blades, which can reach up to 115 metres in length and weigh up to 70 tonnes, have long posed logistical challenges due to their size, fragility and complexity.

Combilift’s Heavy Equipment Design Team, known for developing pioneering solutions like the Combi-SC Straddle Carrier and Combi-MG Mobile Gantry worked hand in hand with Siemens Gamesa, a leading supplier of offshore wind turbines, the LC Blade ensures unparalleled stability and safety during transport. Now implemented in manufacturing sites across the world, Combilift has transformed the logistics of handling wind turbine blades and set a new industry standard.

Combilift CEO and Co-Founder Martin McVicar; “We are more than delighted to have won not just one, but two prestigious accolades at this years Archies 2024, making this our 12th Archies to date. Competing against such high-calibre competitors highlights what a fantastic team we have, which are willing to push the boundaries of the material handling industry.”

These awards solidify Combilift’s winning momentum after taking home ‘Design Team of the Year’ for the LC Blade and the ‘Industry Leader Award’ – recognising McVicar’s transformative leadership at the UK EMA Awards in London, bringing a total of 4 awards for the Irish manufacturer within two weeks!

National Forklift Safety Day 2024

Posted on 5 June, 202429 July, 2025 by David Priestman

National Forklift Safety Day is one of the UK material handling sector’s most significant initiatives, aiming to spread awareness about the importance of operator training and the safe use of forklifts. Beginning on June 11th, this year’s online campaign is supported by the theme ‘Prevent – Manage – Learn’. This succinct tagline reflects the UK Material Handling Association’s (UKMHA) ambition to educate people about what to do in the event of an incident.

Commenting on the campaign, David Goss, the UKMHA’s Technical Director, said: “National Forklift Safety Day provides us with an ideal opportunity to reinforce the importance of safe working practices for those who work with material handling equipment. The UKMHA is committed to helping companies and operators to uphold the highest standards of safety, and this initiative goes a long way towards achieving that goal”.

National Forklift Safety Day 2024 will focus on the 7 stages of the forklift incident cycle. The UKMHA will be releasing impactful content relevant to each stage of the cycle across the following dates:
• Prepare: Tuesday 11 June
• Respond: Wednesday 10 July
• Investigate: Thursday 8 August
• Report: Friday 13 September
• Restart: Saturday 12 October
• Learn: Sunday 10 November
• Prevent: Monday 9 December

Each stage represents a specific strategy for dealing with a forklift incident. By spreading our campaign over different days across 7 months, we hope to fulfil our ambition to ‘make every day National Forklift Safety Day’. The first stage, Prepare, delves into the preparatory steps that should be taken to minimise the chance of a forklift incident becoming a forklift accident. We will be releasing various resources to support this part of the campaign, including compliance checklists, animation videos, and real-world case studies.

The National Forklift Safety Day initiative has been raising awareness about the safe use of material handling equipment since its launch by the US counterpart, the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), in 2014. In 2019, the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) took up the campaign. BITA eventually merged with the Forklift Truck Association (FLTA) to create the UKMHA, the trade association that has organised the UK’s version of National Forklift Safety Day ever since.

Dedicated to promoting safety standards across the entire material handling industry, the UKMHA invites everyone to participate in National Forklift Safety Day 2024.

UK Material Handling Association Appoints New CEO

UK Material Handling Association Appoints New CEO

Posted on 6 May, 202431 July, 2025 by David Priestman

The UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA) announces Rob Fisher (pictured) as its Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1st, 2024.

Rob Fisher will succeed Tim Waples, Chief Executive UKMHA, whose retirement was announced earlier in the year, and Cameron Burnett, CEO Designate.

Under Waples’ stewardship, which dates back to 2020 when BITA and FLTA combined, UKMHA has flourished. “Tim has provided UKMHA with excellent leadership at what was a very challenging period with the combination of two major associations and not forgetting the unique circumstances that we all had to deal with during COVID,” states Simon Barkworth, UKMHA Joint President. “We wish Tim a well-earned and happy retirement.”

Burnett, who joined in 2022, has been instrumental in advancing UKMHA’s marketing and events strategy and departs with the association’s heartfelt well wishes.

Fisher steps into his new role with a mandate to drive member engagement, ensure seamless day-to-day operations, and collaborate with the board of directors to shape the association’s future trajectory.

With over 19 years leading IMHX, a pivotal event jointly owned by UKMHA and Informa Markets, Fisher brings a wealth of industry insight and expertise. His proven track record in business management ensures UKMHA’s continued dedication to serving its members and advancing sustainability, safety, and excellence in the material handling sector.

Joint UKMHA President, Andrew Woodward, expresses enthusiasm for the appointment, highlighting his strategic acumen and industry knowledge as invaluable assets. “We are thrilled to welcome Rob to the UKMHA family,” says Woodward. “His leadership will be crucial as we champion our dynamic industry and empower our members to thrive in an evolving landscape.”

“I am honoured and excited by this unique opportunity,” says Fisher. “I look forward to engaging with UKMHA members along with our Safe User Group at the earliest opportunity. With an exceptional team by my side, I am confident in our ability to drive positive change and continue to elevate the profile of our industry.”

Woodward continues “I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Tim for ensuring a seamless transition during the merger of FLTA and BITA. His efforts, alongside Cameron’s, have been instrumental in the smooth operation of our association over the past 18 months.”

The Archies awards for honouring excellence in material handling, which will be held on September 14th, will be Fisher’s first UKMHA event. “The Archies is a prestigious event that recognises excellence and outstanding achievements. I’m looking forward to welcoming our finalists, sponsors, and guests to what will be a true celebration of those operating at the highest echelons in our industry,” finishes Fisher.

UKMHA seeks jurors for Archies 2022

Returns to Birmingham NEC

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