YOKE Industrial Corp.’s BlueSupra digital chips won in the Excellence in Product Innovation category at the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) annual awards, presented on 18 November at Liverpool’s iconic Anfield stadium.
As the commemorative awards brochure reported, ‘BlueSupra is YOKE’s bold step into the future of lifting’. Through utilization of BlueSupra, end users of lifting and other equipment can keep up with today’s rigorous requirements. By moving to paperless systems, companies can improve the accuracy of maintenance, safety checks, incident reports, and regulatory compliance, while supporting seamless information sharing.
YOKE representatives in attendance (pictured above) were cheered to the stage by over 450 guests, representing the lifting and rigging industry’s most notable manufacturers and suppliers. Attendees had earlier listened to guest speaker, former rugby player Will Greenwood, one of England’s top try-scoring centers.
This award recognizes LEEA members who are transforming the lifting industry with inventive new products. Shortlisted candidates clearly address a genuine industry need, offer a novel or significantly improved solution, and make lifting operations safer, more efficient, or more versatile. Successful products demonstrate originality, practical usability, and forward-thinking design that helps the industry operate at higher standards in challenging environments.
An esteemed panel of judges heaped praise on YOKE’s digital chips, which can be embedded directly into steel or retrofitted to snatch blocks and other products using tags. The manufacturer’s complete range of lifting and rigging products are now equipped with Digital Product Passports (DPP), as industry conforms to the European Union’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR).
Judges said: “Achievement is clear — it is a well-established product.” — “This product has the capacity to be a market leader.” — “Sustainability clearly achieved by reducing waste.” — “LEEA’s mission of lifting standards worldwide clearly achieved here since it is a global product. LEEA’s values are also well reflected.” — “This is a reliable product.”
Steven Hong, president at YOKE, said: “It was an honor for BlueSupra to be once again recognized by such an illustrious panel of judges. LEEA is the leading authority in the land, so it is particularly significant that this community has highlighted the product as representing Excellence in Product Innovation. As the world’s first born-digital lifting solution, BlueSupra’s DPP capability is integrated right into the hardware from the forging stage, making compliance effortless, while setting a new standard for performance, safety, and innovation.”
This was the seventh year of the annual LEEA Awards, presented at the halfway point of the association’s LiftEx trade show, which took place at the nearby Exhibition Centre Liverpool. There, at a front-and-center exhibit, YOKE demonstrated how BlueSupra digital chips integrate with RiConnect Inc.’s Asset Management Platform, which helps manufacturers, inspection authorities, and field personnel solve common asset management challenges.
LEEA’s Excellence in Product Innovation Award category was sponsored by International Lift & Hoist (ILH) magazine.
BlueSupra digital chips had previously won the Environment Award at the inaugural Lifting Africa Awards, which were presented recently in Boksburg, South Africa