2009 UMA Forklift Rodeo – BEST EVER

Posted by Teresa Thomas, Managing Director, Utah Manufacturers Association

Forklift drivers from across the state with families, friends and co-workers gathered for the Seventh Annual Utah Manufacturers Association Forklift Rodeo on Saturday afternoon, August 15th. A group of highly skilled forklift drivers, representing Albion Minerals, Aspen Distribution, Basic Research, Costco Wholesale, Futura Industries, Genco Hershey, Interstate Brick, L-3 Communications, Malt-O-Meal, Petersen Inc., Schiff Nutrition, Smith Manufacturing, Swire Coca-Cola USA and Usana took the reigns at this year’s competition.

After a recap of the rules, drivers were divided into rotating groups in order to give contestants a chance to pass through each event. Events included safety inspection, loading and unloading a truck, and the “shelving obstacle course.”

Forklift drivers are a vital part of business, they work behind the scenes to keep things moving. Every driver in the competition demonstrated safe and efficient-paced performance on the lifts, while judges stood by with clipboards and timers. Each contestant began with a perfect score of 300 points, with demerits given for errors (the drivers with the most points intact at the end win). One judge for the event was overheard to say, “These forklift drivers are very skilled drivers.”

UMA thanks participants for stepping up to test their forklift maneuvering skills in this year’s competition. They truly raised the bar for warehouse safety and skill in the manufacturing industry. We also thank everyone who came to show support for a record number of participants. A special thanks goes to Arnold Machinery, Salt Lake City, for providing the forklifts and Wheeler Machinery, Salt Lake City, for the use of their warehouse and the Volunteers from Workers Compensation Fund and MEP for their help with the event.

We appreciate the many generous sponsors, including: EnergySolutions, Questar, MEP, Tesoro Petroleum, Utah Labor Commission, Chevron, Merit Medical, Industrial Supply, Wheeler Machinery, L-3 Communications, Swire Coca-Cola, USA, Wells Cargo, Zions Bank, Workers Compensation Fund, Rocky Mountain Power, Basic Research, Futura Industries, Arnold Machinery. Thank you to Costco Wholesale for sponsoring the delicious pizza, sandwiches, chips and drinks for the lunch for all attendees!

The drivers with the fewest demerits after all three challenges were declared the winners. Those displaying the most outstanding skills were declared this year’s forklift champions. The honors go to: 1st Place Sergio Arias, Schiff Nutrition, 2nd Place Trevor Lowe, Swire Coca-Cola USA, 3rd Place Brenda Brown, Usana. Brenda Brown won the contest in 2006 and has participated in the event each year since. She is the first driver to place in more than one year’s contest. Congratulations to Brenda for her tenacity and for being the first to repeat.
Thank you to all the forklift drivers for their participation. We hope you enjoyed this year’s contest. See you back next year.

Please save the date to compete again next year on August 14, 2010!