February tends to fly by in a blur after January, which always seems to drag! For me personally, February was a milestone as I “officially” returned to work post-surgery, and I am pleased to report that my new knee and I are doing OK!
Unfortunately, my surgeon said I was not allowed to fly to Las Vegas to attend ConExpo as planned, but I know that Nick Ground and Chris Sleight will do the CEA proud alongside their own companies. This does mean the planned CEA drinks reception won’t go ahead, but we are looking into alternative plans for the Summer following the success of our 2025 Summer BBQ – so watch this space!
February was busy as we had our first CESAR Review Committee of 2026, as well as the Executive Hire Show, which took place in Coventry, where many of you will have met Sharon Mughal, the CEA Commercial Manager and newest member of the team.
At the end of February, I visited the IET in London with the CEA event team and the CECE Team for a tour of the venue we have reserved for the CECE Congress in October. I am pleased to report that the stunning building and location blew them away, so it is now all systems go. Ticket sales will go live in the Spring, and we will ensure you all have plenty of opportunities to get involved as we welcome 150 to 200 delegates from across Europe.
Looking ahead to later this month, we are once again at capacity for the Members’ Forum on the 25th of March, which is excellent news. I look forward to welcoming many of you there, where we have a packed agenda. If you have not yet let Hayley know your menu choices for the dinner on the 24th, please do so urgently.
As our Las Vegas plans changed, Sharon and I took the opportunity to attend the MAKE UK National Manufacturers Conference in London on 3 March. My highlights included expert opinion from Jon Sopel (Broadcaster and Author) on the fast-changing position in the Middle East. Having written and finalised his original ‘economic keynote’ last week Jon ripped that up and, instead, gave an up-to-the-minute view on the situation. Breakout Session One included an expert panel from logistics to lawyers looking at the Trade situation globally. The agenda was excellent and the day was wrapped up by a truly inspirational keynote from Sarah Furness – a former combat helicopter pilot discussing expert leadership ‘under fire’. A thirteen-hour day but well worth it and many thanks to MAKE UK.
Although I won’t be in Las Vegas, my attention will once again be firmly focused on the US this month as we watch how the recent Trade Tariff news unfolds. I have already caught up with the Department of Business and Trade and will, as always, update members as we know more. We will be providing a summary of ConExpo at the Members’ Forum.
Finally, I am also monitoring the current conflict in the Middle East with great concern for those involved. We will keep you updated on how the situation impacts the construction equipment market, but it’s expected to have a knock-on effect on our economy, disrupting trade routes, heightening market volatility, driving up energy prices as well as pushing inflation higher.
The current conflict did somewhat overshadow the Spring Statement issued on 3rd March, but you can read the CEA comment and analysis in our article: CEA response to the Spring Statement.
Viki Bell, Chief Executive, CEA (Construction Equipment Association)
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