CPA Bulletin

10 CPA Bulletin > February 2024 www.cpa.uk.net CPA CONFERENCE: 1 CPA Conference 2023 Review Ready for the Challenge? Alan Guthrie reviews the CPA Conference 2023 which discussed present and future challenges facing the plant-hire industry and strategies to remain resilient. Challenges are inevitable in business and the hire industry reflects this, being involved so often in responding to urgent and unexpected customer requests, new regulations and emerging market trends. But surely there can never before have been a time when hirers faced so many pressing issues simultaneously, from political uncertainty, economic pressures and recruitment difficulties, to supply chain disruption, rising plant theft and the ongoing drive to Net Zero. The CPA chose its Conference 2023 to address such topics head on. Held on 9th November 2023 at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre near Coventry, the ambitious programme comprised four panel discussions, each focusing on different current and future issues under an overall title of ‘Facing the Challenges in the Plant-hire Sector’ . Speakers were drawn from both within and outside the industry to give a rounded overview, suggesting practical measures and strategies to adopt. CPA Chief Executive Stu McInroy opened the Conference and the four Conference sessions were chaired by Merryn Myatt, a former BBC news presenter who now specialises in media management and positive corporate communications. In the first, current issues facing ‘The Plant-hire Sector in 2023’ were discussed by four panellists: Asif Latief, previously MD of Boels Rental UK who spent 17 years with Sunbelt Rentals (formerly A-Plant) and who became Chief Commercial Officer at Speedy Services in January; Chris Gill, Director of L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage; James Atkinson, Vice President UK & Europe with industry data analyst Rouse Services; and Mark Anderson, MD North with GAP Group. Asif Latief stressed that, although challenges exist like financing new equipment and getting customers to pay a fair hire rate for it, it was important to remember that the construction sector is cyclical, so companies had to keep one eye on current issues and the other on the future. Hirers should ensure their fleets continued to reflect customers’ likely future needs and make necessary adjustments: indeed, several companies had recently auctioned off surplus equipment. “Position yourself and refocus on what you do now and where you need to be when the recovery comes,” said Asif. He said it was important to monitor costs and avoid unnecessary overspending on areas ranging from unterminated rehire contracts to charging correctly for deliveries and fuel services. And besides devising apprenticeships for new personnel, businesses should upskill existing people to increase staff retention when recruitment is so challenging. Asif also said he felt “short changed” by the King’s Speech in November outlining the government’s agenda, believing there was little understanding of construction industry issues and needs. Perhaps an equipment scrappage scheme might encourage adoption of new, eco-friendly machines that are typically more expensive. Indeed, Lynch’s Chris Gill wished the government showed more commitment and consistency. So little had happened by way of industry engagement and direction, it felt as though we had faced pre-election stagnation for years. A national, long-term strategy was needed to build our way back post-Covid and he welcomed the CPA’s earlier stated initiatives to gauge member needs so their interests could be represented to government. James Atkinson of Rouse Services believed there are many challenges, from high interest rates, rising equipment costs and rental rates remaining largely static. He said that the construction sector had been slow to embrace new technologies and digital services for greater productivity and that their adoption offered huge potential. He said that the same applied to artificial intelligence (AI). One only had to think of the impact that smartphones and apps had made on business in recent years, and implementing AI meaningfully could bring similar benefits.