The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) is hosting a live, physical conference at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Fillongley near Coventry on Thursday 14th October 2021.
An essential entry in the calendar for those working in the plant-hire sector, delegate tickets can be booked online at www.cpa.uk.net/events/cpa-conference-2021 at a cost of £75 plus VAT per ticket.
The event is being held in association with headline sponsor Point of Rental Software and the theme of this year’s Conference is ‘Net Zero Carbon, and Digitalisation: The Challenge of Change for the Plant Sector’. The event will bring together a number of panel speakers discussing the two key themes of net zero carbon and digitalisation. The CPA is the leading trade association for the plant-hire sector in the UK, with over 1,700 members who supply 85% of hired plant equipment to the construction industry.
Merryn Myatt will be convenor for the event. Merryn was convenor for the last CPA Conference hosted in 2019 and was a tremendous success. Merryn is a former television newsreader, presenter and journalist, having worked on local and national radio and television, including being senior presenter on The Money Channel. The 2021 event will be the sixth CPA Conference to be held and a buffet lunch will be served.
CPA Chief Executive Kevin Minton said: “In our dealings with CPA members and the wider industry, there are two key themes that always emerge as having a great impact on the future of our sector – striving to achieve net zero carbon and digitalisation. We thought it best to shine the spotlight on these two key topics and net zero carbon will be addressed in the morning session and digitalisation in the afternoon.
“The construction industry has played a critical role in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping support vital infrastructure, building the Nightingale Hospitals and driving economic growth at a time when other sectors were forced to close. Now as we look to the future, the government’s plans to ‘Build Back Better’ confirms the role of construction in the post-pandemic economy.
“The event will combine panel debates and interactive discussion, and it will be designed to allow delegates to come away with better insight about how they can prepare their businesses in the post-COVID age.”
There will be a total of four panel sessions with the following themes:
- Why Net Zero Matters – The Role of the Plant-hire Sector in Driving Change
- How to Net Zero Your Business
- Digitalisation – Transforming the Construction Industry
- COVID-19: Learning from its Impact in Driving Digital Change
Panel speakers on the day will include:
- Fergus Harradence, Deputy Director, Construction at Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
- Tom Thackray, Director of Infrastructure, CBI
- Chris Matthew, Strategic Manager, Flannery Plant Hire
- Christian Spence, Sustainable Energy Manager, Sunbelt Rentals
- Merrill Lynch, Director, L Lynch Plant Hire
- Paul Mabey, National Account Sales Manager, JCB
- Ryan Pike, Market Development Manager, Trackunit
- Glenn Pearson, Syrinx 365 and RentItOnline Product Manager, Point of Rental Software
- Josh Wallman, Co-Founder and Director, Capja
- Glyn Matthews, Digital Transformation Manager, Sunbelt Rentals
- Dr Carl Desouza, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant, Imperial College
- Steve Bradby, Technical & Engineering Leader, Select Plant Hire
- Vanessa Bold, New Hospitals Programme, NHS
- Chris Gill, Director, L Lynch Plant Hire
- David Emery, Consultant, Supply Chain Sustainability School
- James O’Meara, General Manager – LiveLink, JCB
As well as attending the Conference, delegates will also have the opportunity to visit a number of exhibition stands. Confirmed exhibitors include Point of Rental Software, Genquip Groundhog, NOCN Group, Flannery Plant Hire, Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), CESAR, GGR Group, Capja, MHM Plant, L Lynch Plant Hire, JCB, Plant Planet and Supply Chain Sustainability School.
