IPAF cancels Innovate 2020 event owing to virus outbreak

The annual Innovate powered access industry workshop, presentation and award event has been canceled in 2020 owing to uncertainty around the global coronavirus outbreak by host International Powered Access Federation (IPAF).

Tony Groat, IPAF’s North America Regional Manager, says: “This would have been the third year the event was held to continue developing solutions to known industry issues, but the health and welfare of our team and event attendees obviously take precedence.

“Based on activities worldwide to address the COVID-19 virus and in line with IPAF’s decision to postpone our international Summit & IAPAs in London in April, we felt it prudent that we take action to cancel Innovate on May 5-6 in Chicago, IL, and the subsequent face-to-face North America Regional Council meeting planned for May 6-7. 

“This is consistent with IPAF’s actions for all events in the coming months, to minimize risk of exposure to the virus, to allow event attendees to plan ahead and to allow the IPAF’s teams worldwide to continue to focus on processing training certification and supporting our members and the wider powered access industry.

“We also appreciate that there are travel restrictions in place imposed by many of our member companies and/or national governments, while the World Health Organization advises against travel at this time and for the foreseeable future, so planning for an event even some months away would have involved a great deal of uncertainty for anyone thinking of attending.

“With a number of scheduled events in the second half of 2020, it is unlikely that we will be able to reschedule the event during this year. As soon as IPAF does have a date set for the next edition of this popular industry event, we will communicate this to all our members, partners and would-be attendees.

“IPAF is currently exploring the possibilities of running the event virtually, with each workshop collaborating via video conference and the presentations being live streamed or perhaps turned into a webinar.

“Any participant who booked to a place at Innovate 2020 will have their place canceled and any fee returned. If any travel or hotel has been confirmed please contact your travel or accommodation provider directly to arrange cancellation. We apologize for any inconvenience, and hope that you will be able to join Innovate when it is rescheduled.”