HOT TOPICS

CEA Represented at Major UK Trade & Investment
Advanced Engineering Sector Launch Conference

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) has amalgamated three industry sectors – Automotive (of which Construction Equipment forms a third), Aerospace and Engineering, to form a new super sector named Advanced Engineering. A major conference, opened by UKTI Chief Executive, Andre Cahn, was held on 13 and 14 March in Glasgow to launch the sector with representatives from all the industry sectors plus UKTI, DTI and Regional participation.

The CEA President, Paul Ross, and Exhibitions Manager, Joanna Oliver, were invited to the event to learn how CEA members, and the UK construction equipment sector as a whole, can benefit from this initiative. UKTI is the arm of the UK Government responsible for overseas trade and inward investment and gives grants through the Trade Show Access programme and assistance to companies wishing to export. The Sector group also assists the CEA and other trade associations to run overseas seminars, missions and information stands at exhibitions.

There was a remarkable degree of synergy between the sectors with much cross sector representation. The first company we met from Aerospace was one who had just joined the CEA to grow their business. It is hoped that UKTI will organise some cross sector events later this year to give manufacturers an opportunity to meet their counterparts in other sectors. 

The CEA is already well represented in the UKTI. Paul Ross was a member of the Automotive Sector Advisory Group and has just been appointed to the new executive Advanced Engineering Sector Advisory Group, which will play a major role in defining strategy and key markets for the sector. Joanna Oliver is an active member of the Automotive Sector Panel and has attended numerous UKTI meetings and working groups.

Further details can be obtained from :

Construction Equipment Association
Orbital House, 85 Croydon Road,Caterham, Surrey, CR3 6PD, UK
Tel: +44 (0)1883 334499 – Fax: +44 (0)1883 334490
E-mail: cea@admin.co.uk – Web: www.coneq.org.uk