| Back
to news topics
| Next news topic
HOT
NEWS
FEDERATION
LOBBYS MINISTER ON INDUSTRY CONCERNS
An
FMCEC delegation was received by Competitiveness
Minister, Alan Johnson MP, at the Department
of Trade & Industry headquarters, in London.
This was part of the Federation's ongoing lobby
concerning imports of noncompliant construction
equipment. The delegation was also able to brief
the Minister on other key issues and projects.
FMCEC
President, Bob Sutton of Caterpillar UK, recalled;
"We were looking for constructive engagement
with Government to explain our priorities and
concerns as British based manufacturers. We
feel that Mr Johnson was certainly listening,
particularly when we explained how the flood
of uncertified equipment into this country,
coupled with the high level of sterling, is
costing jobs. The Minister undertook to raise
the noncompliant plant issue with fellow Ministers
and we will keep up the pressure to keep this
matter on the political agenda". Official trade
figures suggest that some 3,000 incorrectly
CE marked or unmarked hydraulic excavators entered
the UK in 1999. British producers lost an estimated
£90 million of sales as a result, or the equivalent
of 900 jobs foregone by OEMs and their suppliers.
Representing
a smaller company perspective, Chairman of our
Export Marketing Group, David Redhead, was able
to recount his direct experience of the difficulties
of trading with such a high and variable level
of sterling. He said "Sourcing of raw materials
and components from outside the UK is on every
manufacturer's mind, as costs have to be kept.
down if we are to compete. However, for our
long-term interests we need a strong supplier
base in this country. We are in an unenviable
Catch 22 situation". His comments are supported
by a CBI report that points to the falling off
of manufacturing investment as margins are crushed
by the strong pound.
The
ministerial meeting was not all doom and gloom
- as the Minister applauded the FMCEC's efforts
in making good use of electronic communications
and reviewing the options to encourage good
practice on competitiveness issues. Other members
of the delegation were Federation officers Neil
Allen (JCB Sales), Dan Willis (Gomaco International)
and Chief Executive, Rob Oliver.
BRUSSELS
LOBBY
Rob
Oliver and CECE Technical Commission President,
Malcolm Kent (Komatsu UK), met with senior European
Commission officials to progress the EC's investigation
of noncompliant imports. The meeting was reported
to be 'very constructive".
The
Federation's Council will hold its first ever
overseas meeting in Brussels in June.
FMCEC
AGM CONFERENCE 2000
RAF
MUSEUM, HENDON
A
record number of over 130 delegates attended
the FMCEC's AGM Conference held earlier this
year.
FMCEC
NAME CHANGE
In
the last issue of Newsline we asked for your
thoughts on a change of name for the FMCEC...
here are a few suggestions - let us know what
you think:
|
