Kicking off Q4 at the CEA
The clocks have gone back, Celebrity Traitors is almost over, and Strictly is in full swing – we must be in Q4! October seems to have flown by in a blur (but I feel like I am always saying that). Things continue to be very busy for the CEA.
October kicked off with my attending the Industry Forum, created by the CEA several years ago, chaired by Dale Camsell, and organised by Gill Stirk. The Forum brings together 19 trade associations from related industries to discuss new and incoming regulations and legislation. The Forum meets twice a year in London. It provides the perfect opportunity for the wider equipment and manufacturing sector to come together before meeting with key government representatives. It gives an ideal chance for two-way discussions. Input from the CEA into the Forum is via our General Technical Committee, with feedback to the membership through Dale’s regular technical updates. The Forum has been key in achieving several policy wins over the years – a fascinating day.
On 8 October, I travelled to Birmingham to attend an event organised by the Trade Remedies Authority. The objective was to understand better the services they have developed to support the SME market. Trade has dominated the headlines this year, together with an increasingly volatile geopolitical situation. A fascinating day with a lot of key information that we will make available to members.
On 13 October, we were “off to the races” in Uttoxeter to attend the CEA/JCB Hydrogen Workshop. Organised by CEA’s Gill Stirk and JCB’s Victoria Hutson, the day was a deep dive into the many challenges faced and overcome to bring hydrogen equipment to market. An excellent speaker line-up included the JCB team, Liebherr, the Hydrogen Energy Association, and many more. Delegates travelled from across the UK and Europe and offered excellent insights and networking opportunities. The workshop is the first of many where we will examine the different technologies and fuels available to address the decarbonisation agenda.
Looking forward to November, I am off to Brussels next week to attend the CECE Summit. As CEA members, you are all members of CECE. If you are not receiving European updates, please reach out so we can ensure you are subscribed. 2026 is an exciting year, as the UK will once again hold the Presidency of CECE, with the main Congress taking place in London in late 2026. As I write this, I am under embargo; the official vote takes place in Brussels. However, for those of you attending the next CEA Members’ Forum on 11 and 12 November - kindly hosted by Caterpillar at their Visitor Centre in Desford - I will be sharing the dates and location for the three-day event before launching more widely. In a post-Brexit Europe, CECE is fundamentally key to the CEA and our members, and I urge you all to get involved. Find out more about the benefits you can enjoy through CECE.
As soon as I get back to the UK, I will be heading to Liverpool for the CPA Gala Dinner. 65% of UK equipment sales are in to the rental market, and much of my time is spent working with the CPA and the HAE. The CEA is one of the main sponsors of the Gala, and I look forward to hosting our table and meeting many of our members and their customers at the event.
The Members’ Forum on 11 and 12 is a sell-out. Beth has been running a wait list for several weeks, and I can only apologise to anyone who didn’t manage to get a seat this time. We always say, “Book early!” Attendance has been steadily rising all year, and for 2026, we will be looking for hosts who can accommodate up to 60 delegates. If you have space and fancy hosting, please do get in touch. It would be a shame if we had to move these meetings to a ‘hotel style’ environment, and hosting provides an excellent opportunity to showcase your business. It also enables us to keep these events free to attend.
For those of you who are yet to complete the Member Turnover Audit, please submit your responses by 28 November. Please note your fees are based on UK construction only turnover. Several members have sent in their total turnover figures, and we will be reaching out to you directly to ensure you are not overcharged. We have not audited turnover for a few years, and do this to keep the membership tiers fair.
Some dates for your diary: the 2025 Annual Review will land towards the end of November, and we will, of course, be working with Professor Andrew Angus again to provide members with deeper insight into the 2025 Budget when it is published at the end of the month. Keep an eye on your inboxes!
Finally, if you fancy a break after reading all this, make yourself a brew and listen to my recent podcast with Industrial Vehicle Technology (you can hear me from 11m 37s on the link below), enjoy!
