More speakers added to CPA conference

Following last year’s successful inaugural event, the second UK Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) conference takes place on 4 November this year, and new speakers have been added to the line-up.

The conference, which takes place at Wyboston Lakes Conference Centre, near St Neots, Cambridgeshire, is held in association with MHM Plant.

Speakers confirmed for the event include Jenny Elfsberg, director of Emerging Technologies at Volvo, who will be talking to delegates about Volvo’s technical developments in plant and machinery.

And PC Sonya Hill, a Prince’s Trust co-ordinator for the West Midlands Police, will also address delegates on the subject of the rehabilitation of young offenders through training, and helping them to find jobs in the construction industry.

Meanwhile, Sam Stacey head of innovation at Skanska UK, is scheduled to speak on the subject of robotics in construction. Contractor Skanska recently received a funding award worth more than £700000 (€946218) to develop the use of robots for on-site and off-site construction.

Also on the agenda is a talk by Paul Whitehead, supply chain team leader at Highways England, who will discuss the supply chain capacity and capability.

And the CPA’s Tim Watson will be talking about a new safety guidance which the Strategic Forum Plant Safety group is currently working on - preventing adverse consequences caused by unintentional movement of construction plant.

The CPA said more speakers were still to be announced. The conference will also feature an exhibition area, including stands from Datatag, Leach Lewis Rubber Tracks, Higher Concept Software, Towergate Insurance, HSB Engineering Insurance and AJ Gallagher.

New for 2015 is an outdoor exhibition area to allow exhibiting companies the display large equipment.