Since 2004 ESTA has organised the annual ESTA Awards of Excellence.  In the categories ‘Crane Job of the Year’ and ‘Transport Job of the Year’ an individual company is awarded for a special, complicated, innovative or otherwise interesting job.  From 2005 the two main categories were divided into two subcategories depending on the weight of the cranes, and the weight, length and height of the trailer and load.

Each entry and company is checked for conforming to ESTA’s Rules and Regulations for entry.  From 2007 the Rules and Regulations were adapted in favour of smaller companies to enter the competition for their perhaps less prestigious but clever and professional achievements.

For each main category a jury is convened of experienced and independent men/women from the field of Cranes and Transport. The judging takes place according to the strict pointing system drawn up by ESTA.  The Awards are presented during an evening filling event: "The ESTA Users Night and Award Dinner".  Having starting from a simple gathering of a small group of ‘friends’ that had the opportunity to meet each other once a year, the ESTA dinner party has grown into ‘the event’ of the calendar.  Meeting old friends, networking, doing business, it's all possible during the ESTA dinner party.

The ESTA dinner party takes place in the different European countries, predominantly organised alongside a large European Exhibition - eg Intermat (France) or BAUMA (Germany).