After unveiling a wave of new systems at Bauma 2025, AT-PAC used ScaffEx25 in Manchester to shift focus closer to home, demonstrating its UK capability, setting out a clear national service promise, and introducing Charles Stratford as its new Managing Director for the UK.

Earlier this year, Scaffmag reported from Bauma, where AT-PAC showcased a series of new modular systems, including MPBS, the PAS Escape Stair, and Ringshore.

Sharing a joint stand with Doka, the display was dominated by a 30-metre Ringlock tower, underlining AT-PAC’s role within umdasch Industrial Solutions and its ambition to become one of the world’s top three scaffolding brands.

At ScaffEx25, the focus was different. Rather than a global pitch, the company used the UK’s largest scaffolding event to show how that innovation translates into delivery on the ground.

Andrew Boynton, who has been with AT-PAC for a decade and previously served as Managing Director of the UK business, has now stepped up to become Regional Director for Europe. Speaking at the show, he told Scaffmag that ScaffEx25 “came at exactly the right time.”

It allowed AT-PAC to demonstrate its systems, people, and vision directly to the UK market, while connecting to its broader European strategy of opening new branches and staying closer to customers.

His own move into the European role reflects that focus. Appointing Charles Stratford to lead AT-PAC UK, he added, is “key to ensuring we translate those ambitions into consistent, reliable delivery.”

A milestone moment for UK operations

For Stratford, the event doubled as an introduction. “ScaffEx25 was a milestone,” he said. “It gave AT-PAC the platform to show not only our product range, from Ringlock to MPBS and our Public Access System, but also the strength of our team and our ability to support the UK industry nationwide.”

Many visitors, he noted, were seeing how far AT-PAC had advanced in the UK for the first time. “It underlined our commitment to being a long-term partner in an ever-changing scaffolding landscape, with the right people, the right product and the right commercial offerings to support the scaffolding sector.”

Stratford joins AT-PAC from PERI UK, where he worked as Sales and Business Development Manager. He describes his approach as an “outside-in” perspective, shaped by experience both on the operational side and in client-facing roles.

“From the outside, AT-PAC always stood out for its strong business model, proven products and consistent growth,” he said.

“My role now is to build on that foundation while strengthening an already outstanding team with respected industry professionals and ensuring we scale in a way that delivers predictable, nationwide coverage.” 

The year ahead

Stratford is clear about his headline goal: “Nationwide coverage, zero excuses.” He breaks that down into four priorities:

• Stock where the work is – repositioning inventory so key hubs and industrial corridors are always within rapid-response range.
• Engineering at speed – fast-turn temporary works and application design, backed by standardised calculation packs.
• Digital transparency – giving customers real-time visibility of kit availability, order status and compliance documents.
• One safety standard – applying the same procedures whether on a public access job or a heavy industrial scaffold.

Feedback at ScaffEx25, Stratford said, showed the market is hungry for exactly this kind of certainty.

Designing for change

Looking further ahead, Stratford believes AT-PAC’s competitive edge will come from designing for change: modular systems that adapt to new scopes, data visibility to move stock and people quickly, and a safety-first mindset that doesn’t bend under schedule pressure.

“Hold to those three things,” he said, “and nationwide coverage becomes a real competitive advantage, not just a tagline.”

Taken together, Bauma and ScaffEx25 show two sides of AT-PAC’s strategy. Munich was about product and global ambition. Manchester was about people, service and UK delivery.

For a market facing tighter programmes, more complex projects and increasing safety demands, AT-PAC’s offer is simple: available kit, responsive engineering, digital clarity and consistent standards.

With Boynton now leading in Europe and Stratford in the UK, the company has set a public benchmark. Over the next 12 months, the test will be whether “nationwide coverage, zero excuses” moves from promise to reality.

This article was originally published in Issue 27 of the ScaffMag magazine.