New Date for CPA Conference and Introduction of Webinar Programme

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) has announced that the 2021 CPA Conference will now be held on Thursday 14th October 2021 at the Heart of England Conference and Events Centre in Fillongley near Coventry.

The conference was scheduled to take place on Wednesday 28th April 2021, however in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the long-term uncertainty regarding when mass gatherings can take place, it has been decided to postpone the event to later in the year.

The CPA Conference is a one-day event organised by the CPA, the leading trade association for the plant-hire sector in the UK. The CPA has over 1,700 members who supply 85% of hired plant to the construction industry.

In order to address some of the key issues for the construction plant sector prior to the CPA Conference taking place in October 2021, the CPA is introducing a six-month webinar programme.

CPA Chief Executive Kevin Minton said: “In this time of uncertainty, it is in the best interests of everyone if we move the conference to October 2021.  We look forward to coming back bigger and better than ever before with a programme that engages and addresses the issues of our time, whilst also looking ahead to the post-COVID age. Some issues won’t wait for the rescheduled CPA Conference in October 2021, so we are introducing a programme of webinars over a period of six months, to address some topics of immediate relevance and concern that we would have covered in at the Conference in April.”

The CPA webinar programme will kick off on Thursday 19th November 2020 with the theme of ‘Brexit: What do you need to do to prepare?’ Attendees can pre-register at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oT2DZ6XpR0SNhDRts5DOzQ

This will be followed by a webinar on Thursday 21st January 2021 with the theme of ‘Reducing Emissions and Working Towards a Zero Carbon Future’ and sponsored by Genquip Groundhog. Other webinar themes will include skills and a focus on independent hirers. Details of the webinars will be announced on the CPA website at www.cpa.uk.net but if you would like to be added to the attendee list, please email [email protected]

The 2021 CPA Conference will be the sixth CPA Conference to be held. Over the years, it has become established as an essential entry in the calendar for senior figures in the plant-hire sector. Previous speakers have included representatives from clients such as 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).

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. Merryn will encourage debate and audience interaction through a series of panel discussions with key people from across the industry.

As well as attending the Conference, delegates will also have the opportunity to visit a number of exhibition stands.