Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Names President

After more than two years as president of Houston-based Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc. (MCFA), Shigeru Tanemura returned to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) General Machinery and Special Vehicle headquarters in a new role as part of the global forklift business team in Sagamihara, Japan. Hiroshi Nagai was named as president.

Nagai served as senior general manager of the General Machinery and Special Vehicle Headquarters at MHI in Sagamihara, Japan. He has been with MHI and affiliated companies since 1979 and has more than 23 years of experience in the forklift industry. Nagai is intimately familiar with MCFA, as he previously served as general manager for MCFA’s manufacturing department from 2001 to 2004.

Lawson Named IPAF President

JLG VP and managing director for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Wayne Lawson, was elected as president of the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF). Lawson has more than 25 years of experience in the powered access industry. Since joining JLG in 2001, he has been instrumental in the development of JLG’s business in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In this role, he has led the cross-functional leadership team, in addition to his responsibilities in the areas of market development, sales and product support. Lawson also has worked collaboratively with the leaders of the other functional areas in developing and strengthening the JLG brand, while also positioning the organization in the region.

Lawson outlined three goals for his term as IPAF president: extension of the global footprint of IPAF, addressing challenges of developing the training program in emerging markets, and improving communication between the IPAF board, council, members and industry.

BID2WIN Software Joins Oracle Partner Network

BID2WIN Software has partnered with Oracle, a provider of Project Portfolio Management (PPM) solutions for project-intensive industries.

As a Gold Partner, BID2WIN Software will have access to the full range of Oracle products and Saas (software-as-a-service) solutions, including Primavera P6, which will now integrate directly with the company’s estimating and bidding solution, BID2WIN Estimating & Bidding.

“This partnership provides our development team with the detailed information and support they require to continue to meet the needs of our clients, particularly as it pertains to the tight integration we’ve built between BID2WIN Estimating & Bidding and Primavera P6,” says VP Dave Todaro.

With the release of BID2WIN 2011, users can now easily export an entire estimate to be imported into Primavera P6. Pay items, tasks and crews—including their cost and durations—can be created on the fly in P6 during the import, allowing users to quickly create a cost loaded schedule without having to manually re-enter data.

The partnership will also give BID2WIN Software access to the Oracle Partner Network’s Knowledge Zones, Enablement 2.0 online training sessions, onsite bootcamps, as well as telephone-based support.

For a complete list of BID2WIN Software’s partners, visit http://www.bid2win.com/company/partners.aspx.

ARA Foundation Awards Scholarships

As part of its mission to implement programs that create educational opportunities, the ARA Foundation scholarship committee selected 27 students to receive scholarships for the 2011/2012 academic year. Twenty-one Foundation scholarships awarded, as well as 16 scholarships for the ARA Foundation’s affiliate programs. Many students received multiple scholarships, which range from $500 to $3,000. The scholarships are awarded to students pursuing an education related to the equipment rental industry at technical/vocational schools, community colleges, undergraduate colleges and graduate schools.

Applications for the 2012/2013 ARA Foundation scholarships will be available in the fall of 2011. More information on the scholarship program is online at www.ARAfoundation.com.

McGee Wins NCMCA Sigmon Award

Seventeen-year-old Wriston McGee, an apprentice with McGee Brothers Co. in Monroe, N.C., has won the David R. Sigmon Award and is the champion of the 2011 North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association Masonry (NCMCA) Apprentice Skills Contest. Wriston, the son of Chris and Lori McGee of Monroe, joined 15 other NCMCA working apprentices in the May 21 competition at Custom Brick and Supply Co. in Raleigh. Wristen is enjoying a good run as a competitive apprentice and won the championship at the 57th Annual N.C. Department of Labor State Fair Masonry Apprentice Skills Completion in October. NCMCA member firms provided some $10,000 in cash, materials, equipment and tools for the event held annually the third Saturday of May.

Belden Brick First to Get ISO14001

The Belden Brick Co. is the first manufacturer of brick products to receive ISO14001Certification, given to businesses that show environmental responsibility through compliance with government regulations, verifying this compliance through strict documentation.

The entire process took about one year, once the decision was made for Belden Brick to pursue ISO 14001 Certification. After a team of third-party auditors came to the company in March, Belden had to wait 30 days for the results. The company received official notification that they had received certification on May 6.

The certification lasts for three years and shows proof that the company follows environmentally responsible practices, meets legal requirements, and seeks opportunities as environmental stewards. Yearly follow-up audits keep company operations alert as it works to maintain the certification.