Event Preview

By Tad Dunville

The event is expected to be a success, given recent attendance trends at shows like AWRF and Workboat, along with the highly focused nature of attendees who are predominantly employed in the lifting or rigging industries.

What this means is a networking and learning opportunity with peers in our industry.

Justin Wieners, vice president of sales for Pewag USA, is a long-time attendee but this will be his first AWRF as vice president of Pewag.

Wieners said he appreciates both the formal technical side of the conference as well as the networking opportunities because our industry is built on relationships and trust. He is well known for continuing to carry steel mill greens in his trunk because understanding applications and being present for customers is important to him.

Mike Cummings, national account manager for Certex USA, will be in the company’ s booth with one of his magnetic rope testing( MRT) wire rope fault detection tools.

Since his project last year surveying the boom and lifting cables on the Manitowoc 31000, Cummings has become a firm believer in the safety and productivity gains that MRT wire rope survey brings to mobile crane owners.

Certex will also feature myriad lifting and rigging products from well-known brands that are available nationally in its showrooms.

The Royal Van Beest / Irizar Forge team are excited to present their round profile hooks and discuss the value, performance and delivery advantages presented by the product. Their Canadian agent, Dean McDonald of Vancouver Rigging, plans to be on hand to emphasize relationships with Canadian distributors.

Chris Keffer, managing director of Van Beest North America, will also be at the booth and the conference to continue discussions with trusted distributors.

OZ Lifting’ s Steve Napieralski will have a booth to celebrate the company’ s 20th anniversary and its new 40,000-squarefoot warehouse.

Napieralski is also going to be discussing the recently relaunched Tele-pro crane as well as filling a few roles in the rapidly growing company.

Industry veteran Yigal Cohen will be at the summit as an exhibitor in his new role as managing partner at Yigal Cohen LLC, a representative of Thern winches, Met- Track workstation cranes and William Hackett hoists.

“ We can’ t wait to connect with industry professionals at the AWRF PIE Show to share what we have to offer,” Cohen said.“ Reaching our first anniversary is an exciting milestone for us, and we are humbled and deeply grateful for our ongoing success.”

Finally, Tony Fastuca of ASC Industries will be on hand with a firm grip on Python North American distribution efforts.

Python is a high durability wire rope used frequently in harsh environments

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association

At the same time that the lifting and rigging pros are gathering at the Sheraton, an adjacent group of railroading pros will be gathering nearby at the Colorado convention center. Specifically, this group consists of“ short line” railroaders.

Those railroaders are people who operate, own and supply smaller railroads that often make the final delivery of goods to smaller towns. The crane industry has long been intertwined with the railroading industry, from loading and unloading cargo, to constructing new operations, to rapid-response operations focused on derailments and accidents.

While railroaders emphasize safety daily, often weather or other outside influences can cause derailments and accidents that require lifting and rigging engagements in very challenging situations. Often the site is not well lit or in a challenging natural setting such as hills and valleys far from roads. Typical textbook rigging doesn’ t always work in these applications and professionals must get creative in order to quickly fix the situation and open the railroad.

During our visit to AWRF, we’ ll make a quick visit at ASLRRA’ s 2025 Conference & Exhibition to report on lifting-related issues and exhibitors such as Sennebogen, Pettibone and Control Chief.

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March 2025 • www. cranehotline. com