Seasons greeting to all our readers and advertisers

The Roman god, Janus is the god of beginnings and ends, gates, transitions and doorways. He is usually depicted as having two faces, one looking forward and one back, so it is appropriate that the month of January is named after him. This is a time where we look back over the last year and make our plans for the next.

This time last year, the future of Lift & Hoist International (LHI) was in a state of flux, we knew that some things weren’t working behind the scenes, although we had absolute faith in the product and the community that has built up around it.

We knew we had to make some changes and change is always painful when you are going through it.

Kate and I are so grateful to our readers, advertisers and contributors for sticking with us. I won’t be so dramatic as to suggest that International Lift & Hoist (ILH) is a phoenix rising from the ashes of LHI – more like the same phoenix that has dusted off some old ash.

Having entered 2024 with a degree of trepidation, we are heading into 2025, with excitement and enthusiasm as to what the lifting industry will show us this year.

We have been living through times of upheaval: international hostilities, climate change and financial uncertainty. As individuals we can do little to influence the big issues, but we can be a supportive community to develop best practice on worksites, in manufacture, in recruitment and in training.

At ILH we will do our best to play our part: in sharing your stories and shining a light on the truly impressive lifting activity that goes on in multiple industries, all over the world.

Janus was also said to preside over the beginning and ending of conflict and had functions pertaining to travel, trading and shipping – let’s hope he is smiling on the lifting industry in 2025.

The team at ILH wishes you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and peaceful 2025.

Maria Hadlow & Kate Hearn