31.07.2013

PASMA appoints new chairman

PASMA, the Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association, has appointed Chris Blantern, managing director of Hi-Point Access, as its new chairman. He replaces Roger Verallo who has stood down after a period of four years in office.

Blantern, who has spent the majority of his working life in the access industry having formed Hi-Point Access with his brother in November 1991, is the first chairman to come from the Hire Assembly membership category. Having become a member in 1995 he joined the Training Committee in 1997 and became chairman of the inaugural Hire Assembly Committee in 2008, a position he held until 2012.

During this five year period he was responsible, amongst other things, for pioneering a code of conduct for PASMA’s Hire Assembly members, contributing to the development of a training programme for aluminium tower riggers and supporting the introduction of a local authority pavement licence.
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Chris Blantern

Blantern said: “In taking over, I must first pay tribute to Roger Verallo who has done an exceptional job as Chairman – I intend to follow his example and build on his legacy. Over the next two years my aim is to promote safety and best practice across the industry. I want tower users to know that when they specify a PASMA member organisation, they can do so confident in the knowledge that they are dealing with a competent, professional company that satisfies industry-recognised standards. In other words, a specialist that knows and understands towers and speaks the language.”

Peter Bennett, PASMA’s managing director, added: “Chris brings with him a lifetime of knowledge and expertise which can only benefit PASMA and its members. He will be a great asset as we continue to develop the reach and influence of the association going forward.”