The CPA has announced that the theme of its autumn conference will be ‘Net Zero Carbon & Digitalisation: The Challenge of Change for the Plant Sector’.
Plans are (currently) in place to hold the event live at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Fillongley, near Coventry, on 14/10/21.
The Conference itself is a one-day event organised by the CPA, the trade association for the plant-hire sector in the UK. The CPA has over 1700 members, who supply 85% of hired plant to the construction industry.
The 2021 event is held in association with Point of Rental software, and confirmed exhibitors already include Genquip Groundhog and educational charity, NOCN Group. Previous speakers have included HS2 and Highways England, contractors such as Skanska and Laing O’Rourke, major plant-hire companies and other bodies such as the Police and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
CPA Chief Executive Kevin Minton said: “In our dealings with CPA members and the wider industry, there are two key themes that always emerge as having a great impact on the future of our sector - striving to achieve net zero carbon and digitalisation. We thought it best to shine the spotlight on these two key topics and one will be addressed in the morning and the other in the afternoon of the Conference.
“The event will combine keynote speeches with panel debates and interactive discussion, and it will be designed to allow delegates to come away with better insight about how they can prepare their businesses in the post-COVID age. The intent is to hold the event live with all relevant COVID-19 guidelines adhered to, and we are also looking into bringing a virtual element to the conference for those who may not be able to attend in person. We’re also continuing with the CPA webinar programme over the next few months to address some other topics of immediate relevance and concern leading up to the Conference.”
The 2021 CPA Conference will be hosted by Merryn Myatt, who hosted the event in 2019 and introduced a brand-new format with a series of panel speakers. Merryn is a former television newsreader, presenter and journalist, having worked on local and national radio and television, including being senior presenter on The Money Channel.
