Alastair Hope Robertson (1967F) | 1949 - 2019
A message we received from a friend and work colleague, Gregory Bloom read:
We heard the devastating news this morning that access industry veteran Alastair Robertson, owner of Universal Equipment in Glenn Ellyn, near Chicago passed away last night in hospital, following several weeks of illness.
Alastair Robertson was born in South Africa and studied in the UK and then in the early 1980s moved to the USA where he began working in a sales role with Simon, Economy Engineering and Snorkel before moving to Grove Manlift in Pennsylvania as a key member of its senior North American sales team. From there he worked with a number of aerial lift manufacturers including Skyjack, and on a dealer basis with Niftylift and Aichi among others before setting up his own aerial work platform sales business Universal Equipment in 1998.
He suffered a stroke and underwent a major heart operation some 10 to 12 years or so ago, but bounced back and continued to work and travel more than many half his age. He would pop up at exhibitions from China to France, the UK and all over Asia, keeping an eye out for a new product or innovation. He loved the industry and most of all the people. He knew everyone and was a huge source of knowledge and information and sometimes a little gossip - but was much loved on a truly global basis. He will be truly missed all over. He was a man you simply could not but like. He had a great sense of humour, a smile and a laugh that would light up the room and always had time to stop and talk. He lived life to the full and was never too busy to talk or listen.
He leaves behind his wife Beth and sons Glenn, Struan and Brent, and daughter Keri. Glenn and Brent not only joined him in the business but helped move it forward, something he was always very proud of. He was only 69.
We will of course update this item with a more fitting tribute to one of life’s good guys once we have had the chance to speak to the family etc...
Rest in peace Alastair.
