When I was asked for my latest blog, I initially thought, ‘July has been a quiet month’ – until I checked my diary!
The month started with the IPAF Elevate Event at St Georges Park. At the event, I signed the formal agreement between IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) and the CEA to promote CESAR to their members. The focus of the day was on theft, fraudulent hire, and keeping your business and assets safe. We heard first-hand some of the devastating stories of companies hit by hire fraud, and both Andy Huddleston and Detective Sergeant Chris Piggot of NCATT were on hand to offer help and guidance. A very well-organised event with many familiar faces.
The next week, on the 7th and 8th, I was in Nottingham for the CEA Summer Members’ Forum. After an excellent networking dinner on the Tuesday, we headed to the new ABB facility for a very busy day. Many thanks to ABB for hosting us at their new facility, and I know that every delegate was especially appreciative of the brand-new air conditioning on a scorcher of a day. Thanks too to the UK Bauma team for sponsoring. See the detailed overview of the day.
Just a quick reminder: the next Members’ Forum will be in March 2027 as we are hosting the CECE Congress in London in October this year.
A week later, I was in Westminster for a Parliamentary RoundTable Briefing on Skills with the Shadow Minister for Education, the Rt Hon Saquib Bhatti. Organised by Enginuity and formulated from their excellent research document Mind The Gap. The event brought together members of the Enginuity team with SME businesses from across the UK. Mr Bhatti was especially interested in the connections we can offer to examine how apprenticeships work in other countries, and I made some excellent connections to take forward into skills projects for 2027 and beyond.
Other highlights from July included the reciprocal Membership between the CEA and the HAE as we are working on several joint projects. The 100th ticket was sold for the CECE Congress in October, where we now have a full speaker line-up and strong ticket sales with still two-and-a-half months to go, and many more key brands confirming their place at PlantWorx 2027. I have booked the CEA stand and work is now underway on the wider seminar programme, the PlantWorx stage and several other new initiatives planned for 2027.
As many of our Members are on their summer shutdown in August, I am using the time to (1) take a break myself and (2) draft the 2027 operational plan for the Association. In early September, I will be out of the business having my second knee surgery so that I will be fit and well in time for the CECE Congress in October.
Finally, in an exciting plot twist over the weekend, we now know that we will all be together in London for the 2026 Autumn Budget with not one but two of the UK's leading economists, Emeritus Professor Joe Nellis, who is speaking at the Congress, and Professor Andy Angus, who has supported the CEA with budget commentary for many years. Both Andy and Joe will be joining us for Wednesday and the Gala Dinner, so I am sure we will have much to discuss.
Wishing you all a pleasant Summer.