Robert Koehler Jr

The access industry has lost one of its pioneering figures with the death, in Los Angeles on 4 July, of Bob Koehler Jr, a past president of Calavar Corporation.

Mr Koehler was at the helm of Calavar during a period in which it developed the first 125 ft (38 m) and 150 ft (45.7 m) articulating truck-mounted platforms, as well as the first 150 ft insulated Condors for 500 kVA live-line work. He played a big part in developing the European access market, negotiating in 1985/86 a licence agreement with Pinguely-Haulotte to manufacture Condor self-propelled booms and scissors. Mr Koehler and his sister sold Calavar Corp in 1992.