The loading bay can be a hazardous environment if operations are left to chance, which is why Thorworld takes our responsibilities seriously as a supplier of safe, compliant loading bay equipment.
From initial risk assessments to service and inspection, we’re there at every step to make sure you are getting the best out of your solution. Underpinning this day-to-day commitment is our long-term involvement with several industry bodies.
Thorworld is a proud member of the following organisations:
- Association of Loading and Elevating Equipment Manufacturers (ALEM) – covering UK-based companies involved in the manufacturing and distribution of lifting, loading, and elevating equipment, ALEM members are dedicated to providing high-quality products that fully comply with relevant UK and European regulations, ensuring complete confidence for their customers.
- British Materials Handling Federation (BMHF) – the British Materials Handling Federation serves as the British National Committee for the European Materials Handling Federation. Membership is available to UK trade associations representing companies involved in the design, manufacture, or supply of materials handling equipment.
- Federation Européenne de la Manutention / European Materials Handling Federation (FEM) – FEM represents European manufacturers of materials handling, lifting, and storage equipment. Headquartered in Brussels, it effectively advocates for its members with European institutions and partners and advances a shared vision to sustain Europe’s leadership in the global materials handling, lifting, and storage sectors.
Our association goes beyond membership. We are active members; regularly attending and taking part in ALEM and FEM Elevating Equipment Product Group meetings. Members of the Thorworld team have also occupied key roles; John Meale has been President of many of these associations, and Mark James is currently an ALEM Executive Committee Member.
Through these endeavours, we are well placed to share best practice on safety and compliance with our peers across the UK and Europe, to advocate on improving safety standards, and to protect customers from the threat of non-compliant (and therefore potentially unsafe) loading bay equipment.
To demonstrate our compliance, our products have the following conformity marks (where applicable):
- CE mark – the CE mark indicates that a product complies with the essential legal requirements for safety, health, and environmental protection needed to be sold in any EU member state. While the product can be manufactured globally, it must bear the CE mark to enter the EU market if it is regulated under EU laws. At the time of writing, the CE Mark also remains applicable for products sold within Great Britain.
- UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) – since the UK’s departure from the European Union, the UKCA mark has been introduced to replace the CE mark for specific products sold in Great Britain (covering England, Wales, and Scotland). Similar to the CE mark, it signifies that a product meets essential legal standards. However, the UKCA mark is not recognized within the EU, so any applicable product intended for sale in the EU market must still carry the CE mark.
