Skip to main content

CEA showcase gets ministerial approval

Business Minister Mark Prisk visited a construction industry showcase at the Department of Business and Innovation Skills (BIS) in London yesterday. During the event, the Minister met Rob Oliver, chief executive of the CEA (Construction Equipment Association), who also represented Datatag; and senior figures from Terex; Taylor Construction Plant; JCB; Nyclast Ltd; and Perkins Engines. Each company had more than five minutes with the Minister to discuss their products and their concerns in the industry inclu
May 17, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Business Minister Mark Prisk visited a construction industry showcase at the 5586 Department of Business and Innovation Skills (BIS) in London yesterday.

During the event, the Minister met Rob Oliver, chief executive of the CEA (3418 Construction Equipment Association), who also represented 5463 Datatag; and senior figures from 1222 Terex; 5464 Taylor Construction Plant; 255 JCB; Nyclast Ltd; and 299 Perkins Engines.

Each company had more than five minutes with the Minister to discuss their products and their concerns in the industry including the skill shortage in the construction sector and how more encouragement and incentives from the Government was needed for UK manufacturers to export.

Speaking at the showcase, Prisk said: “The construction equipment industry is one of the UK’s most dynamic sectors, and contributes £8.5 billion to our economy each year. Most people don’t realise that the UK is the second largest net exporter of construction equipment in the world. Over 75 per cent of products manufactured in the UK are exported to 150 countries world-wide. That is an impressive figure.

"This showcase is just one of the steps this Government is taking to demonstrate just how innovative and world-leading our manufacturing base is here in the UK, and change perceptions that as a country we don't make anything anymore.”

CEA chief executive Oliver said: “We were delighted when BIS approached the CEA to stage the first ever construction equipment industry showcase at its headquarters.

“There is a growing awareness that Britain’s construction equipment sector is a major force in manufacturing and worth billions to the UK economy; this showcase is the perfect platform to shout about just how ‘great’ Britain is.

“The ‘Constructing the Future’ showcase is also all about encouraging new blood into the industry. Engineers, skilled operators – there are huge opportunities in the UK construction equipment sector which currently employs more than 55,000 people.”

The public is being encouraged to come and see the showcase until 25 May, 2012, and show their support of the UK construction equipment sector.

Related Content

  • Outgoing IEF president: More universities must share research with SMEs
    August 28, 2013
    The outgoing president of Europe’s largest engineering body is calling for more universities to give small and medium sized businesses open access to the intellectual property (IP) that they create. Professor Andy Hopper CBE is making the plea as he prepares to step down after his one-year term as president of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). “Tax payers are already funding the creation of innovative intellectual property in our universities, so it seems reasonable that more of t
  • IRF World Congress 2024: Christian U. Haas of Umovity interview ahead of the Congress
    October 1, 2024
    With its combination of software, hardware and services, Umovity accelerates end-to-end traffic planning and management globally. Christian U. Haas, chief executive of Umovity, recently spoke to the IRF ahead of the IRF World Congress to be held this month in Istanbul, on the challenges and opportunities facing the mobility sector.
  • Russia to become the world’s largest infrastructure market?
    February 20, 2012
    Russia should be one of the largest and most dynamic infrastructure markets in the world over the next 15 years, and now "the time is right to begin a major push." Patrick Smith reports
  • India plans major infrastucture investment
    February 10, 2012
    India says it turned its Commonwealth Games into a world-class success, and now it aims to do the same with its infrastructure. Patrick Smith reports. On October, 2010 India put itself on the world stage, and disaster appeared to loom as a catalogue of problems dogged its biggest ever sporting event. Costing nearly US$2 billion to stage, the most expensive Commonwealth Games ever were, according to some, in doubt.