Peter Wooldridge, founder and managing director Narrow Aisle, was recognised for his outstanding contribution to the UK logistics industry when he collected a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 Fork Lift Truck Association Annual Awards dinner.
Guest presenter at the awards, broadcaster Gyles Brandreth, said: “Peter’s long and distinguished career as a designer, innovator and entrepreneur, together with his expertise – both as an engineer and as a businessman – has helped to change the face of the warehouse materials handling industry.”
Peter Wooldridge has been designing ground-breaking warehousing trucks since the late 1960s and building them himself in the UK’s ‘Black Country’ industrial heartland since 1976. He said: “I am clearly very happy to collect this award, which reflects the long term efforts of our whole team at Narrow Aisle and I hope that people don’t feel that, in some way, it represents a ‘full stop’ at the end of my career!
“I prefer to look forwards – not back, and I am as enthusiastic about the industry now as I was when I first entered it.
The FLTA’s 22nd Annual Awards for excellence were held at The International Centre in Telford in front of a packed crowed of industry figures The categories and winners were as follows:
Product – Environment: Impact Fork Trucks
Product – Ergonomics: Crown Lift Trucks
Product – Safety: JCB Industrial
Product – Innovation: Cavaion Baumann
Apprentice of the Year: Gavin Hersom, Jungheinrich
Services to the Association: John Chappell, Rushlift
Services to the Industry: Richard Shore, Mentor Training
Supplier of the Year: Investec Asset Finance
Dealer of the Year: Welfaux Materials Handling
Safe Site: Heineken UK
Peter Harvey, FLTA chief executive, said: “This year’s Awards raised the bar once again. It was our most rewarding and successful show to date.
“What really made this year stand out was the exceptionally high quality of entries across the board. We had a very strong field of finalists; winning any of these categories is a real achievement.
“Each of our finalists represents a significant advance in fork lift truck development. Through their efforts, they contribute to making operations safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly for generations to come. We are delighted to recognise and reward their fine efforts.”
