Crown’s Simon Barkworth appointed BITA president

Managing director of Crown Lift Trucks Simon Barkworth has been appointed president of BITA.

Barkworth has moved up into the role from vice-president. He will succeed Tim Waples.

“I think now is perhaps the most exciting time ever in the business, with so many changes and challenges ahead – developing customer expectations, the continuing growth of online shopping across all areas, the future availability of labour and, not least, the phenomenal growth in technology,” said Barkworth. “I followed my father into the forklift business – it kind of gets into your blood – and it was a very different business then.

“BITA represents the interests of members whose businesses lie at the centre of these changes; by taking a leading role in the response to them and developing more competitive collaboration across the industry, the valuable support we offer our members will help them rise to meet the challenges to come.

James Clark, secretary-general, BITA: “I would like to thank outgoing president Tim Waples for his hard work and commitment to BITA, and look forward to building on the work he has done. I would like to welcome Simon into his new role as President.”