As Christmas time approaches it’s hard to believe that we are not far from the end of 2022. This year has flown by, and what a busy year it has been for the CEA and our members. I personally would like to thank you for your continued support of the association. I have truly been taken aback by the tenacity and creativity that you, our members, have shown as you have navigated the challenges of what has been yet another testing year.
I thought it would be good to round up this year by highlighting the positives and accomplishments of 2022, which we have achieved through collaboration with our members and fellow associations.
We have seen a great start to the return of ‘in-person’ events with the first member meeting in Peterborough very well attended. The recent Bauma Munich was a resounding success, where we welcomed more than 30 members to the CEA’s UK Pavilion. This was the first Bauma since the pandemic and the sentiment was very buoyant. Thank you to everyone who was involved in organising the event and to the exhibitors for representing the best of UK manufacturing.
We continue to be a force in the policy and lobbying arena and I thank our members for feeding back information relating to our sector needed to influence the decisions of government. The CEA remains very active within CECE (Committee for European Construction Equipment) and our Senior Technical Advisor, Dale Camsell is to Chair the new electrification committee, leading us on our road to achieving net zero.
The CEA is also pleased to report that we are working closely with the CLC (Construction Leadership Council) as part of the zero diesel sites working group – CO2nstructZero. The first CO2nstructZero priority is accelerating the shift of the construction workforce to zero-emission vehicles and onsite plant, which is being measured by a commitment to eliminate 78% of diesel plant from construction sites by 2035. We have now completed the first draft of the report which is out for consultation and the CEA will be continuing to refine the proposals in conjunction with the General Technical Committee.
We relaunched our skills initiative this year to address the skills gap and the recruitment issues the sector is facing. As part of this, the CEA joined the National Manufacturing Skills Task Force and participates in quarterly meetings which include government representation. A number of CEA members also participated in a virtual event for National Apprenticeship Week – joining as panelists to help promote the sector.
We have reintroduced the CEA newsletter and Construction Worx magazine, which provides us with platforms to provide updates on the work we carry out on behalf of our members. These include the latest information on legislation, policy changes, government funding and guidance for compliance and have been very well received. I would like to thank the CEA technical and data analyst teams, and other contributors for their hard work in producing these invaluable documents for our members.
The CEA is already planning for the year ahead and the future is looking brighter! We are hosting the CEA annual conference on 28 March, which will be followed by the Plantworx Innovation Awards. More details on these events will follow shortly so save the date and keep an eye out for CEA updates. Hot on the heels of these exciting events will be the return of the long-anticipated Plantworx exhibition from 13-15 June, where the main focus will be on new technology, electrification and productivity. If you have not yet booked your exhibition space then I would encourage you to do so as soon as possible so you don’t miss out. We very much look forward to your participation and attendance at these events.
Before I sign off, I would like to inform you that the governance review for the association has now been completed in conjunction with the Executive Board and Management Council. The upcoming changes will be communicated in the New Year with a view to being adopted by members at the AGM in March 23. There will be plenty of opportunities for members to be part of this and work closely with the CEA to shape its future direction and strategy. Look out for updates as we embark on this exciting journey for the CEA.
Finally, I would like to wish you and your family a very happy and prosperous new year and here’s to a ‘booming’ 2023.
Suneeta Johal
Chief Executive
Construction Equipment Association
