Much of June has been spent ‘on the road’ visiting members, partners, stakeholders, and influencers.
I am pleased to say that the team's ongoing hard work is paying off, and June has been our best month to date in terms of new members. I am very pleased to welcome Hatz GB, Integrated Hydraulic Solutions, Robustrack Ltd., Ibcos Computers and Zoomlion to the CEA. We also have a couple of other big names that will be announced soon.
The latest GTC took place on the 11 and 12 of June, kindly hosted by Terex. The CEA General Technical Committee continues to be one of our highest-rated benefits, so big thanks to Dale and Gill, who manage what is always a packed agenda.
June has been a very busy month in terms of Policy, with the publication of the Spending Review, the long-awaited Industrial Strategy, and finally the Trade Strategy. There is much to consider in these key documents, but there are positive signs for UK construction equipment manufacturing, and we are starting to see a more joined-up and coherent approach from our Government. Our UK Economic Report consolidates these key documents to examine the challenges and opportunities for our members.
I was pleased to see that the Trade Strategy included the UK-US Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA)—covering 27 states—enhancing professional mobility for our Chartered Engineers. This is excellent news following our recent partnership between the CEA and IMeche to facilitate our members' route into professional registration. Click here for more information.
The CEA attended the NFU Mutual Summer Party, which provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the ongoing challenge of theft of construction and agricultural machinery and the superb work of the NCATT team and CESAR. The event brought together MPs, Peers, the NFU and other key stakeholders to discuss the continued impact of crime on farmers and rural communities – and the urgent need for joint action. As a mutual, NFU Mutual’s support goes far beyond paying claims. They actively invest in rural policing, collaborate with industry, and use data to provide valuable insight into crime trends across the countryside. The CESAR Committee and Donor Board also met this month and were kindly hosted by JCB on 19 June. I am pleased to confirm the ongoing support of the CESAR Donors for the work of the NCATT team and CITS in training officers and recovering stolen machines.
The next Members’ Forum takes place on 9 July in Portsmouth. Many thanks to Danfoss for hosting us. We invite you all to join us the night before on the 8 at The BEar Hotel for the CEA Summer Party. Dust off your Hawaiian shirts and pray the British weather doesn’t let us down – I hope to see many of you there. Book your free place now.
We joined forces with Make UK as an Affilate Partner, securing quarterly access to Make UK's Senior Team through the Affiliate Partner Board and strengthening our abiilty to work alongside other trade associations. Attending the Affiliate Partner Board reinforced the value of coming together with other trade bodies to tackle the big issues we all face. This partnership is about making sure the construction equipment sector has a seat at the table when national decisions are being made. By working alongside Make UK and other affiliate partners, we’re strengthening our ability to represent our members’ interests in a more coordinated, joined-up way. It’s a practical step that makes our voice louder and more connected.
Through our new partnership with Cranfield University we are also now able to offer members 5% discount of all Cranfield's short courses. More information will follow shortly.
This is the latest in our many partnerships aimed at tackling the skills gap in the sector. Check out our skills hub for more information.