Within the framework of the VfA Forum, the continuing series of conferences that take place every two years during the international Interlift trade fair, the SBS lift Forum 2023 was an opportunity to meet not only European lift SMEs, but also representatives from other geographic areas, including outside Europe.
Aptly named Small Business Special, the SBS Lift Forum 2023 opened the conference kermesse on the afternoon of 17 October, providing an excellent start to the event. After the opening speech by EFESME President Massimo Bezzi, the SBS Lift Forum revolved around four presentations dedicated to European lift SMEs, their role in European standardisation, and how this is evolving thanks to new or revised standards, and the new Machinery Regulation.
The first presentation, given by Andrea Raffaelli, standardisation officer and experts coordinator at SBS, not only gave an overview of the many activities developed by SBS and EFESME in support of European lift SMEs, but also presented the work of the technical experts in the lift sector in the various working groups. The importance of this presentations was reinforced by the fact that a large part of the audience present has never been directly involved in any European activities ragarding standardisation, so this was a very valuable stage and opportunity to raise awareness of the various projects and groups followed by EFESME and SBS together.
Presentation: European lift standardisation and the role of lift SMEs
The SBS Lift Forum then moved to Mr. Paolo Tattoli, technical expert in EFESME and expert and convenor in several CEN TC 10 WGs at the European level and in UNI at the Italian national level. Thank to his relevant experience in the standardisation field, Mt. Tattoli was able to give a detailed presentation of these two standards, their development process along the years and their content.
These two standards are relevant not only for the lift industry as a whole, but especially for European lift SMEs, which are the main players in the elevator platform and related market. The presentation was essential and clear in order to give up-to-date and easily applicable information for everyday work and future changes thanks to these revised and new standards.
Presentation: The revised prEN81-41 and the new EN81-42
Mr. Esfandiar Gharibaan, the Chairman of CEN/TC 10, took then the floor to present the content of the brand new Machinery Regulation, publish this summer. The publication of the new Machinery Regulation will have a strong impact on the entire lift industry, and therefore the need arose to organise a panel dedicated to this important piece of EUropean legislation, in order to present it in the best possible and clear way.
In a specific yet practical way, Mr. Gharibaan outlined the most important aspects of the text and the changes it introduced, and how they will impact the industry. His presentation was and will be fundamental to allow lift SMEs to have a tool tailored to them to understand the major novelties of the new Regulation and future standards based on it.
Presentation: The new Machinery Regulation: Novelties and perspectives in standardisation
Finally, the presentation given by Mr. Luca Incoronato, Managing Director of ANACAM, one of the Italian members of EFESME, not only illustrated the issue of the operation of lifting platforms without carrier doors, the position of the European Commission on the matter, and the current situation in Italy for the lift SMEs involved in and interested by this, but also led to a lively dialogue with the audience that allowed for a comparison of situations also in Spain, Portugal and Switzerland. Once again, a practical aspect explaining an issue in a simple and straightforward manner proved to be an excellent way to compare different situations and points of view within the same sector in Europe.
Presentation: The European Commission's position on the operation of lifting platforms without carrier doors and the impact on the Italian market
As in its previous editions, the SBS Lift Forum confirmed itself again this year as a valuable opportunity to meet and discuss various topics directly involved in and part of European standardisation. This is a topic that is not always simple and not always easily accessible for the European lift SMEs that EFESME represents in Europe also with the support of SBS, and therefore the meetings and events organised together acquire ever greater importance for all the stakeholders involved.
On this specific occasion, the SBS Lift Forum was especially important because it presented important innovations from the standardisation point of view that will have a direct impact on the European lift sector, and on some parts of it in which lift SMEs are directly involved and protagonists.
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EFESME wishes to thank SBS and its representative for their cooperation, the speakers and experts for their participation in this year edition of the SBS Lift Forum, and the public for their precence and lively discussions during the event.
We are looking forward to meet you at our next events and activites!
