THE VOICE OF THE UK CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY
THE OFFICIAL DIGITAL MAGAZINE OF THE CEA
OCTOBER 2021
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Sustainability SPECIAL ISSUE – Sustainability School & ESG – The Route to Alternative Energy – New Futureworx event – Meet Suneeta Johal, new CEA CEO
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THE OFFICIAL DIGITAL MAGAZINE OF THE CEA
OCTOBER 2021
WHAT'S INSIDE!
05
Success with CESAR ECV
11
Dale’s diary
12
Sustainability School & ESG
18
Meet Suneeta Johal, new CEA CEO
21
The Steel Deal
24
The Route to Alternative Energy
31
New Futureworx event
38
Meet the management
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From the Editor Suneeta Johal Chief Executive
Construction Equipment Association
CEA Management Council Rory Keogh Gomaco International Ltd Alan Batty Bomag (GB) Ltd Sam Mottram Caterpillar (UK) Ltd Nick Ground GKD Technik Ltd Charles Stevenson JCB Sales Ltd Paul Ross Ricardo Plc Mark Ormond Manitou Kate Wickham MBE Gate 7 Gregg Horne Mecalac CE UK Ltd
THE FUTURE IS WHAT WE DO IN THE PRESENT From this month I will hand over the virtual key to the CEA’s Chief Executive’s virtual office to Suneeta Johal. Suneeta is an excellent pick for the job, at just the right time when our industry is bristling with new ideas and bright futures. You can learn a little bit about her from the interview in this issue. The future in general is the theme of this Construction Worx with more articles looking at the future fuels landscape and the challenge of sustainability. As it becomes more practical to plan in person events, the CEA (in conjunction with our Plantworx team) is also happy to announce our new “Future Worx” event at the end of March 2022. Our partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School should make this something special. On the theme of the new, the CEA is also tilting the coverage in Construction Worx towards longer articles and opinion pieces. Through our partnership with Plantworx and publishers KHL, we now have a fortnightly online newsletter so you can keep up to date with what is happening in the CEA’s world without waiting for a quarterly round up in this publication.
I am penning this introduction within the last few days of me heading up the CEA. My considerable thanks are due to the many CEA officers and committee members I have worked with over the years. I salute your commitment to representing our sector. Fitting that in this publication we have articles penned by two of my old (but not too old) friends in the industry in Chris Sleight and Peter Haddock. And, of course, Louise Carney. Her passion and hard work makes the CEA’s media relations tick. Thanks too to my past and current colleagues working for the CEA and who have supported me in so many ways. My final thanks are to all the CEA members who continue to pay their subscriptions because they believe the Association can offer value, represent their interests, and offer a distinctive voice. Now where did I put that virtual key?
Rob Oliver Managing Editor
David Waine British Steel Nick Allen SMT Damien McCormack Nylacast Engineered Products
Executive Board Charles Stevenson Nick Ground Mark Ormond Paul Ross
Honorary President David Bell
www.constructionworx.co.uk The Construction Equipment Association (also trading as CEA) Unit 19 Omega Business Village, Thurston Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2NJ. UK. T: +44 (0)20 8253 4502 E: info@thecea.org.uk W: www.thecea.org.uk PUBLISHER – Enigma Creative Unit 19 Omega Business Village, Thurston Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2NJ. UK. W: www.enigmacreative.co.uk
MANAGING EDITOR Rob Oliver E: rob.oliver@thecea.org.uk PRODUCTION Angela Spink E: angela.spink@thecea.org.uk ADVERTISING SALES Angela Spink E: angela.spink@thecea.org.uk CEA SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Louise Carney E: louise@louise-carney.co.uk
Patrons Dr Susan Scurlock MBE Malcolm Harbour CBE
The Construction Equipment Association (also trading as CEA) is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 04930967. VAT number 243 3858 54. Registered Office: Unit 19 Omega Business Village, Thurston Road, Northallerton, England, DL6 2NJ. UK. © 2021 The Construction Equipment Association. Although care has been taken in preparing the information supplied in this publication, the CEA does not and cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions and accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage howsoever arising. Any views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the CEA.
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80% of new construction equipment now fitted with CESAR ECV
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands - inspecting CESAR ECV
The CESAR Emissions Compliance Verification (ECV) option is now fitted as standard by most of the leading construction equipment brands. This equates to over 2,000 registrations per month and around 80% of the main product lines. The ECV scheme records digitised engines’ emissions data which is uploaded, often directly from the manufacturer, to a secure database. This data is used to generate a special secure, colour coded identification plate that is attached to each machine. This plate displays the machines unique CESAR registration number and its engine emission Stage. The plates colour coding relates to the emissions stage - with green for Stage V machines, for example. The ECV database also feeds a new ‘clearing portal’ that is designed to enable construction site operators to request machinery lists, or manifests, from plant suppliers, so that they can verify the emissions Stage of a machine before it gets on site.
Balfour Beatty key partner in the development of CESAR ECV Balfour Beatty provided their expertise in the development of the product – as it aligns with their Building New Futures sustainability strategy. Bekir Andrews, Group Head of Sustainability and Reporting at Balfour Beatty, explains: “Improving air quality is something that we are passionate about at Balfour Beatty. The CESAR Emissions Compliance Verification Portal is a welcomed development, one that will improve air quality on construction sites by simplifying compliance and providing improved transparency. The close collaboration between the Construction Equipment Association, Datatag, HS2 and Balfour Beatty, has allowed us to design an effective tool which will service the needs of many different stakeholders for years to come.”
Mace Dragados adopt CESAR ECV The Mace Dragados joint venture has added the scheme to the company’s own fleet at Euston Station. Andrew Kinsey, MD JV Euston Station Environment Lead says, “Mace Dragados JV welcomes the introduction of CESAR Emissions Compliance Verification as a simple and effective way to quickly, easily, and safely verify that plant and
equipment on site is compliant with strict emissions standards. As part of our commitment to continual improvement and best practice, we’re mandating its use with our supply chain on the HS2 Euston Station project. This requirement supports adoption of the scheme and creates a legacy that other projects can benefit from, as the machines are used elsewhere in future”. For more information on how you can be part of the green construction revolution and use ECV on your fleet please contact Dave Luscombe at the CEA via dave.luscombe@thecea.org.uk .
CESAR funds help support police effort The CEA, together with the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA), has used the success of CESAR to help the fight of the policing authorities against construction and agricultural crime. The new ACE police unit funded by leading insurers and the CESAR Police Fund held an Industry Engagement Day in September at Woodland Grange, Leamington Spa. It gave 50 representatives from all parts of the industry (plant hire companies, manufacturers, insurers and contractors) an opportunity to meet with members of the police OPAL unit (hosts of the ACE team) – both police officers and intelligence analysts. Attendees included Supt Andy Huddleston of Northumbria Police, and national police lead for agricultural machinery and vehicle thefts. He lent his support to the CESAR scheme and a layered approach to plant security pointing out that the police will not be able to “arrest our way” out of the theft problem. This theme was echoed in the day’s discussions which underlined that countering criminality was a shared responsibility for all parties. The ACE (Agricultural, Construction Equipment) team is open to further donations to ensure it can build on its activities on behalf of the construction and agricultural sectors at a time when standard policing resources are at full stretch. Donations to ACE are being routed via the CEA, so companies wishing to join the fight against crime with ACE should contact rob.oliver@thecea.org.uk .
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NEW MEMBERS
Swelling of the ranks In this issue of Construction Worx we welcome Caepro, Clarios UK (Varta), DF Capital and Sany who have joined the membership ranks at the Construction Equipment Association. Here’s a brief introduction to our new members. 2020 was a landmark year for the Chinese manufacturer as the company achieved the number one sales position for global excavator sales
It’s been a very busy 12 months for SANY UK & Ireland as the company established a UK head office, built a team consisting of local industry experts and specialists from China, rebuilt a full new dealer network and created a direct sales route in Scotland. To top it all off, the company is now one of newest members of the CEA. 2020 was a landmark year for the Chinese manufacturer as the company achieved the number one sales position for global excavator sales, according to Off- Highway Research and SANY data, accounting for 15% of all excavators sold around the world in the 12 month period. The company also climbed one position higher in the KHL Yellow Table of Construction Equipment Manufacturers, reaching the number four spot in a list of the world’s largest construction equipment suppliers. With a new focus on the UK & Ireland, SANY is committed to growing the brand through investment in people, premises and products with an ultimate ambition of becoming the number one supplier for excavators across the market. The decision to join the CEA coincides with this commitment to the UK market; ‘We recognise the essential role which the CEA plays within the UK construction equipment industry and beyond’ said Simon Zhu, Managing Director SANY UK & Ireland. ‘Ensuring we comply with all regulations, as well as, receiving the latest industry information is of vital importance to us, therefore, becoming a member of the association was a must’ continued Simon. Find out more at https://www.sanyuk.com/ Caepro is a comprehensive engineering solutions provider including design, simulation, testing and sourcing for off-highway applications. The company delivers European consulting quality at an off-shore price. This enables its clients to maximise the return from their R&D investments.
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Recent projects include the design of a family of diesel engines for agricultural machinery and construction equipment applications; chassis, suspension and wiring system design for an LNG fuelled 4x2 HGV; a retro-fit battery swapping solution for LCVs including ram-air cooling; and a hybrid, low-cost orchard tractor for developing markets. Caepro supported the design of many off-highway vehicles, transmissions and powertrains including batteries and motors through the application of advanced simulation techniques to optimise the full range of attributes. These include Durability, Safety, Vehicle Dynamics, Lightweighting and Cost-reduction, NVH, Thermal and Aerodynamics and Emissions and Performance. Caepro’s Managing Director, John Roebuck said, “Our involvement in many vehicle and powertrain programmes in India over the past 20 years has resulted Caepro’s Managing Director, in an extensive knowledge John Roebuck of the supplier base in India. As a result Caepro can help companies looking to source high-quality, lower-cost components often in low-volumes. We have joined the CEA to get a better understanding of the challenges faced by our clients in the UK market. This could be directly through networking events and indirectly through news and research articles. From this we can hopefully develop solutions that will help these companies enhance their competitiveness in the UK and abroad.” Find out more at https://caepro.com/ Clarios, the company behind the VARTA battery brand, is a world leader in advanced energy storage solutions. The company partner with its customers to meet increasing market demand for smarter applications, on a global scale. 16,000 employees develop, manufacture and distribute a portfolio of evolving battery technologies for virtually every type of vehicle. Within the VARTA aftermarket range the firm provides a full range of batteries for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, construction & agricultural vehicles, leisure & marine, and motorcycle applications.
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DF Capital’s core products are: Floorplan Finance – Support manufacturers and dealers through capital funding throughout the distribution cycle Unit Stocking Finance – This allows dealers to supply units to their customers when they want them, without having to pay upfront Rental Finance – Dealers are able to purchase more units to hire out to customers and spread the cost over time
Clarios is the company behind the VARTA battery brand As a leading battery supplier to Construction, Plant, Truck and Automotive Manufacturers and the Aftermarket around the world, Clarios is well-positioned to deliver advanced battery solutions to the construction industry. The VARTA ProMotive AGM battery (the first original Absorbent Glass Mat battery) which has been jointly developed in collaboration with the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, is the flagship battery in terms of coping with electrical demands and high vibration resistance. If a construction vehicle is packed full of electrical equipment, such as navigation systems, digital screens, on-board computers, or connectivity to satellite systems then the AGM technology is the right battery to fit. In addition to the AGM battery, the VARTA portfolio has a full range of lead-acid battery solutions for all types of construction vehicle. Whether its main purpose is starting the vehicle, or powering the consumers on board, the Heavy Duty range and Enhanced Flooded Battery range have you covered. John Rawlins, Marketing Manager, Clarios said, “The VARTA Team is delighted to be a member of the Construction Equipment Association and would be delighted to hear from you with regards to any batteryrelated enquiries.” Contact varta-support@clarios.com / www.varta-automotive. com/en-gb/products/heavy-commercial-batteries DF Capital is a specialist lender that helps small and medium-sized businesses achieve their growth ambitions. The company work closely with manufacturers and dealers in a variety of sectors, including construction, industrial equipment and materials handling and provide flexible working capital solutions throughout the entire unit distribution cycle. The firm has strong relationships with many well-known companies in the construction sector and assist them better manage their cash flow and inventory.
DF Capital is a specialist lender that helps small and medium-sized businesses achieve their growth ambitions The company has teams across the UK dedicated to the industries in which it operates in, who work in partnership with its customers to ensure they have the funding where it’s needed and when it’s needed. Gabrielle Donnelly, DF Capital’s Marketing Manager said, “As industry specialists, our customers benefit from our expertise, in depth knowledge and market insight to guide and support them throughout the funding process. DF Capital has been a firm supporter of the construction industry since it was founded in 2016 and started funding both new and used asset inventory. We recently joined the Construction Equipment Association because this was the next logical step in terms of us further helping businesses involved in construction. As part of this, we have a strong desire to increase our footprint and presence in the sector and become a recognised financier amongst the CEA’s members, supporting both dealer cashflow and manufacture supply. The CEA is a well-established, credible organisation and we look forward to being part of it!” Find out more at https://www.dfcapital.co.uk/
Are you reaping the full benefits of CEA Membership? Obtain discounted rates for advertising in the next issue of Construction Worx Email angela.spink@thecea.org to request your 2021 media pack. OCTOBER 2021 7
CESAR ECV - Emissions Compliance Verification
Are you part of the Green Revolution?
We are... HS2, Balfour Beatty, Mace Dragados Hitachi, JCB, Volvo, Finning CAT, Komatsu, Wacker Neuson, Kubota, Bell.
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MEMBER PROFILE
The Blackwood Way Founded in 1946 as a general foundry, Blackwood Engineering began specialising in the production and supply of counterweights and castings during the 1970’s. Today the company has established a reliable reputation for the supply of high-quality, cost-effective counterweights and other ferrous casting products to the global construction equipment sector, as well as the material handling and lift truck industries. Construction Worx talks to Blackwood Engineering’s, Dominic Connor, Sales Director about the company and the journey from humble beginnings to a global success…
Q Explain in layman’s terms what Blackwood Engineering manufacture and where your products might be used? A: Blackwood Engineering is a global supplier of castings and counterweights to industry leading heavy machinery suppliers. However, we are not purely just a supplier of these products. We are a total solutions provider and a strategic partner for all our customers with a range of additional facilities and services. The Blackwood Way is what defines us and what sets us apart from our competitors. The Blackwood Way is all about providing quality castings to our customers worldwide. It is the added value we bring to the table and stops customers going direct. Our products are used on a wide range of heavy machinery such as excavators, telehandlers, access platforms, forklifts, material handlers, loaders and many other types of heavy equipment.
Q What lead Blackwood Engineering into counterweight casting? A: The company diversified and expanded its product range in the 1990’s to include ductile iron and steel, whilst also starting to focus on more complex engineered castings. Over the years, Blackwood Engineering has established a reliable reputation for the supply of high-quality, cost-effective counterweights and other ferrous casting products to the global construction equipment sector, as well as the material handling and lift truck industries. Q: Where do you source your materials for casting products? A: We have a range of partner foundries we work with all throughout China. Our customers’ requirements are continuing to evolve, we require a selection of partner foundries with different expertise and capabilities to deliver a quality product. We also started sourcing from India in 2015. India offers a viable long-term alternative manufacturing option. Unfortunately, it became unviable to continue our UK foundry a long time ago.
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Q: What are the current challenges faced by construction machinery OEM’s in the current climate? A: There was of course a very challenging period in the early days of the pandemic as orders came to a standstill for a couple of months. But thankfully, since the fourth quarter of last year, the demand has bounced back well and has since been much stronger than anticipated. Going forward, the market demand looks to be very strong and next year is projected to see further increases so it’s positive news and there are lots of new projects to be excited about also. The main challenges we have faced this year in terms of rising commodity costs, unprecedented shipping costs and congestion will continue for the foreseeable future. Q: There are reports of a massive steel shortage – how has this impacted on Blackwood Engineering? A: Rising commodity costs this year have also driven up the cost of our products and we are working hard to manage this as best we can. We work closely with our customers to ensure any delays and shortages are communicated and managed in the right way so machine builds and schedules are not affected. Q: How does Blackwood Engineering meet its customer demands? A: Aside from providing the product itself, our main value-added service to our customers is the level of safety stock that we hold for them at our sites in the UK and Belgium. This allows us to meet short-term demand changes so that our customers can capitalise on short-notice order changes from their customers. Our main internal production process is our gloss painting and we have recently invested further into our gloss painting facilities in the UK and Belgium. We provide supply chain management, project engineering and quality support, warehousing, gloss painting and deliver daily on a just-in-time basis in a full range of colours and finishing options, tailored to our customer’s specific needs. Q: Where do you export in the world? A: Our products are exported to our customers’ locations across the globe. We work closely with our customers to deliver them a quality product wherever they are in the world. Q: What is the key to success for exporting? Can you give our readers any advice? A: Blackwood Engineering has been exporting their products globally for many years. What started out as a simple supply chain between the foundries shipping to Blackwood Engineering’s head office in Wales has since evolved and now global exports take place on a weekly basis, exporting around 1500T per week between China, India, Europe, North America and South America. As we have grown and expanded our customer base worldwide, finding suitable partners to manage the sea freighting and logistics has been a key element to the success of the supply chain. A partnership with reliable freight forwarders has proven to be a critical element in the success of the company. Working very closely with our chosen freight forwarders both in the UK and at our other supplier locations ensures our products get shipped in the most cost effective, efficient manner ensuring the supply chain is maintained.
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Blackwood Engineering’s, Dominic Connor, Sales Director
Q: What sets Blackwood Engineering apart from its competitors? A: Our focus is on ensuring the highest level of service and reliability to provide long term mutually beneficial partnerships with our customers. As discussed previously we are more than just a supplier, we help our customers with a range of SCM, Logistics, Quality, Finishing and Warehousing options tailored to their specific needs. We work with some of the industry’s largest brands and our team are hugely experienced onboarding new customers and new products. We work closely with any prospective customer to first and foremost assess feasibility. If the product is feasible and we can produce it our team work to identify the most suitable partner foundry to produce this product on-time and on budget. Q: What’s the future vision for the company? A: Despite the challenges we have faced we are still a growing business. There has been a significant investment in our people and developing them. The businesses sites are also growing with a brand-new office facility located in Blaina, South Wales. We have also invested heavily in existing sites in Aberbeeg, also South Wales, and Dilsen-Stokkem, Belgium. Our customers are constantly looking for ways to improve the machines from both a performance and aesthetic standpoint. Counterweights have become a lot more complex over the years and now involve more intricate styling to reflect the modern look of the machines that the OEM’s produce. The counterweight function has evolved from being a basic ballast to now often being an important part of the chassis and overall modelling of the machine. We want to continue developing our products and services to help our customers build the machines of tomorrow. Visit https://www.blackwoodengineering.co.uk/
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DALE'S DIARY
Dale Camsell, the CEA’s Senior Technical Consultant reports in… With Summer gone and Autumn upon us, we enter a time of year that has traditionally been a busy period in the regulatory world and this year will be no exception! The CEA’s General Technical Committee (GTC) has plenty to consider over the coming period. September usually tends to be crammed full of meetings, with the various fora scheduling a host of meetings for immediately after the summer break. The GTC was no exception with our Q3 meeting being held early in the month, during which I had the pleasure to lead the group through a comprehensive update (comprising a 100+ slide presentation) of the latest developments in the regulatory and standardisation world. Members were advised of the status and implications of regulations in development and provided their feedback for onward conveying to external bodies such as the Committee for European Construction Equipment (CECE), BEIS, etc. The remainder of the year sees many important consultations and advocacy actions taking place, so GTC members will have lots of opportunity to voice their opinion throughout the rest of the year.
The EU Agenda The EU authorities are currently engaged in a full and active regulatory programme. Many regulations that are of core importance to construction equipment manufacturers are at a critical stage in their development. Top of the list is the revision to the existing Machinery Directive, closely followed by revisions to the
Outdoor Noise Directive, and Radio Equipment Directive. New regulations are in development covering artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and a piece of legislation that will harmonise the road circulation of mobile machinery right across the EU Single Market. These are of direct interest to manufacturers and, through CECE, our members can still play a leading advocacy role with the EU regulators.
Marking Requirements – EU and UK relax deadlines The latter part of August saw two major announcements being made. Firstly, the UK has decided to extend by twelve months the deadline by which it will allow CE marked goods to be placed on the GB market; the original date was 31st December 2021 but this has been pushed back to 31st December 2022. Secondly, in similar fashion, the UK has also extended by 12 months the deadline for accepting engines with EU type-approval in the GB market, with the revised date now being 31st December 2022.
Looking Further Ahead Now that post-Brexit implementation is well underway, it is time to consider what the UK
might do in relation to future regulations for the GB market. As already mentioned, the EU regulatory revision process is pressing ahead at full steam and we can expect some significant changes in the medium term future. The big question is, “What will the UK regulators do?” Will the UK adopt these new EU regulations into UK law without any, or maybe just slight, modification? Or will it do something quite different and create its own unique requirements? CEA members have a vested interest in this matter and it is something that I am keen that the GTC start to consider now, well in advance of the new EU regulations being published. A further matter to consider is how CEA might most successfully perform advocacy towards the UK government. Our position would be undoubtedly strengthened if we worked closely with other associations that have a similar regulatory interest, ensuring that our positions are aligned so that industry speaks with a single voice. During the coming months I will be engaging with these other associations in order to gauge their level of interest in working in unison and decide how we best conduct advocacy. Interesting times lie ahead…
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Sustainability – winning for your business and the climate BY PETER HADDOCK
Sustainability, Social Value, ESG (Environmental Social Governance) all sound like buzz words to many of us, but in reality, if you don't pay attention to what is behind the phrases, you could start losing work to those that are. Fortunately for the construction and plant sector, starting to learn more doesn't have to cost the earth, thanks to the formation of the Supply Chain Sustainability School. It's funded and supported by the construction industry to provide free information, learning, webinars and more to organisations, business owners and operators alike. And it also has a plant sector specialist called James Cadman, Head of Consultancy and Carbon at Action Sustainability. He is responsible for managing the plant sector inputs to the School. I caught up with him
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James Cadman
to learn about its Plant Charter and the big changes he has witnessed since its launch in April 2020. In this interview, he also highlights how Sustainability is having a bigger commercial impact on the sector. James: "Sustainability has always been a driver for individuals and businesses to become better guardians of the environment, so we leave it in good hands for the next generation. But we also need to profit from investment in new equipment, technologies and the solutions we need to do this. It's common sense, really. There is no way anyone would
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invest money if that investment doesn't allow you to do things better, more productively and more efficiently. It's why we launched the Plant Charter last year, to support the industry in taking the next steps to a more sustainable future. "The Plant Charter itself is a six page document that is available to download at the supplychainschool.co.uk website. It sets out key commitments for those signing up and was created in collaboration with numerous stakeholders in the industry. These included clients like National Highways (formerly Highways England), Network Rail, tier one contractors, plant hire companies, earthworks contractors, OEM's, technology providers and end users. "What has been developed is an approach that is grounded in commercial reality, and that has now attracted over 20 signatories, including main contractors like BAM Nuttall, Costain and Morgan Sindall and plant operators like Flannery Plant Hire, GAP Group. L Lynch Plant Hire, M O'Brien, Sunbelt Rentals, Ardent Hire and Thomas Plant Hire, to name but a few. "The main objective of the Charter is to drive an improvement of local air quality and reduce greenhouse emissions, reducing the negative impacts caused by the use of construction plant and equipment. It is built on the work of the Group in developing a set of minimum standards for plant emissions. It also aims to encourage investment throughout the sector. For signatories, it's a clear, public declaration that the individual business is focused on actively reducing the emissions from plant. Not only to improve local air quality for your colleagues, neighbours and surrounding communities but also to play a part in reducing the effects of global warming.
"And the benefits are clear, as a client, it sends a clear signal that you want your contractors to support your objectives, to be a progressive and sustainable organisation. As a contractor, this will strengthen your sustainability statement when it comes to winning work. This means organisations will know you are committed to increasing the purchase of equipment that meets the greenhouse gas emissions and air quality standards outlined in our technical supporting documents. They will also know you are focused on delivering Social Value, investing in people, skills, training, and helping other supply chain members. "Some people may ask why all this has become so much more important. It's all down to how Government and major investors run tender and procurement processes. For example, one thing that really stood out earlier this year was the announcement of the Construction Leadership Council's (CLC) targets and ambitions for its Construct Zero Performance Framework. It talks about its commitment to reducing diesel plant on site by 78% by 2035. "Everyone reading this will know it's a big ask because there's a lot invested financially and emotionally in all the plant and equipment we have. And the last thing we want to see people do is to sell perfectly good equipment. But if you are tendering for major projects that this framework will cover in the future, you will have to show how you are transitioning away from older equipment to newer or cleaner solutions.
Why has sustainability value become so important? Readers may not be aware of two important and influential pieces of Government policy, published over the last 12 months. Firstly, Policy Procurement Notice PPN 06/20, announced last year, stated that from
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June 2020, when big public sector organisations go out to procure, they have to include Social Value in their tender, giving it at least a 10% weighting. It applies to all contractors who tender for and win work. In practical terms, these businesses have to put information in their response about how they will generate additional Social Value. Clearly, improved air quality for local neighbours and workers plays right into this. Secondly, the more recent PPN 06/21 requires that, from 30th September 2021, all contractors bidding for work from central government departments and agencies, valued over £5m per year, have to provide a carbon reduction strategy confirming their commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 in the UK. Combined, these two PPNs will drive real sustainable change in the public sector, across all supply chains. "This is why major contractors are focusing on this area. In turn, they are telling shareholders about how they will be 'Net Zero' in varying stages and dates in the next 10 to 25 years. Why is this important for the earthworks community? In some cases, the carbon impact of the projects these contractors deliver is over 90% dependent on the supply chain activity. "It is no surprise to learn, therefore, that both client and tier one contractors are really ratcheting up demands from their supply chains for cleaner and lower emissions equipment. This will be further enhanced throughout this year as we head for the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow from 1st – 12th November. Couple this with Local Authorities outside London like Birmingham and Bristol bringing in 'Low Emissions' or 'Clean Air Zones' this year, and you can see how the global issues are fast becoming the local ones.
when the diesel switchover takes place in April 2022. "It, therefore, makes sense to look at your overall cost of ownership and operation of plant equipment right now. Knowing this information and looking at available financial and equipment options, it might be more cost-effective to invest in new equipment. This is particularly important to analyse in this year and next as up until March 2023 some businesses can take advantage of the 130% Super Deduction tax break offered by the Government."
Help is available, and it's free James: "It can all seem a bit overwhelming with clients and contractors asking for real-time data on fuel consumption, projected carbon footprint calculations, Social Value impacts, the list goes on. This is why the School team is working hard to make information available to businesses of all sizes, and it's all free if you register your details on the website. "For example, we are putting together a Lunch 'n' Learn hour-long webinar on 'Best Practice and Low Carbon Fuels' on 9th November at 2pm. This will feature experts talking about HVO and other fuel types. It's a particularly important subject right now as HVO is already being mandated onsite by contractors like Skanska. "And in the future alternative fuels will become even more important. You only have to look at the rise in electric power for smaller plant and the acceleration of hydrogen investment for others to see what is coming down the road to net-zero." James concluded: "Of course, we all know that with a whole plethora of power sources, there is never going to be a 'one size fits all'. But we've got some stringent targets to meet and will need to work together on what organisations want and what can be provided. That is why we are encouraging more people to use and our resources as educational tools." You can register and access all information from the Supply Chain Sustainability School at www.supplychainschool.co.uk. You can also listen to a Podcast with Peter Haddock and James Cadman on the subject matter above by searching for 'Content With Media' on your preferred podcast channel.
The main objective of the Charter is to drive an improvement of local air quality and reduce greenhouse emissions
The big diesel changeover meets Super Deduction tax break With the imminent change from Red to White diesel set to add over 45 pence per litre to fuel costs, there has never been a more important time to focus on fuel and carbon savings. Not only will it help win work, it will also deliver significant cost savings, straight to the bottom line. Think of it in value terms. If you can get more productivity and efficiency out of a drop of fuel, you are ultimately going to be saving a lot more money
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UK Construction equipment sales showed strong growth in the first eight months of the year The CEA’s Market Analyst, Paul Lyons, provides his insight into what is happening in and around the construction equipment market… Retail sales of construction and earthmoving equipment remained strong in August, and were 42% above the levels seen in the same month last year when sales were still recovering from the impact of the first lockdown. As a result, sales in the first eight months of this year were 63% up on 2020 levels, reaching over 25,000 units. This means that sales are currently ahead of 2018 and 2019 levels so far this year, illustrating the underlying strength of the market, despite ongoing concerns about supply chain constraints for components and parts. A distinctive feature of equipment sales in 2021 has been the major switch around in growth rates for some of the most popular equipment types. Mini/midi excavators (under 10 tonnes) are the most popular equipment type in the UK market and were the strongest growing product last year. However, in 2021, they have shown the weakest growth with sales at 47% ahead of last year’s levels in the first eight months. In contrast, sales of Telehandlers (for the construction industry) which were the weakest growing product last year, are now the strongest in 2021, with sales more than
double last year’s levels after eight months. Construction equipment sales in the Republic of Ireland are also recorded in the statistics scheme. This showed sales in August easing back to only 8% above 2020 levels. However, sales in the first eight months of 2021 are still 38% above the same period last year.
Growth in construction activity is showing signs of slowing The UK construction Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) published by IHS Markit is a good indicator of sentiment within the UK construction industry. The latest update for August suggests that activity is slowing, after reaching record levels of growth in June. The index in August recorded a level of 55.2. This is well above the 50.0 “no change” level, but well below the 66.3 reached in June. Respondents to the survey continue to flag up significant supply chain disruptions within the industry, which are contributing to rises in input prices. A lack of transport and freight availability are adding to port congestion issues, with concrete, fuel, steel and timber being the products most effected.
The Commercial sector (index at 56.0) was the best performing part of the industry according to the survey in August, albeit the rate of expansion eased to its slowest for six months. This was followed closely by housebuilding (55.0), while civil engineering remained the slowest growing sector (54.8) for the fourth month in a row. The Construction Products Association (CPA) published their latest forecast for the UK construction market in July. This anticipates an increase in construction output of just under 14% for this year, which matches the level of decline in output in 2020. The latest forecast for 2022 is for a further 6% increase in output. This positive outlook comes despite the dual constraints of shortages and sharp cost rises in both imported construction products and skilled labour over the next 12 months. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that construction output in the first half of 2021 was 20% above the same period in 2020. However, this includes a comparison with Q2 2020, when output suffered the most due to lockdown. https://www.constructionproducts.org.uk/
Keep up-to-date with the latest industry specific news!
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Data is King Award winning data analytics company and new CEA member, We Predict, share their expertise on why it’s important to extract hidden insights from your data to make your business even smarter We Predict are an industry-leading predictive analytics company. Since 2009, We Predict have been keeping pace with the increased thirst for data and are at the forefront of this digital technology. Here, they share some of their insights on how to get more out of machine/component data and how it can be utilized to help reduce defects, minimise risk and boost profits. Dr Stephen Norris, Technical Lead explains, “With manufacturing relying heavily on digital technology, it’s vital you know the lifetime cost of every machine your company hires out or manufactures. We enable you to do exactly that. Based on millions of actual service records, unplanned repairs, recalls and warranty data, we measure service and warranty costs spent by manufacturers and owners and provide risk scores”.
It’s important to know how to spot potential problems so manufacturers and operators are able to cut warranty costs by as much as 25%. Stephen continues, “For example, we analysed data from 4,000 skid-steer loaders. The machines generated more than 8,000 warranty claims during the 24-month warranty period. A deeper look at the data revealed 1,300 machines – one third – had no warranty claims while 500 (12%) had more than five claims each. Those machines accounted for 43% of all claims. Identifying and solving problems with this targeted sub-set has a huge impact on reliability and costs.” “Another example of how better use of data has brought improved efficiencies is with one of our Tier 1 supplier customers who needed to deliver monthly reports to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) each month. The supplier had to collect, analyse and report on performance, warranty costs and other data. When we first began working with them, eight of their plants in various parts of the world were extracting and reporting on their own data. The reports were inconsistent, frequently late and contained errors. The OEM customer was not happy. To make matters worse, collecting and reporting on the data diverted the supplier’s engineers from their core tasks. On average, each of the supplier’s eight plants had engineers logging the equivalent of 7 to 10 person-days per month to consolidate the data and generate the reports. That was equivalent to 56-to-80 days per month across the enterprise or 600-900 days per year. By outsourcing to us, the supplier gained the equivalent of 3 to 5 engineering employees, with an associated value of $300,000 to $500,000 per year.” Stephen concluded “Once you know what questions to ask of your data, we can provide the answers you need. Frequently, we’ve seen companies under-utilise the data they’re generating meaning that opportunities are sometimes missed to reduce defects, improve overall quality and strengthen brand reputation.”
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Change of Leadership at the Construction Equipment Association The CEA is pleased to welcome Suneeta Johal as its new Chief Executive. Our candid interview with Suneeta reveals her background, leadership style, vision for the CEA, and more. Louise Carney fired the questions as Suneeta prepared for her new role. Q: I understand you spent nine years at IPSE – the organisation supporting the self-employed and freelancers. What was your role there? A: I first joined the organisation as a research manager within the policy team. My role was to create a research strategy for the association mainly focusing on policy research to influence legislative change, and also member research to really understand the needs of the self-employed and using that to form the commercial strategy of the organisation. I became senior after a couple of years, where the company created a new senior leadership position for me and I became the Head of Research, Education and Training where my role was to further develop and embed the research strategy across the organisation. One of the key things that is really relevant here is I did a research project which looked very closely at members' needs and evaluated the association's product, services and pricing etc. This led to a transformation and a revamp of all products and services, and new branding to better reflect the members that the association represented. On the other side I looked after education and training – building an offering around that for the first time which meant I introduced the university partnership programme membership. It is essentially designed to help support the younger generation coming into the work force and introduce training programmes, also addressing the skills gap - which we all know has become increasingly important over recent years.
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With the commercial team I implemented strategies for membership growth and also non-member income generation, so looking at things like sponsorship partnerships. In terms of events, with the pandemic, delivering our award winning conference virtually. All of these strands fit in quite nicely with CEA and the key issues that I think we are going to be facing. Also, construction is the biggest industry in the self-employed market place; we had a lot of members at IPSE who were construction workers, so the construction industry is not completely new to me! Q: With your background in research and commercial development, how best do you think you can use those skills and that experience in the construction equipment industry? A: In terms of research, my background will help me to have a detailed understanding of not just CEA members but the wider industry. The CEA exists for its members and the member should be at the heart of everything that the CEA does - so really understanding the members - what their challenges are and what they need is critical. More specifically my experience in policy research has given me a strong grounding in policy development and how the research feeds into policy and development of relationships with key political contacts. I think this will help in terms of the CEA influencing legitimate change through lobbying and representing the industry on key issues. In terms of my commercial experience, this will enable me to use this insight to deliver services that members and the wider
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industry value also while ensuring they are sustainable as part of the future strategy of CEA - it will also help me to ensure that CEA membership truly reflects what the construction equipment industry needs particularly in such challenging times. It is going to be absolutely important to really understand what members want at different times at different points. What they needed a year ago might not necessarily be what they need now or in the future. Q: You are new to the construction equipment industry – what are your first impressions of the CEA and the people you have met so far? A: I attended a dinner with the CEA Management Council and the Executive Board hosted at JCB recently and my first impressions are that they are all really very nice people and very supportive. With me not being from the construction equipment industry, they offered me their help and I can contact them at any time. They all said, “We've been here a long time and we can give you the all the support you need’. So that's been really great, but I have also had so many people in the industry outside of the CEA reach out to me since my appointment was announced. I'm really looking forward to working with the executives. I think we are going to make a great team and I feel we have a shared vision for the CEA moving forward. Exciting times ahead. Q: You are the youngest person to take on the senior role at the CEA and its first female CEO, do you think that will give you some new and different insights in developing the association’s forward strategy? A: I am hoping to bring a completely new perspective and fresh energy. Being female is absolutely relevant considering approximately just 6% of CEO’s are female and probably only 1% are minority females – and when you get down to the under 40’s – even lower. The way the industry is heading with all the innovation and advanced technologies I think someone with a fresh approach is going to be great for the CEA. I think this coupled with the fact that I am new to the industry means I can bring a fresh approach. I can ensure the organisation reflects and attracts diversity in the younger generation which is also a key issue in the sector as well. It will ensure the CEA keeps up with change moving to the next phase. It’s a bold move by the association but a really good one! Many associations are scared of change – my appointment shows the CEA is forward thinking in future proofing the organisation for the industry and its members.
Construction is the biggest industry in the self-employed market place; we had a lot of members at IPSE who were construction workers, so the construction industry is not completely new to me! Q: The construction industry, like many others, has the challenge to attract a new generation of recruits – to work both in manufacturing and the maintenance and operation of plant. Do you have a view on this? A: With all the technology that’s being brought in you need the relevant skills and I think this aligns very well with the younger generation – technology is what they are familiar with and I think the industry needs to reflect this. The construction equipment industry continually evolves – we need to evolve with it to reflect the younger generation the sector is trying to attract. That is something I will certainly be looking at when I join the CEA. I will be also looking at ways to reach the younger generation and talk to them about the great opportunities that lie with the construction equipment sector, so they might consider us for their chosen career path. Q: Early days yet I know, but what issues do you think you will be prioritising within the first few months of your leadership? A: From what I have learnt talking to industry there are three key issues in the industry at the moment – the first being the target in the UK to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. We have the COP26 climate change conference coming up in November. There will be a lot of work in terms of policy and campaigning around that. The second would be EU legislation and whether the UK will mirror legislation or the EU will diverge and what this means for members. In October I will be involved in the CECE summit in Brussels, which is taking place virtually. Finally, the skills gap in the sector, particularly in the pandemic, it’s created a barrier to people joining the industry and I really want to see how the CEA can address this issue – we need to look at this issue very seriously now. Q: What are you looking forward to the most?
It is going to be absolutely important to really understand what members want at different times at different points. What they needed a year ago might not necessarily be what they need now or in the future.
A: Everything of course! I am passionate about all the things we have talked about but knowing that the last 18 months has been really challenging for the industry, I am really excited now to start seeing the recovery and to lead the CEA into its next phase, particularly with innovation in the industry, and opportunities for the sector. It’s an exciting sector to work in – there’s huge investment in infrastructure and technology with Build Back Better, the Infrastructure Delivery Taskforce, Project Speed. These all combined means that I see there’s an opportunity and a real potential for growth for the both the CEA and the industry. It’s going to be how we seize these opportunities and make the most of it.
OCTOBER 2021 19
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The Steel Deal – two sides to the story As the consumers of steel know only too well, the costs and availability of steel have rocketed in this year. A number of factors have coalesced into a perfect storm affecting the post Brexit UK market. But the steel manufacturers have not had it all their own way. Joanna Oliver MBE reports. UK Manufacturing Blast furnace production in the UK is led by British Steel (Chinese owned) and Tata Steel (Indian owned). Electric arc production is headed by Liberty Steel - currently suffering financial challenges due to the collapse of Greensill Capital. Although much excitement is generated by the promise of fossil free and carbon neutral steel, and manufacturers roll out their road maps apace, significant development work remains to be done before commercial “green” production can be assured.
The Background As Covid gripped the globe, European and North American demand dropped considerably. European steel mills reduced output, furloughed employees and idled blast furnaces. By the end of 2020, across all markets, steel mills generally saw an increase in activity as manufacturing gradually ramped up, resulting in an increase in demand. This demand outstripped available capacity - blast furnaces are
not quick to turn back on again. Restricted supply resulted in sharp price increases. Several steel mills pushed OEMs to settle Q1 2021 prices earlier than usual to lock in capacity and secure supply, most begrudgingly paid the increase of up to €100 pt to secure volume. That turned out to be a highly fortuitous move as raw material price hikes far outstripped the gains many mills thought they had secured. In addition to the demand based increase, inputs of iron ore and coking coal prices rose dramatically and scrap prices followed. Every sector was looking for more volume to cover the increase in demand. China, for the first time, started to import foreign scrap. In anticipation of huge demand, prices rose very quickly, with Turkish scrap prices reaching $500 pt. To complete the picture, the UK operated a quota system for steel imports from the EU across a number of steel product lines. Several countries reached their quota as soon as Q2 2021, meaning any additional volume coming in to UK was subject to 25% duty.
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The British Steel perspective What follows is from a British Steel report on a year of unprecedented highs… ● Much higher raw material costs than anyone predicted with iron ore, coal and coke reaching record highs. For some materials it seems prices will continue to climb due to availability. ● Demand has been stronger than forecast for most commodity products as supply chains restock post pandemic and producers return to more normal operating levels. ● China has been leading the global scene with monthly crude steel production of almost one billion tonnes in a single month! India is also restocking. With two major countries recovering post pandemic this keeps the pressure on raw material prices and increases production costs for all steel producers. The UK and EU Construction sector has seen a real step change in pace over the summer, with materials including steel, timber and plastics costs sharply increasing due to raw material price increases, coupled with availability and logistical issues. HGV driver availability remains a key concern, with all supply chains competing for transport. This critical issue is pushing up haulier prices and is impacting customer service levels. Recovering post pandemic is challenging for many, the unforeseen impact globally is a constant changing scene. Steel prices have now started to stabilise with EU forecasters reporting that prices will reset to more “normal” conditions, yet the US steel prices remain at record highs… so only time will tell. 2021 so far has been a roller coaster of exceptional ups and downs, but recovery is well underway and steel manufacturers and the surrounding supply chains will adjust to the new macroeconomics they face. Source: British Steel 1 September 2021.
But what of the consumers of steel? With many steel quotations only valid for 24 hours during the last 12 months, hedging was essential for manufacturers to keep some control of purchasing costs. Some steel product prices rose by over 70% in 2021. Delivery remains a major issue, a lack of raw materials coupled with a chronic post Brexit shortage of HGV drivers, saw some production lines halted.
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John Meale, Managing Director of Thorworld Industries, manufacturers of container ramps, loading platforms and dock levellers commented; “Since the beginning of 2021, the price we’re paying for steel has rocketed 55% and there aren’t signs of slowing down. Lead times have increased and we are having to have very honest conversations with our customers. The Government needs to invest into the British steel sector and build confidence of the UK product and production methods. British steel manufacturers have been fighting a losing battle against foreign imports but it’s clear to see we need to increase domestic production to create jobs and bring down prices for business in order for them to survive. As it stands, prices are fluctuating on a daily basis. This will not be a short-term fix but we need to start planning now so we can be a self-sufficient manufacturer of raw steel to enable businesses up and down the UK to thrive.”
So what next for the Steel Deal? Despite some analysts’ predictions of a summer slowdown in demand, there seems to be little let up in orders for steel for both construction and in manufacturing. Indonesia has seen a record high in production in Q1 – but is hit with anti-dumping tariffs on arrival in the UK. In China steel production continues to increase, despite action by the government to reduce exports of domestic steel products to reduce emissions. Whilst all major steel producing nations are reporting increased production, supply is still outstripped by demand. In May the Construction Leadership Council predicted shortages of structural steel and rebar for at least six months. The prolonged blockage of the Suez Canal caused a tightening of commodity deliveries and a continued shortage of UK HGV drivers mean that, even when raw materials or steel arrive in port, they may be stranded on the docks for some time. In mid-September, BEIS (the government department for business) declined to allow foreign drivers back into the UK as a short term solution despite pressurised lobbying from the road haulage and manufacturing sectors. According to the latest figures (to July) from BEIS, fabricated structural steel saw a rise in prices of 65% compared with a year before. Where will it all end? Watch this space.
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The Route to Alternative Energy Continuing our series on perspectives on future fuels, Chris Sleight, managing director of Off-Highway Research and a former construction journalist, gives his thoughts on how the construction equipment industry will tackle the alternative energy challenge. As in the on-road world, we can expect construction equipment to move away from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources. Although the off-highway industry tends to follow what happens in the on-road world, it also has some unique challenges. That means the journey for our industry won’t be a carbon (or no carbon) copy of on-highway developments.
Diesel v alternatives Although alternative energy now looks like a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’, the timeline is hard to predict. There are many factors driving both the decline of diesel and the rise of replacement energy sources. Cost is being added to diesel power and has been for some time. Ever-increasing regulation on emissions has meant more expensive engines with elaborate after treatment being introduced, along with more consumables like AdBlu. Although we have paused for the moment at Stage V in Europe, while the rest of the world heads towards Stage III-IV equivalents, it would be naïve to think this will be the end of diesel engine emission regulation. The move away from fossil fuels in general, and the demonisation of diesel in particular, is likely to mean that law makers around the world will remove tax breaks and subsidies. An example of this is the change currently taking place in the UK around the permissible uses of cheap ‘red diesel’. As well as the loss of favourable treatment, doubtless taxes on fossil fuels will continue to be increased, while the oil price is always
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a source of uncertainty in the future. This will all tilt the economic balance further away from diesel. On the other side, technology around alternative fuels will improve, delivering better efficiency and greater power density, while increased scale will lower prices. That could be accelerated if governments use policy to drive this change. These may be carrots like subsidies, tax breaks or other incentives, or they may be sticks, such as the setting up of zero emission zones. In the off-highway world, the alternative fuels focus to date has been on electrification. This is a reality today. Many companies, including major suppliers like JCB and Volvo, now have electric machines commercially available. More will follow. The greatest opportunity for electrification in construction equipment is compact machines. Depending on how this is defined, it could account for as much as two thirds of the 1.1 million units-per-year global construction equipment market. As time goes on, technical and economic feasibility will change and bigger electric equipment may become viable as batteries get cheaper, better and more compact. Even today electrification is not limited to small machines. Liebherr, for example, now offer a 220 tonne capacity battery-powered crawler crane, and several manufacturers have shown prototype batterypowered 20 tonne excavators at exhibitions The need to be lightweight is a burning issue in the on-road world, but it is less important in many off-highway applications. Battery weight
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is always a penalty in on-road applications, but many construction machines require a counterweight, so a heavy battery is not necessarily a problem in those machine types. But in some, particularly hauling equipment, battery weight will be a headache. There may also be operational benefits to electrification. Very little maintenance is required on a battery and electric motor. Compare that to the daily checks and regular servicing required to keep a diesel engine happy and healthy. Things could improve further with true all-electric machines. Rather than using the electric motor to turn a hydraulic pump, the obvious next step is for electric motors and actuators to facilitate machine movement and functions. This would remove expensive hydraulic components like the pump as well as the associated maintenance and potential for downtime (no more hydraulic leaks and hose bursts!). Greater inherent efficiency could also be expected from all-electric machines. Going straight from electrical energy to the kinetic energy of the machine removes the losses due to the conversion to hydraulic energy as the steppingstone between battery and machine movement. This does not mean electric machines will be maintenance and mishapfree, but they have the potential to be easier and cheaper to maintain than current diesel/hydraulic technologies.
Construction considerations Arguably the bigger question around electrification in construction – and the key difference to the on-road world – is how do you charge equipment? If the machine is on an urban or fixed site, or returns to a depot every night, there may be the opportunity to charge it from the electric grid. If not, which will be the case for many machines, on-site power is likely to come from a diesel generator. Charging an electric machine in this way would spectacularly defeat the object of the exercise. The availability of grid power could be significant in a deeper way for construction equipment. This is well-illustrated by Liebherr’s large crawler crane, which can operate ‘plugged-in’. Unlike onroad applications, where mobility and travelling long distances is everything, many construction machines move very little in a working day. Even over many months a machine may stay on the same site of a few hundred square metres. In that case, why worry about building a battery pack which can run all day on a single charge? It might be feasible to run the machine ‘plugged in’.
world is therefore, at best, relative. In addition, these elements are not evenly distributed around the world. Possession of the ores therefore has the potential to create geopolitical tension in the same way oil has many times throughout history. Finally, but perhaps more solvable is the question of recycling. A quick search of YouTube will illustrate the kind of fireworks which result in a lithium ion battery being incorrectly disassembled (or hit with a hammer by an idiot teenager). Clearly this problem has to be overcome and there has to be a push on battery recycling if they are to become a more sustainable part of our future.
The un-electrifiable There are machine types in mining and construction, such as large dump trucks and loaders, where battery power does not look feasible for the foreseeable future. There may be other ways of electrifying mining, such as overhead lines and pantographs, but there will still be many cases where a combustion engine will remain the only solution. But a combustion engine does not necessarily mean a fossil fuel. It could also mean hydrogen. This element is often discussed in terms of hydrogen fuel cells, which react hydrogen with oxygen to produce electricity, with just water as the by-product. In this context they are often seen as an alternative to batteries. We therefore think of them as being most viable for small to medium machines, although JCB has developed a prototype 20 tonne class hydrogen fuel cell excavator. Although hydrogen fuel cells have been around for decades, it is early days in their application in construction equipment. It therefore remains to be seen where their practical and economic limits lie.
Battery politics A final and perhaps vaguer societal concern on electrification is around batteries themselves. Current technology requires lithium, nickel, cobalt and other rare earth metals to manufacture batteries. These resources are finite and by definition mining them has an environmental impact. The sustainability of a battery-powered
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However, hydrogen can also be burnt in a combustion engine in much the same way petrol, diesel or natural gas can, and this may be the solution for much larger mobile machines, where electrification looks too expensive or just not possible. The problem with hydrogen is that it doesn’t occur naturally in its elemental form on earth, so has to be manufactured. It is therefore only interesting if it can be manufactured with renewable energy in an environmentally sustainable process. Many current industrial processes produce CO2 or other pollutants as a by-product, but this need not be the case. Hydrogen can be produced by electrolysing water, for example, where the only by-product is oxygen. Hydrogen may also have advantages in construction, particularly
for sites without mains power, as the fuel can be trucked to where it is needed. This is not as straightforward as trucking diesel around, as hydrogen has to be transported as a high pressure gas or extremely cold liquid. But it is nevertheless transportable. Consequently hydrogen could be used to either fuel construction equipment directly or to fuel hydrogen-powered generators to charge electric equipment.
Industry adaptation It is not often discussed, but the move to alternative fuels might be something of an existential threat to construction equipment manufacturers. These are companies which have built their products around diesel engines, hydraulics and conventional transmissions for decades. They have huge engineering expertise (and plenty of patents) in these areas and they make good machines as a result. What value does this baggage have if manufacturers have to pivot to new technologies around fuel cells, batteries, electric drives and actuators, hydrogen storage and so on? How will they cope in a world where a ‘new launch’ is a software update, rather than yellow iron? This will be a challenge requiring fresh thinking, new talent, new suppliers and perhaps even a different approach to manufacturing and the industrial footprint. It may therefore be an opportunity for newcomers and start-ups – either to challenge the incumbents or to be acquired by them at spectacular valuations. The potential of lower maintenance all-electric machines also challenges business models where the real margins are in wears and spares. Without diesel engines and hydraulic systems consuming oil, filters and parts, manufacturers will lose an attractive revenue stream over time.
What next? Given that alternative energy sources should be viable in construction equipment, how will the industry get there? The diversity of the industry and the sheer span of machine sizes and applications means there will not be a single approach or technology which works universally. We are also very early in the journey, so there will be technologies and approaches which may look promising, will be tried, but which just won’t work out. The rate of adoption will come down to economics, which is to say when the total life cost (including purchase, operation and maintenance) of alternative energy machines becomes the same price or cheaper than conventional equipment. However, also essential will be the supporting infrastructure of charging points and hydrogen availability. At the risk of stating the obvious, the construction industry also needs alternative energy equipment to be available. Trade shows like Bauma may bristle with such machines, but there is a big difference between displaying a gold-painted prototype and having equipment in series production. There is an obvious ‘chicken and egg’ argument in the last two paragraphs. The economics will not work, and the infrastructure will not be viable, until there is large scale production and a sizeable working population of equipment. However, the machines won’t be attractive until scale makes them cheaper and there is infrastructure in the world to support them. Adoption could therefore be a slow until a critical mass is reached. Finally, there must be a continued societal push towards renewable energy, because this is a pointless exercise if the ultimate source of energy to generate the electricity or manufacture the hydrogen is a lump of coal, pocket of natural gas or barrel of oil.
26 OCTOBER 2021
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MEMBER PROFILE
Protecting people and assets When it comes to keeping your investment safe and sound, how many owners think about protecting their equipment from fire? It’s a commonplace feature on machines working in the waste handling sector but, away from that, it’s pretty rare. Construction Worx talks to Fireward, who recently joined the CEA, to find out more about automatic fire suppression equipment. Fireward is a UK leading supplier of automatic fire suppression equipment and is dedicated to designing and installing only the best fire suppression systems which detect fires immediately and extinguishing them before they can start to cause damage. Headquartered in Chelmsford, the company operates across the UK working closely with both OEMs and dealers alike offering a whole range of systems for every sector and application from on-road and off-road vehicles to protecting workshops and buildings too. Sam Malins, CEO of Fireward explains, “Fire safety is extremely important. One of the key things around fire safety is that people don’t think it will happen to them, it’s often put to the bottom of the list of priorities.” Damage caused by fire not only affects your vehicles, but it also impacts on the way you can effectively operate your business. Fireward tailor its fire suppression systems to meet a client’s particular requirements minimising the risk of a devastating fire and securing valuable assets at the same time. The company will look at an individual application in detail before advising on a particular suppression agent for the system. From water through to a variety of dry powder, gaseous and chemical agents, the team at Fireward will incorporate the ideal suppressant into a system to quickly and effectively kill the fire. Offering companies peace of mind, Mark Scutt, Fireward Sales Director adds, “The beauty of our systems is that they are on all of the time and without any need for any power, it’s a 24/7 safe pair of hands for anybody that has a system fixed to an asset and some of these assets cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.” Every system is tailormade to suit a particular application and that
includes the method of suppressant delivery. Direct release systems work through installing a suppressant delivery tube throughout the engine and pump bays. Should a fire occur, the tube at the closest point to the outbreak will rupture, resulting in a pressure change in the system and releasing the suppressant to put the fire out. This release occurs in under ten seconds and such is the quick response, the damage to vital components is limited. The company’s In-Direct system covers a larger area but is very similar in operating style. A trace tube detects the fire, ruptures and drops the system’s pressure. This then allows suppressant to be deployed from strategically located nozzles around the machine. The Indirect system requires no electrical input so is ideal for machinery that may be parked up or suffers from an electrical fault causing the fire. The In-Direct dual agent system, as the name suggests, allows a combination of agents to be used such as powder and foam allowing the benefit of extinguishing the fire quickly and cooling the area at the same time to stop potential re-ignition. For anyone operating in dusty environments or the petrochemical industries, spark detection systems are a must. Fireward offers a comprehensive system to detect and extinguish sparks before they can potentially cause catastrophe. The Fireward systems usually consist of a pair of bright red canisters strapped to the machine. Resembling traditional fire extinguishers, the canisters are plumbed into the machine carefully so as not to interfere with the day to day running of a machine. The routing of the tubing also allows the operator to carry out daily checks as normal without any worry of damaging or disturbing the robust system. Further information at www.fireward.co.uk.
OCTOBER 2021 27
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0800 151 0249 | sales@fireward.co.uk | fireward.co.uk 28 OCTOBER 2021
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Our Survey Said… The events industry has been living in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic for 18-months. The CEA’s Plantworx trade show was just one of the events to be affected, not once but twice – as plans for the exhibition to be held in 2021, and then 2022, were shelved as a result of the covid crisis. Plantworx will return in June 2023, where the show will once again open its doors to construction professionals nationwide. While this is still some time away, the Plantworx team wanted to understand the appetite of Plantworx visitors in attending ‘live shows’ in light of the ongoing impacts of the pandemic. Gobby is a survey company with a difference! The company believe stakeholder perceptions are important and they drive people’s behaviour. Gobby aims to close the ‘perception gap’ between management and key stakeholders. Engagement is asking stakeholders the right questions and listening to the answers. 4,999 visitor records were identified from the GDPR compliant Plantworx database and Gobby prepared some relevant questions. The first of which was, “based on the current Covid-19 situation and prospects, when might you feel confident in attending live events and trade shows? 40% of the respondents said that they were confident to attend. 27% of respondents said “let’s get on with it!” Question two was “have you attended any virtual (or hybrid) trade events during the period of Covid-19? If so, what are your views on them? An interesting split in responses with 60% of respondents stating that they did not attend any virtual (or hybrid) events during the
pandemic. This clearly suggests a lack of perceived value in these events for many. Those that did attend virtual events did not have anything positive to say about them saying that they “did not like it at all and that trade events are all about networking, sharing knowledge and meeting suppliers face to face.” And “not the same as a live show… not possible to really look at the equipment and pick up brochures.” Participants were also asked “what would you particularly wish to see included in the next live Plantworx show? Visitors were driven by new technology and measures to minimise the environmental impact in using plant and machinery. Also, the appetite for knowledge was a key message coming from the responses to this question, particularly around technological advancements aimed at tackling climate change. Visitors see Plantworx as a ‘custodian’ of knowledge and influence in bringing industry partners together to meet the challenges of tomorrow. With such positive responses and a clear appetite for attending live construction shows and technology, Plantworx will be hosting a two-day technology event in March 2022 – read more about this event on page 31 of this issue of Construction Worx.
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The NPORS / CSCS Card Get One - Get in - Get On! Most people in construction are familiar with CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) cards. It’s the card that provides proof that individuals working on construction sites have the appropriate training and qualifications. At NPORS, we can turn around our CSCS cards in 24 hours*, allowing you to be on site faster with a smooth transition. We are proud to offer employers the flexibility to train their workforce on site as well as at dedicated test centres throughout the UK. THE NPORS CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY SCHEME The Construction Site Safety Scheme (CSSS) is a collection of health and safety training courses covering operative, supervisor and management training. These courses have been developed to support industry by providing the understanding and expertise to manage concerns including risks and environmental matters. THE CSS SCHEME: • Site Safety Awareness, 7hour (SSA) • Construction Site Safety Supervisor (CSSS) • Construction Site Safety Manger (CSSM) All courses within the CSS Scheme have been approved and mapped by CITB allowing for grant claims. The Construction Site Safety Scheme courses are recognised by BuildUK. NPORS stands firms on the principles it was founded on, with standards and safety a priority. Join the NPORS community today! Go to our website or call for more information npors.com | 01606 351240
NPORS is an approved CSCS Partner Card Scheme.
* Providing myNPORS was used and all fees paid by your training provider when making the application.
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The CEA, hosts of the Plantworx construction exhibition, has joined forces with The Supply Chain Sustainability School to deliver a future technology event Futureworx. The new event is taking place on the 30th and 31st of March 2022 at the East of England Arena, in Peterborough, and will showcase the latest in technology and cutting edge innovations to make the workplace safer, smarter and more sustainable, as we head down the road to net-zero. The event will focus on people plant interface management, telematics, the connected site, GPS systems, safety systems and advances in autonomous and electric and hydrogen machinery. The show aims to highlight sustainability, productivity and advances in future fuels such as hydrogen, electric and HVO. This new technology showcase was first mooted by engaging with Plantworx stakeholders asking ‘what they wanted to see at an exhibition’ and indeed if they were ‘ready to attend live events following the COVID pandemic’. The results from the survey were quite clear with the majority of respondents saying they were very keen to get ‘live, interactive and in person’ events back on track. The Plantworx team followed this survey, conducted by Gobby Surveys, up with a twitter poll and autonomous vehicles, machine technology and alternative fuels were at the top of the poll. Futureworx will bring together industry professionals keen to find out what is in the pipeline of ideas and technology which will shape tomorrow's construction equipment experience. The two-day event will also include conference sessions, live product demonstrations and technical talks. On the first evening of the event Futureworx will host the Plantworx Awards evening in partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School.
The event will see a welcome return of networking, innovation and collaboration - the future is now! James Cadman, Head of Consultancy and Carbon at Action Sustainability explains the work of the Supply Chain School, “The School’s role is supporting businesses across the built environment sector in becoming more sustainable – environmentally, socially, and economically. Through our collaborative engagement work, and the knowledge we provide, more organisations are switching their business models to ones that are more forward looking, with sustainability principles woven through everything they do. James continued “Our partnership with the CEA and Futureworx will provide the SCSS, along with our partners and members, the perfect platform to engage with the sector to help promote and develop the skills and competence within the supply chain on key sustainability issues, and develop carbon reduction techniques, so they feel confident that they can engage with their clients on those topics. This benefits everyone: client, contractor and the wider community. We are very much looking forward to the event.” Rob Oliver, CEE (Construction Equipment Events) Director, hosts of Futureworx commented, “This is an exciting development for both the CEA and Plantworx. Virtual presentations of technological innovations have their place, but educating and exciting industry professionals on what the future holds is best done face-to-face with practical demonstrations. We see this as a service to both CEA members and the wider construction community. It’s all part of our Plantworx mission”. To find out more about this event and if you have an innovative technology you would like to showcase, please email thefuture@plantworx.co.uk.
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Driving to net zero construction machines Around the globe, construction equipment lies at the heart of economic growth. Construction machines – such as bulldozers, wheel loaders and excavators – are the work horses of the modern world, enabling us to build the infrastructure of the future. They are also significant emitters. CEA member, Danfoss believes the journey to net zero construction machinery begins today… Worldwide – construction machinery emits around 400Mt of CO2 annually – equivalent to ten times the annual emissions of Denmark. Many of these machines are to be found in urban areas, where particulate emissions as well as CO2 are a major concern. The world’s cities occupy just 3% percent of the Earth’s land but account for 60-80% of energy consumption and 75% of CO2 emissions. As we drive to net zero - we need to find ways to decarbonize these power-hungry machines. To improve air quality, reduce CO2, and make lives better for us all. Industry recognises this, but whilst ambitions are high, the solutions and journey towards achieving targets are not clear at all. The long duty cycles and very high power demands of big machines means there is no simple road to zero. At Danfoss, we believe we have found a way – by combining radical improvements in system efficiency together with electrification, we can lower global excavator emissions by 30 percent by 2030. This is not easy. It is ambitious. But it can be done. It requires the rapid adoption of existing, proven technologies. And we can begin today.
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Excavators – the journey starts here Our journey begins with excavators. Excavators account for 50% of all CO2 emissions generated by construction machinery, making it paramount that new solutions are introduced in this sector first. Although alternative low carbon powertrains are already available for mini excavators, around 90% of CO2 emissions come from machines of ten tonnes or more – so our focus starts here.
Electrification and efficiency – the road ahead To understand the potential routes forward, Danfoss has conducted a rigorous analysis of the global excavator market. We have included every excavator in operation today and have used the best market data to calculate how this sector will grow this decade. Our analysts examined the complete lifecycle CO2 footprint of each excavator class – whether standard or fully-electric – from day one of manufacture, through to operations and ultimately to end of life. And rather than considering the impact a single technology could
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have on an individual excavator, our analysis includes the total effect of a number of different market adoption scenarios across the global market. As a base case, we looked at incremental changes to excavator systems which, although they would have some impact on CO2 emissions, would not deliver the change expected. Electrification is clearly a key trend, and Danfoss is at the forefront with our groundbreaking Editron® electric drivetrains. However, our analysis found that, even in the most optimistic best-case adoption scenario, electrification alone will only reduce emissions for the excavator sector by 12% by 2030 . However, if we achieve a step change in system efficiency – through the adoption of Digital Displacement® technology – alongside increasing electrification, then we calculate the sector can achieve a 30% reduction in overall CO2 emissions by 2030. Achieving a 30% CO2 reduction for excavators produced in the year 2030, would result in a total reduction of 80MT CO2 during the expected lifetime of these excavators.
Digital Displacement – a ‘no regrets’ technology The excavator of today is extremely inefficient. Between the engine and the bucket, more than half of an engine’s power is wasted as heat in the fluid power system. At Danfoss we have developed a unique Digital Displacement® hydraulic pump, suitable for diesel, hybrid and fully electric off-highway machines. This hyper-efficient, digitally controlled, pump radically reduces system losses – by 30% or more. This ground-breaking technology has been designed by Danfoss to be easily integrated into standard machines. And because it is controlled through software, it can be configured to suit the excavator type, market or operator’s preferences. This offers a straightforward route to improved efficiency and control – and a gateway to the connected world of tomorrow. The improved system efficiency a Digital Displacement pump brings is a crucial enabler to achieving the 30% reduction target. By tackling efficiency head-on, Digital Displacement immediately reduces emissions in diesel and hybrid machines and improves the business case for electric powertrains Better systems efficiency means smaller batteries and / or longer duty cycles for battery powered machines – lowering capex, opex and thereby accelerating market adoption. Our calculations show that an electrified excavator with Digital Displacement will have a better total cost of ownership (TCO) than a standard diesel engine within the near-term (five year) horizon.
30% by 2030 – an achievable goal Decarbonizing off-highway vehicles is a challenge. And to achieve a 30% reduction in global CO2 is an ambitious goal. But, if we take bold steps and begin now, it can be achieved. Better efficiency through the widespread adoption of Digital Displacement pumps is a crucial, no-regrets, first step which, when allied to increasing take up of electric and hybrid power drives, gives the industry a credible route map. In our analysis, to achieve a whole sector reduction of 30% by 2030 the industry will need to accelerate battery electric vehicle adoption to around 40% in the 10-35 tonne class; alongside the adoption of Digital Displacement in 48% of machines. If these adoption rates are not met, we can still achieve 24% CO2 reduction through a battery electric adoption rate of 30% and a Digital Displacement share of 40% in the 1035 tonne class. In addition, we believe more efficient operator behavior, enabled through enhanced controls and operator training could help close the gap to 30% or even further exceed it. These scenarios suggest we must begin now. Early adoption of Digital Displacement technology, alongside an acceleration of electrification, will enable OEMs to plot their own road map ahead, confident that reduced cost and improved efficiency will meet customer demands and the industry’s decarbonization ambitions. This approach will offer customers machines that are more efficient, more productive and cheaper to run – leading to more rapid market penetration. And looking further ahead to hydrogen powered machines – improved system efficiency is a ‘no regrets’ solution for today which improves the business case for adopting other technologies in the future. Better efficiency means less fuel – whatever that fuel may be. At Danfoss we believe the journey to net zero construction machinery begins today.
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Total recently rebranded as TotalEnergies signalling its intention to become a broad energy company
MEMBER PROFILE
TotalEnergies - the journey to carbon neutrality Total recently rebranded as TotalEnergies signalling its intention to become a broad energy company. Across all areas of the business there is a strong focus on sustainability and the new brand anchors its climate ambition to its identity. In fact, since 2016 the company has been taking steps to integrate the climate challenge into its strategy. Having set the ambition to get to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, TotalEnergies is undergoing a major transformation to fulfil its ambition to provide energy that is more affordable, reliable and clean.
Emissions The first part of this ambition is for TotalEnergies to become carbonneutral in its own greenhouse gas emissions from its own production facilities. It will do this by lowering direct emissions by improving energy efficiency, eliminating routine flaring, electrifying processes and reducing methane emissions. To address the residual emissions the company is developing carbon sinks, such as nature-based solutions, by investing in forests, as well as
34 OCTOBER 2021
carbon capture and storage. The second part of the ambition for 2050 requires the firm to jointly achieve neutrality with customers by working with them to reduce their direct emissions. TotalEnergies plan to contribute actively to its customers’ choices and provide them with lower-carbon energy products, and, depending on changes in their consumption patterns, help them use less energy and choose energy sources with lower carbon intensity.
Products The company is gradually reducing the average carbon content of its mix of energy products. To that end, it is taking decisive steps to ensure that gas and renewable energies figure more prominently. It is expanding its presence along the entire gas value chain, notably in the LNG market.
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Total EcoSolutions (TES) Established in 2009, the Total Ecosolutions (TES) label, which is on over 90 products, highlights innovative solutions that deliver better environmental performance than the leading products on the market. These include: ● Fuel Economy lubricants - by reducing engine friction they improve performance and efficiency, and because they’re so durable, fewer oil changes are needed and less waste oil is produced. They’re available for cars, motorbikes, commercial, agricultural and construction vehicles. ● ECO2 bitumens - TotalEnergies’ ECO2 bitumen products can be mixed at temperatures 40°C lower than normal with regular equipment, lowering the energy consumption of roadbuilders. And because its bitumens are so durable, road renewal is less frequent meaning lower costs, energy usage and disruption. ● Excellium fuel additives - the Excellium fuel additives the business has developed for diesel and petrol can result in a 5% improvement in fuel efficiency. ● Low SAPS lubricants - it has also developed a range of lubricants that are low in sulphated ash, phosphorus and sulphur. This means a reduction in the particulates produced by diesel engines – another win for the environment. ● Biolubricants - it has developed biolubricants for application in a number of industries. Made with substances from sustainable sources, they qualify as biodegradable with the relevant regulators. If they’re spilled, they break down and biodegrade naturally.
BioLife isoparaffins - pure, renewable isoparaffins have been developed in its labs and as well as being biodegradable they’re lower in aromatic, PAH and benzene content. Their use also translates into greater energy efficiency in a wide range of applications. TotalEnergies is also spearheading a range of initiatives from solar energy through to collecting and safely disposing of waste oils from customers. ●
Mobility In energy storage, TotalEnergies’ wholly-owned Saft subsidiary is pursuing growth. Saft is adhering to its goal for 2025 of remaining a leader in its traditional industrial markets while expanding into electric mobility as well as the booming energy storage system (ESS) market. The number of vehicles on the road worldwide could double to more than two billion by 2050, and more than half could be electric. As a stakeholder in this increasingly electrified future, TotalEnergies has said it is committed to offering integrated solutions, from supplying energy to providing a comprehensive charging service, allowing it to meet the needs of consumers (B2C), businesses (B2B) and governments (B2G). TotalEnergies’ transition to becoming a broad energy is well underway. By reducing its own emissions and indirect emissions and helping its customers reduce their emissions, TotalEnergies aims to realise its net zero ambition. https://totalenergies.com
TotalEnergies plan to contribute actively to its customers’ choices and provide them with lower-carbon energy products
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"Recognised by Government, Valued by our Members" The CEA represents over 130 companies in the construction equipment industry...
CEA MEMBERSHIP LIST A & Y Equipment Ltd www.aandygroup.com
DF Capital www.dfcapital.co.uk
Adams Cundell Engineers Ltd (ACE Plant) www.aceplant.co.uk
Digbits Ltd www.digbits.co.uk
Airboss Ltd www.airbosstyre.com
Doosan International UK Ltd www.doosanequipment.eu
Air-Seal Products Ltd www.air-sealproducts.com
Echo Barrier Ltd www.echobarrier.com
Amber Valley Developments LLP www.amber-valley.com
elobau UK Ltd www.elobau.com
AMI Group Ltd www.amigroup.co.uk
Eminox Ltd www.eminox.com
Armcon Ltd www.armcon-online.com
Engcon Ltd www.engcon.com
Ashtree Vision & Safety Ltd www.avsuk.co
Enigma Telematics www.enigmatelematics.com
ATG Ltd www.atg-global.com
Fablink UK Ltd www.fablink.co.uk
Beckers Industrial Coatings Ltd www.beckers-group.com
Fireward www.fireward.co.uk
Becool Radiators / Gallay Ltd www.gallay.co.uk
Fozmula Ltd www.fozmula.com
Bergstrom Europe Ltd www.bergstromeurope.com
Friction Marketing Co Ltd www.frictionmarketing.co.uk
BKT Europe SRL www.bkt-tires.com
FuelActive Ltd www.fuelactive.com
Blackwood Engineering www.blackwoodengineering.co.uk
G&M Radiator Manufacturing Co Ltd www.gm-radiator.com
Bobcat Company www.bobcat.com
Gate7 Ltd www.gate7.co.uk
Bomag (GB) Ltd www.bomag.com
Geith International Ltd www.geith.com
Brendon Powerwashers www.powerwashers.co.uk
Giant Crushing Ltd www.giantcrusher.com
Brigade Electronics Group Plc www.brigade-electronics.com
GKD Technik Ltd www.gkdtechnik.com
British Steel www.britishsteel.co.uk
Gomaco International Ltd www.gomaco.com
BSP TEX Ltd www.bsp-if.com
Gordon Equipments Ltd (Durite) www.durite.co.uk
Cab Glazing Services LLP www.cabglazing.com
Harford Attachments Ltd www.harfordattachments.co.uk
Cabcare Products Ltd www.cabcare.com
Hewitt Robins International Ltd www.hewittrobins.com
Caepro Ltd www.caepro.com Caldervale Group Ltd www.caldervalegroup.com CanTrack Global Ltd www.cantrack.com Caterpillar (UK) Ltd www.cat.com Clarios UK Ltd www.clarios.com CLM Construction Supplies Ltd www.clm-supplies.com CNH UK Ltd www.cnhindustrial.com Configit Ltd www.configit.com Cummins Engine Co Ltd www.cummins.com
Hill Engineering Ltd www.hillattach.com Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV www.hcme.com Holmbury Ltd www.holmbury.com Husco International Ltd www.huscointl.com Hydreco Hydraulics Ltd www.hydreco.com Hydrema (UK) Ltd www.hydrema.co.uk Hydrema Denmark A/S www.hydrema.com HYTORC Industrial Bolting Systems hytorc.com
John Deere, Worldwide Construction and Forestry Division www.deere.com KAB Seating Ltd www.kabseating.com Kawasaki Precision Machinery (UK) Ltd www.kpm-eu.com Kay-Dee Engineering Plastics Ltd www.kaylan.co.uk KHL Group www.khl.com Knibb, Gormezano and Partners www.kgpauto.com Kocurek Excavators Ltd www.kocurek.com Komatsu UK Ltd www.komatsu.com Kubota UK Ltd www.kubota.co.uk Leica Geosystems Ltd www.leica-geosystems.co.uk Linde Hydraulics Ltd www.lindehydraulics.co.uk LiuGong Machinery Europe www.liugong-europe.com Lycetts www.lycetts.co.uk Manitou UK Ltd www.uk.manitou.com McCloskey International Ltd www.mccloskeyinternational.com Mecalac Construction Equipment UK Ltd www.mecalac.com Merlo UK Ltd www.merlo.co.uk Miller UK Ltd www.millergroundbreaking.com Molson Equipment Services Ltd www.molsongroup.co.uk MP Filtri UK Ltd www.mpfiltri.co.uk National Fluid Power Centre Ltd www.nfpc.co.uk National Pile Croppers Ltd www.nationalpilecroppers.com
Rima UK Ltd www.rima-uk.com Route One Publishing Ltd www.ropl.com RSP UK Suction Excavators Ltd www.rsp-uk.co.uk Safesite Facilities www.safesitefacilities.co.uk Sandhills East www.machinerytrader.co.uk Sandvik Construction www.construction.sandvik.com Sany Heavy Materials (UK) Ltd www.sanyuk.com Screen Services (NE) Ltd www.screenservices.co.uk Selwood Ltd www.selwood.co.uk SKM Asset Finance Ltd www.skmassetfinance.co.uk SMT GB www.volvoce.com Southco Manufacturing Ltd www.southco.com SPAL Automotive UK Ltd www.spalautomotive.co.uk Steelwrist UK Ltd www.agcon.co.uk Strickland MFG Ltd www.stricklanduk.com Syncron UK Ltd www.syncron.com Takeuchi MFG (UK) Ltd www.takeuchi-mfg.co.uk Tata Steel Europe Ltd www.tatasteeleurope.com Taylor Construction Plant www.tcp.eu.com Taylor’s Trailers Ltd www.taylors-trailers.com Technical Services (UK) Ltd www.technical-services.co.uk Telestack Ltd www.telestack.com
NC Engineering www.nc-engineering.com
Terex Materials Processing www.terex.com/en/materialsprocessing/
Nylacast Ltd www.nylacast.com/construction
Thwaites Ltd www.thwaitesdumpers.co.uk
Off-Highway Research Ltd www.offhighway.co.uk
Topcon Technology Ltd www.topconpositioning.com
OnGrade Ltd www.ongrade.com
Total UK Ltd – Lubricants Division www.total.co.uk
Parker Hannifin - ECBU (Sweden) www.parker.com Perkins Engine Co Ltd www.perkins.com
TriMark Europe Ltd www.trimarkeu.com Volvo Construction Equipment Hauler Ltd www.rokbak.com
Plant Planet Ltd www.plant-planet.co.uk
We Predict Ltd www.wepredict.com
Phoenix Engineering Co Ltd www.phoenixeng.co.uk
Webster Technologies Ltd www.websterequipment.com
Rayco-Wylie Systems www.raycowylie.com
Webtec Products Ltd www.webtec.co.uk
Curtis Instruments UK Ltd www.curtisinstruments.com
Hyundai Construction Equipment Europe UK www.hyundai.eu
Danfoss Scotland Ltd www.digitaldisplacement.com
James Fisher Prolec www.prolec.co.uk
Red Dot Europe Ltd www.reddoteurope.com
Weston Body Hardware www.westonbodyhardware.com
Dawson Construction Plant Ltd www.dcpuk.com
JCB Sales Ltd www.jcb.co.uk
Red Rhino Crushers (UK) Ltd www.redrhinocrushers.com
Winget Ltd www.winget.co.uk
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For more information, visit www.thecea.org.uk
Correct as at 22/9/21
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Bullet points A quick skip through some of the activities and events in and around the Construction Equipment Association… ● Sad to report the death of David Barrell at the age of 97. David was the longtime Director General of the FMCEC, the CEA’s predecessor organisation. He was also the Secretary General of the Committee for European Construction Equipment (CECE), before it moved its HQ to Brussels. A charitable donation to the British Heart Foundation has been made in his memory. ● The Department for International Trade (DIT) has discontinued TAP (the Tradefair Access Programme) for official British groups at overseas trade shows. Nevertheless the CEA remains committed to organising a British presence at the BAUMA exhibition , in Munich (24/30 October 2022). Ask Joanna Oliver at the CEA office for further information. ● The CEA’s popular Power Hour webinars are planned to continue on a monthly basis. The most recent (September) featured speakers from the Association of Equipment Distributors (AED) – providing tips on accessing the USA market. There have been nearly 1,000 registrations for the Power Hour series to date. ● The 2021 CPA Conference is being held on Thursday 14th October 2021 at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre, Fillongley near Coventry. The theme of this year’s Conference is ‘Net Zero Carbon, and Digitalisation: The Challenge of Change for the Plant Sector’ .
● The CEA Management Council met in person last month for the first time since early 2020 – during pandemic restrictions the Council held regular online meetings. Amongst a number of decisions, the Council gave the go ahead to restore in person meetings of the CEA’s International Business Group (IBG) . The IBG offers a forum to exchange views, information and best practice in tackling overseas markets. ● National Highways (formerly Highways England) have published their “net zero” targets and set three challenges 1) corporate emissions net zero by 2030, 2) maintenance and construction emissions net zero by 2040, and 3) road user emissions net zero by 2050. The CEA and its members will continue to work with National Highways on their net zero mission. ● Mecalac’s Alexandre Marchetta takes up the position of CECE President from January next year. His father, Henri, held the same role some in 2008/09, representing the French member trade association (CISMA, now Evolis). The CEA has been invited to nominate the Vice-President of CECE, with a view to assuming the Presidency in 2024. ● In a ground breaking initiative the CEA and the Plantworx team have linked up with leading publishers, KHL , to produce a new fortnightly newsletter going to the CEA database and the Plantworx community – some 19,000 contacts plus extensive social media exposure.
● The CEA’s sustainability statement will inform our activity on a number of fronts going forward. It states, “We believe in playing a proactive role in helping our member businesses, their people and their communities survive and thrive in an environmentally sensitive and sustainable today and tomorrow… The CEA’s policy is to proactively engage with government, its agencies and industry stakeholders to facilitate the application of expertise for informed, practical and progressive policymaking as new environmental targets are set”.
● The CEA is working with, leading engineering consultants, Atkins, to assist Transport Scotland in exceeding their national environmental targets for their infrastructure development projects. This includes charting the predicted landscape for the adoption of greener power sources for construction machines in the lead up to a state of carbon neutrality.
● The CEA welcomes Chris Blin (HR manager, Caterpillar, Industrial Power Systems) as the new chair of the Association’s Skills, Education & Training (SET) Group. The Group is being reactivated after being unable to progress due to the covid-19 constraints. Contact the CEA office for further information.
● The CEA has joined the Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) organisation. CAFA provides guidance on reaching “net zero” for trade and professional associations – and offers a forum for membership bodies to exchange best practice on how best to help their membership meet environmental targets.
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ConstructionWorX DIGITAL
NEW FEATURE
Meet the management Series Introducing the people behind the CEA – here we talk to the chair of the CEA Management Council, Sam Mottram, who for his day job, is the Aftermarket & Attachments Growth Manager in the Building Construction Products Division of Caterpillar (UK) Ltd. My involvement with the Construction Equipment Association’s (CEA) Management Council began after a colleague approached me about an opportunity available to replace him as Caterpillar’s representative. He thought it would be a good experience for me and he was right! It has been a great way to engage with the UK industry while continuing my global role with Caterpillar. The UK construction equipment industry has provided me with opportunities in the UK and overseas, new skills, role models and a host of unforgettable experiences. It is rewarding to be in a position now to be able to give back to the organization and help others realize the same benefits. I began my career with Caterpillar in 2001 as a design engineer working on our telehandler products, which we manufactured in our Desford facility at the time. From there, I went on to serve in various commercial roles overseas before coming back to the UK in 2010. In my current role with Caterpillar, I am the global Aftermarket & Attachments Manager for our Building and Construction Products Division. My CEA role has evolved since first joining and today I Chair the CEA Management Council. The Management Council is the guiding voice to the CEA Executive Board, representing the membership. We guide the Executive Board on what members would like the association to focus on and execute in order to uphold the CEA’s mission to represent the construction equipment industry in the UK. The Management Council is made up of twelve CEA members who represent a cross section of
the total membership. From large multi-national Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to Small and Medium Entreprise (SME) suppliers, we work to ensure a strong cross section is represented. If any CEA members are interested in getting involved with the Management Council, we would love to have you! You can contact me directly. We are always looking for new members. The continued challenges brought on by the COVID-19 global pandemic and the changes related to Brexit are still top-of-mind for our members and we’ve worked hard to ensure that our membership stays well informed on those subjects. As announced on 1st September, I am delighted to have Suneeta Johal joining the organization as Chief Executive, replacing Rob Oliver. Suneeta’s background in association management and leadership will serve the CEA well and we are all excited to see what she can bring to the organization. I would also like to use this opportunity to thank Rob for his tremendous contributions over his 20 years with the CEA. He led with vigour, good humour and a passion and he will be missed! As we look forward, we’ve got a great opportunity to reflect on our direction as an association to ensure our path forward continues to serve our membership needs as well as the UK construction equipment industry. I would love to hear from the membership on how they think the association can continue to help and grow our industry so please look me up on LinkedIn or the CEA webpage to get in touch and share your ideas!
Keep up-to-date with the latest industry specific news!
Visit the CEA website now www.thecea.org.uk 38 OCTOBER 2021
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*Up to £100 a day applies to vehicles operating within the London Ultra Low Emission Zone from April 2019, and soon in proposed low emission zones (LEZ) across major towns and cities in the UK.
“A new event organised by the PLANTWORX team with the Construction Equipment Association & the Supply Chain Sustainability School” FUTUREWORX will bring together industry professionals keen to find out more about what’s in the ideas and technology pipeline which will shape tomorrow’s construction equipment experience. FUTUREWORX is a multi-forum in person networking event. Over two days it will feature:CONFERENCE SESSIONS PRODUCT DEMONSTRATIONS PRESENTATIONS TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITS & THE 2022 PLANTWORX AWARDS DINNER
“Partners of the Supply Chain Sustainability School include clients, major contractors and key suppliers who sit alongside a group of forward-thinking supply chain members; all with one mission – to deliver more efficient and sustainable projects”.
To register your company to learn more and participate in this new event, hosted at the East of England Arena & Events Centre (Peterborough), email thefuture@plantworx.co.uk
