ConstructionWorX DIGITAL – June 2022 by Construction Equipment Association

THE VOICE OF THE UK CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT INDUSTRY

THE OFFICIAL DIGITAL MAGAZINE OF THE CEA

JUNE 2022

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THE OFFICIAL DIGITAL MAGAZINE OF THE CEA

JUNE 2022 09

Telematics 1 Cummins and Tierra connect for LiuGong’s digital solution.

Telematics 2 Tamara Baranova of ABAX UK champions the information revolution.

Telematics 3 Trackunit’s boss, Soeren Brogaard, gives his take on data sharing and connectivity.

Telematics 4 Flannery plant hire apply telematics to build their business.

WHAT'S INSIDE! 24

Market movements Latest from Off-highway Research.

Plantworx Good to Go! June’s 2023 event launches new features.

First Futureworx fans Reports on the new Plantworx promotion – bringing innovators together.

Introducing EPG New CEA member offers total warranty solution.

JUNE 2022

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From the Chief Executive Suneeta Johal Chief Executive

Construction Equipment Association

CEA Management Council Rory Keogh Gomaco International Ltd Sam Mottram Caterpillar (UK) Ltd Nick Ground GKD Technik Ltd Charles Stevenson JCB Sales Ltd Paul Ross Ricardo Plc Mark Ormond Manitou Kate Wickham MBE Gate 7 David Waine British Steel

I hope this issue of Construction Worx finds you, your families and colleagues well. I was hoping to write this with news that the war in Ukraine was over, but sadly Russia's invasion continues and has sparked further outrage internationally. Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families affected by this. The backlash from Covid-19 is a continuing global issue which is having a severe impact on the worldwide supply chain, escalating existing challenges relating to the pandemic. News of the cost of living reaching a 40-year high is also painting a gloomy picture of where we are today. However, I write this with some positive news from our sector, which despite many uncertainties, has remained upbeat with sales in the first quarter of this year closing at 2.7% above 2021 levels. The construction industry is making great inroads in terms of efficiency, automation and emerging technologies. Transformation is inevitable in every sector of our industry and the main theme in this issue is ‘telematics’ and how the Internet of Things and data is driving us forward. We recently hosted the Futureworx Technology showcase and conference which was a resounding

success. It was well attended by industry professionals and leading tech companies, and was a great insight into the future of the construction site. There's more about the event and conference in this issue. We are also excited to launch the long anticipated Plantworx 2023, which is taking place on 13th – 15th June at its Peterborough home. You can read all about our plans on page 26. As an association we continue to welcome new members and are working on important initiatives which will help to guarantee the continued success of the CEA and the sector in the future. Skills, sustainability and the road to net zero remain high priorities, with alternative fuels of particular importance since the demise of the red diesel rebate. I would like to hear from you about these challenges or anything else you would like to get in touch about – do drop me an email at suneeta. johal@thecea.org.uk with any thoughts or ideas. My very best wishes, Suneeta Johal Chief Executive Construction Equipment Association

Nick Allen SMT Damien McCormack Nylacast Engineered Products

Executive Board Charles Stevenson Nick Ground Mark Ormond Paul Ross

Honorary President David Bell

www.constructionworx.co.uk The Construction Equipment Association (also trading as CEA) Unit 19 Omega Business Village, Thurston Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2NJ. UK. T: +44 (0)20 8253 4502 E: info@thecea.org.uk W: www.thecea.org.uk PUBLISHER – Enigma Creative Unit 19 Omega Business Village, Thurston Road, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, DL6 2NJ. UK. W: www.enigmacreative.co.uk

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Louise Carney E: louise@louise-carney.co.uk ADVERTISING SALES Angela Spink E: angela.spink@thecea.org.uk EDITORIAL SUPPORT Rob Oliver E: rob.oliver@thecea.org.uk

Patrons Dr Susan Scurlock MBE Malcolm Harbour CBE

The Construction Equipment Association (also trading as CEA) is a company registered in England and Wales with company number 04930967. VAT number 243 3858 54. Registered Office: Unit 19 Omega Business Village, Thurston Road, Northallerton, England, DL6 2NJ. UK. © 2022 The Construction Equipment Association. Although care has been taken in preparing the information supplied in this publication, the CEA does not and cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions and accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage howsoever arising. Any views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the CEA.

JUNE 2022

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FUTUREWORX REPORT

On the Road to Autonomy National Highways unveiled a new industry-wide scoring system for Connected and Autonomous Plant for the first time at the Futureworx event. Project Manager Muneer Akhtar explains why the new CAP levels are needed and how they will help make automation ‘business as usual’ for the construction industry in the future. There is a digital revolution just over the horizon for construction and at National Highways we want to make sure that not only are we ready for this once-in-a-lifetime transformation but that we are helping to drive the changes through. We are committed to discovering and embracing new technologies which will fundamentally change how our roads are designed, built, operated and used as we develop the safer, greener roads of the future. The CAP Levels are another step forward on that journey and a huge leap along our Connected and Autonomous Plant road map.

They provide a common language to guide the industry towards transformative change. Other industries have already seen sustained benefit in productivity as a result of automation and there is now a huge opportunity for automation to transform construction in both improved safety and productivity.

Why is CAP important? We know that connected and autonomous plant offers a real

This diagram shows the vision of a connected site by 2035, enabled by CAP technologies

The Digital Roads revolution The ongoing digital revolution in the highways industry can reduce disruption to the public, improve safety, and offers significant environmental benefits. It can also increase productivity dramatically and generate billions of pounds in savings. Digital technologies and techniques are increasingly being introduced, for example, to automate some activities that require manual labour and human intervention but also involve risk.

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National Highways has set out its Digital Roads strategy on a new website. The web pages clearly set out the company’s Digital Roads 2025 vision for safer and greener roads and how the growth of digital technology and the move to electric, connected and autonomous vehicles will fundamentally change roads in the future. To visit the Digital Roads website click here: https:// nationalhighways.co.uk/industry/digital-data-andtechnology/digital-roads/

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Muneer explains the CAP Roadmap to the audience at Futureworx.

opportunity to revolutionise the construction sector by making work safer, quicker and bringing significant benefits for the environment. CAP has the potential to improve productivity by more than £200bn by 2040 in the construction sector and we are committed to making it standard industry practice. By establishing more collaborative relationships with innovators and academics we hope to continue to lead in this field. Working jointly with i3P, we launched the CAP Roadmap in June 2020 which identified challenges and workstreams to support a goal of making automation business as usual in construction by 2035. Our intention is for the CAP project to spread the many benefits of automation across construction, rather than limit it to highways. The benefits of automation in construction include: ● Improved safety by removing people from close proximity to machines ● Improved efficiencies from reduced rework and optimised tasks ● Environmental benefits through better productivity ● At later stages, fleet control will relocate operators away from the job site But to coordinate a sector-wide shift, construction needs a language tailored to its connected and autonomous plant needs.

What are the CAP levels? Key to progressing our road map is establishing this common language and a first of its kind framework to enable connected and autonomous plant to be specified and deployed on construction schemes. This means that all construction clients, like National Highways, can communicate clear expectations to suppliers and manufacturers can describe capability of their products using the same language. The Futureworx event was the perfect platform to showcase the CAP levels to a targeted industry audience which would most benefit by the introduction of this standardised measure offering clarity and a clear way to compare different types of machinery to suit different tasks. The term Connected and Autonomous Plant refers to construction plant that is connected to its environment through sensors or wireless transfer of data between a remote operator while the autonomy element refers to aspects of the construction vehicle’s operation and also movement around a site. An example of currently available technology is Intelligent Machine Control which guides excavators to dig to precisely the right level

and profile, meaning more efficient and easier working for machine operators. In future the operator may not need to be in the machine and could even control it from the other side of the world. The new CAP Levels Maturity Matrix enables plant and machinery to be scored according to its level of automation. The CAP Levels take a 4 stage plus 1 approach as described below. The first four stages deconstruct the processes required to carry out a task in a similar way to a human, and the additional component describes who or what is responsible for the machine: O – Observe U – Understand D – Decide A – Act R – Responsibility The roadmap and the CAP levels have been developed in collaboration with TRL – the UK-based global centre for innovation in transport and mobility – as well as i3P, Costain, original equipment manufacturers and over 75 industry stakeholders meaning they have been shaped by those who will be guided by them.

Call to industry At National Highways, we realised some time ago that steps should be taken to accelerate the development and adoption of plant automation technologies – but importantly that industry needed to be involved every step of the way. That is why we have worked so closely with i3P - the Infrastructure Industry Innovation Partnership - and more than 75 industry stakeholders to date. Although phase 2 of the project draws to a close with the publication of the CAP levels, this is the beginning, not the end. There are still refinements and iterations to be made. For example, the levels must be applied at scale within National Highways and CAP stakeholders to determine if there is adequate guidance or if some certification of machines and systems is required. We want to hear feedback from the industry and those that will be using the CAP levels. This is an ongoing process and we need as many relevant people involved as possible. If you have an interest in contributing to the development of CAP, please contact cap@ nationalhighways.co.uk

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TELEMATICS NEWS

Cummins and Tierra connect for LiuGong's digital solution Cummins report that the company is working with telematics service provider Topcon/Tierra to support manufacturer LiuGong. Cummins and Topcon/Tierra are collaborating to enable advanced diagnostics and troubleshooting for major components on LiuGong construction equipment to come through a single interface. This solution will improve equipment availability and reduce the total cost of operation by providing actionable insights that enable component care, damage prevention and faster service response. Telematics is used to improve operational efficiency of construction equipment at building sites, ports, distribution centres, logging sites and farms. Most of these environments have mixed fleets, and need a solution that is compatible across all their machinery. Cummins is working to offer digital capabilities with existing telematics services providers to support customer needs in a flexible manner. Cummins Connected Diagnostics wirelessly connects engines to enable continuous monitoring and diagnosis of system health and faults. Using telematics, this digital product delivers valuable data to fleet managers via mobile app, email or web portal. Ed Hopkins, Cummins Digital Partner Management Leader, explains the importance of connectivity to the future of supporting construction equipment: “With more information end users can make more informed decisions. Site managers can use the data to determine whether to stop machine operation or continue to the end of the shift by understanding the suggested root causes. They can gain an understanding in how long they have before an issue is likely to escalate to a breakdown or critical failure. This means that uptime can be maximized, with any potential fixes done more quickly. With the information provided in Connected Diagnostics, the correct parts, tools, and technician can be made available to resolve issues in an efficient manner.”

Sam Ternes, Customer Solutions Director, LiuGong North America, commented: “LiuGong is proud of the collaboration with these important supplier partners and the achievement to deliver a technical solution to our dealers and customers that will directly impact machine availability. With this advancement in diagnostic information and communication through the TopCon telematics system LiuGong will have a distinct advantage in minimizing machine downtime and getting repairs completed on the first service call. Using the expertise and advanced capabilities of Cummins Connected Diagnostics, LiuGong customers will receive timely feedback in the event of an engine related diagnostic code, allowing for continued operation where appropriate for scheduled repair, or instruction to stop operation to minimize the risk of further damage to the equipment.” Mohamed Abd El Salam, Tierra Product Management and Business Development Senior Manager, said: “Tierra adds new elements to its telematics solutions, offering a trusted and proven diagnostics service from Cummins. A system capable of adding even more value to our solutions and greater remote control of our customers’ assets, offering them higher autonomy, efficiency and a high ability to predict problems on the vehicle. This is just the first of a series of new, upcoming projects.” Tierra Telematic Solutions Tierra provides the complete telematic solution, from hardware to software, from a single SIM that works worldwide to customer support. The result is improved maintenance, increased productivity and costs and wastes reduction, thanks to remote diagnostics and reports and full remote control of all fleets. Tierra serves the major OEMs in Construction and Agriculture, but also the Automotive sector in Indonesia and in the ASEAN markets, through PT Weeo Solutions Frontier, based in Jakarta.

JUNE 2022

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TELEMATICS

Information, not data, is the new gold Despite being an industry quite literally built on hard graft and manual labour, the construction sector is far from excluded when it comes to the positive impact that technology can have on operational efficiency, cost savings, theft prevention and ultimately – gaining value. Tamara Baranova, ABAX UK explains… This year’s Futureworx event saw National Highways unveil a new first of its kind industry-wide scoring system for Connected and Autonomous Plant (CAP) to leaders in the construction industry. Attendees at the event were shown a demonstration of the new standardised scoring system, that is based on a machine’s level of automation. This clear and accurate information will revolutionise decision-making in the industry, allowing for an efficient way to compare different types of machinery for different tasks. It also highlights the growing acceptance of new technology and software and changing attitudes within the sector. In its most simple essence – the information provides value. While it’s often referred to as ‘data’, in reality, humans can’t process data. We need information that is structured, organised and processed in a fashion that allows us to make decisions and implement outcomes.

Information, not data, is the new gold The introduction of the new CAP system is one element of a wider process when it comes to turning data into information and information into decisions, and in some cases – into reports - in construction and heavy plant management.

10 JUNE 2022

A new era of information Plant and construction machinery tracking, via telematics, is something the sector is familiar with. It’s been utilised successfully to combat high theft rates, aid recovery post theft and increase visibility of machinery usage and tool location – but it’s become complex with in-built machinery tracking leading to sites juggling different types of tracking software at any given time. When tracking is utilised efficiently it has huge potential, not only in reducing thefts, but in helping to monitor fuel consumption and machinery usage – but as with any tool, it needs to be time efficient, as well as holistic to be of value. First, we must consider what information the construction industry needs to gather and collate to generate impactful outcomes. It could be: ● Information to run businesses more efficiently when it comes to the location of assets and their usage. ● It could be job specific requirements, such as evidence operating hours are being adhered to. ● Or it may be legislative, such as CO2 or SECR reporting. The Highways Agency new CAP system reinforces the need to observe, understand, decide and act but this volume of information cannot be gathered without the right software solution.

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Multiple systems for mixed fleets can be a drain on resources If your fleet consists of one piece of plant or machinery or multiple pieces from the same OEM – you have a smooth ride ahead. However, in reality, most construction or plant hire companies are operating mixed OEM fleets, and while each piece has its own fantastic software solution, a mixed fleet means that you are required to use multiple systems, log-ins, passwords, as well as the time and resource to collate the data from each system and find a unified way to report and analyse the information. That’s not to say there isn’t a consistent standard across these systems – but what happens if you have assets that aren’t covered by the ISO data standard, or other elements of the fleet such as vehicles and tools? We refer to this as asset compatibility.

True and full visibility over mixed OEM fleets can be achieved Alongside the above challenge, construction firms often come into difficulties over asset location. For instance, when operating fleets comprise vehicles, plant and tools, this could lead to a logistics question over staff delivering or collecting items, arriving on site, misplaced tools or stolen items. Today, asset tracking is not only a good idea, but business critical, as many of our customers can attest. For example, Wright Roofing Ltd shared with us: “From a couple of clicks on a computer app we know where the lads are, when they will arrive at their next destination and how long before they get back to the yard – so that we can get the next delivery picked and ready to go out.” While J McCann Construction said: “The ABAX system has helped us to become more efficient with less time spent manually locating equipment, vehicles and kit. We also quickly recovered stolen equipment worth £25,000.” With asset compatibility and asset location in mind, we created ABAX Smart Connect. A software solution that provides businesses with full control over a mixed OEM fleet, all while reducing risk and increasing efficiency – and being incredibly user friendly. ABAX Smart Connect complies with ISO 15143, connecting

data across your ENTIRE fleet from assets both with and without OEM connectivity. This includes all types of plant and machinery, vehicles and tools, to give you instant access to a sustainable, consistent format that allows for easy analysis. All of this happens in one platform with one interface, one log in and one set of reports that pull together information that covers a range of information points. With all the data you need in one platform you can easily see fuel consumption, spotting potential cost-drainers like unnecessarily idling machinery. On average, ABAX tracking solutions save users 18.5 per cent on fuel costs alone. Staff punctuality can also be improved, and machinery usage monitored too, so you can quickly identify issues but also keep an eye on servicing and maintenance. The evidence that telematics works in theft scenarios is clear to see, we’ve had customers recover stolen vehicles that have travelled over 150 miles, all thanks to ABAX GPS tracking. While JMC Construction had a very quick theft recovery: “Since having the trackers on our vehicles and plant, productivity has increased by 33% and a stolen van was recovered within 2 hours of being reported stolen.”

Realising the full potential of telematics – with just one screen But imagine trying to track plant and machinery in a theft situation across multiple platforms – it becomes a lot to juggle, and some misplaced or stolen items could be missed. That’s where Smart Connect brings huge benefit to sites and companies managing multiple brands of plant and machinery – they can still utilise the in-built telematics technology but pull all the vital data they need to have visibility over their entire fleet in one platform. Time is saved and the risk of error reduced. By harnessing technology to do the ‘heavy lifting’ of tracking, monitoring and reporting on ALL of your assets with information, companies are more equipped to meet business needs such as improved efficiency as well as contractual and regularity obligations. Visit ABAX for further information.

JUNE 2022

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TELEMATICS

Eliminating downtime with data sharing and connectivity Trackunit believe that the construction industry can eliminate downtime. Data sharing, connectivity and a commitment to sustainability are at the heart of that dynamic. Soeren Brogaard, CEO at Trackunit, talks to Construction Worx about its solution to prevent costly downtime. At Trackunit, we’re interested in the big questions. In finding out whether the impossible might actually be possible. Discovering solutions that matter. That could make the world a better, more sustainable place. While we may be just one cog within a vast and complex sector, we believe we can maximize our role and, with data and collaboration at the centre of our approach, connect stakeholders in construction to reclaim its position as a positive facilitator of future, sustainable development. That’s why we’re focused on eliminating downtime. For that to happen, telematics is the key. At Trackunit we’re building the services that enable the industry to

12 JUNE 2022

Soeren Brogaard CEO at Trackunit

work smarter and, through the ecosystem, become more connected. It means that our role in the ‘Eliminate Downtime’ movement is frequently reinvigorated with wave after wave of fresh innovation, making adoption the smart, business-savvy thing to do. In practice, that’s reflected in the products we develop. In March 2021, we launched Internet-of-Things device Kin in the European and North American markets pulling the essential non-powered equipment of on-site machinery into the Trackunit ecosystem. In other words, we thought big and went small! That has not only meant that on-site operators are able to track their equipment up to a 400-meter range mitigating against theft risk,

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they are also able to assess at all times whether a machine is being utilized effectively. To put that another way, it helps the battle against downtime. And with every new customer that process inevitably strengthens. It’s a principle that underpins our other products like Trackunit Go, Trackunit Manager, Trackunit Raw, Trackunit On and Iris. In fact, we are excited by developments in the Iris platform that we will unveil in the first quarter of 2023. The Iris platform is a set of software and surrounding ecosystem of resources that fosters growth. When we introduce software development kit tiles in 2023, we believe we will take connectivity to the next level as its value comes not only from its own features, but from its ability to connect to external tools, data and processes. That may sound complicated and a vast amount of work does go into making that platform effective, but we have high hopes that this will be a game changer for the industry. That’s something we’ll discover in 2023.

Strategic moves This evolution at Trackunit towards an ever stronger SaaS-product portfolio has also been a reflection of the strategic moves that Trackunit has made in the last 12 months. After five years of excellent partnership with Goldman Sachs and Gro Capital, we were delighted to welcome global software investors Hg on board in June 2021, in as clear a signal to the market as any that cloud-based services and applications are the effective way forward for Trackunit. That dynamic was given further impetus in September 2021 when we announced the acquisition of the industrial IoT division of Canadian telematics provider ZTR. A strategic move that was long in the planning, it was a significant milestone for Trackunit as it was a departure from our organic growth model, but one we felt we had to do as it was emblematic of where we want to go. It significantly boosted our presence in the North America market where we are excited to strengthen our go-to-market options and build our customer base while also welcoming 125 new employees

into Trackunit. That’s not been without challenges, but in the last nine months we have all adapted with great diligence to the coming together of two cultures with the aim of giving our people autonomy, ownership and the creative foundation to come up with great solutions to the big questions. It’s also added in 450,000-plus telematics-enabled assets under contract, and ZTR integrated relationships with 150-plus OEMs, giving the Trackunit Group more than 1 million connected assets at the end of 2021. That’s why there has never been a more judicious time to address downtime. We have the connectivity in place, we have the IoT tools to address it and those tools are in action today as we speak.

Walk the walk For that very purpose, we’ve also been active in facilitating an industrywide approach to eliminating downtime creating a framework and structure for key partners among OEMs, contractors and rental fleet owners to bash out the big issues that impact on the industry. For example, we stage regular Round Tables where we address the downtime dilemma and how we can use our data lakes to make it less of an issue. Simultaneously, we can help the industry move towards improving its record on CO2 emissions and help re-establish the sector as a force for good. But we don’t just want to talk the talk. We want to walk the walk. It means using such talks to create real industry consensus, and perhaps even to develop over time some kind of power effectiveness unit metric that we can all use as a barometer by which to measure our fleet performance in sustainability terms and, this is the important bit, take real-time action to control waste and make efficiency paramount. Through collaboration, we can facilitate that process. And that’s why our efforts are fully focused on incubating the ecosystem and an industry-wide approach to everything we do with the transparent sharing of data at the root of our vision. We believe that the impossible is happening. But we could make it happen faster. That’s our goal.

JUNE 2022

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TELEMATICS

Innovation, Telematics and a firm focus on the future Flannery Plant Hire runs its business focusing on five core values: ‘People’, ‘Safety Focus’, ‘Innovation’, ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Value’. The company consistently adapts its business to become more environmentally friendly and to keep workers across the construction industry as safe as possible. Flannery’s Strategic Plant Manager, Chris Matthew, talks to Construction Worx on how the company is embracing the digital revolution. Our goal is to make tasks safer, and often simpler, by evaluating new technical solutions, methods and processes. In our experience, innovation is the key to helping protect the people who operate and work alongside our equipment and to create day-to-day project efficiencies. This has led to our partnership with MachineMax on a state-of-the-art dashboard displaying fuel consumption, idle times and GPS tracking in real time for all of our digitally enabled plant on site. Together we are committed to pursuing ways of measuring, managing and improving fuel usage and consumption. This technology is now part of the HS2 Incubator Programme, which we believe is the perfect place to highlight its importance.

Real time, data-driven decision-making on site Before this technology, operators have been relied on to manually record their machine data and enter it into a centralised database,

JUNE 2022

Chris Matthew, Flannery Plant Hire’s Strategic Plant Manager

which led to frequent inaccuracies in reporting. By using MachineMax, however, all information can be recorded and reported accurately and immediately. Technology such as MachineMax provides a clear, genuine oversight for any project. Through having clear visibility of work through consistent and objective data, our clients are able to make decisions on the best volume and application of plant machinery when delivering their projects. Ultimately, this leads to improved revenue, decreased operating costs and, a drastically reduced carbon footprint and, most importantly, vastly improved safety statistics. Innovation not only applies to our plant fleet but to all the vehicles we use to support our clients. On top of working with MachineMax, Flannery have created an extensive fleet of digitally enabled plant, including the Caterpillar ‘Next-Gen’ equipment and Komatsu’s ‘Intelligen’ excavators and dozers. These machines are fitted with digital technologies such as 3D GPS machine guidance and control,

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Global Satellite Navigation Systems (GSNSS), Real Time Kinematic (RTK), site infrastructure design data and proximity warning systems. We’ve also developed an experienced team of people whose responsibility it is to work with our clients to promote and develop the use of the new and developing technologies. Our commitment to working with digital machine solutions also involves reviewing and upgrading our haulage fleet, ensuring that we can continue to operate one of the most modern, sustainable and fuel-efficient fleets on the roads today. All our haulage trucks are now ‘Euro 6’ compliant and are fitted with sophisticated telematics that are deployed to focus on driver behaviours, route planning and diagnostics for the truck. These updates ensure that Flannery truck drivers are some of the best equipped in the construction industry. Further alterations have been made to the trucks to advance their performance through equipping them with auto-idle technology, delivering substantial fuel and environmental saving as well as reducing noise within the communities we serve through automatic engine shutdown.

Visibility Our telematics give clients the option to track all of their machines online in a single platform. The equipment also identifies training needs in operator performance, helping to highlight areas that could cut down issues such as idling time and the number of machines needed on site.

Sustainability Cutting idling time and the number of machines on site reduces carbon emissions, as well as costs, both operationally and through a reduction in maintenance requirements.

Digital intelligence, human safety At Flannery, we’re committed to the safety of our operators and drivers, so we have introduced an Operator Fatigue Monitoring System. We have started to use sensor watches and caps that detect the pulse and blood pressure readings of our operators, as well as onboard facial recognition cameras that check for expressions and micro-gestures associated with drowsiness. This data is then used to alert operators and record working patterns so plans can be made to implement change from what that data then recommends. This increases efficiency and site safety, adding to the growing area of innovation in our digital machine solutions division. Our safety focus is further represented on our work with Costain and SiteZone Safety on the Smart Bubble proximity warning system (PWS). This is fitted on a range of Flannery excavators, aiming to enhance the existing SiteZone Proximity Warning System and minimise the inherent risk of incidents caused by People Plant Interface. The SiteZone PWS is an intelligent, audible and visual warning system that reduces the risk of vehicle-personnel collisions, and can be used anywhere that the proximity of people and vehicles working together is a cause for concern. The Smart Bubble innovation technology works with existing site protocols such as the ‘Thumbs Up’ procedure. Combining this technology provides a warning solution that creates essential awareness between the operator, pedestrians and other people working in close proximity to the machines. It also maximises alarm integrity and reduces the potential impact on operational performance, with a design that complements existing safety systems in the workplace. Data analysis allows monitoring of potential high-risk spots during machine operation, allowing immediate decisions to be implemented to reduce any injury risks. From technology like the FHOSS Red Zone safety system to proximity sensors and radar braking, we are constantly assessing the technology available and actively using it to help minimise the risk of the People Plant Interface. So, in summary, what is it about these solutions that makes the Flannery digitally enhanced machines stand out?

Safety This technology tracks no-go zones, monitors speed and also out-ofhours operation, which also prevents theft. Productivity is increased through the identification of bottlenecks, reducing cycle time and optimising shifts through tracking operator fatigue patterns. Our work with SiteZone means that there are no blind spots, as it detects pedestrians even when they’re not visible to the operator or when the plant is stationary. These telematics are task-specific, so the exclusion zone can be customised depending on the size of the machine, the equipment and the working environment. This detection zone is not then affected by the machine’s movement, and pedestrians remain detected even in more difficult environmental conditions, such as heavy rain or fog. The mutual awareness that is now created between the plant operator and pedestrians when working in close proximity is vital to reducing on-site safety risks, and the data collected from machines carrying this technology can be used to drive behavioural change across sites. The overall benefits of using digital machine solutions should be obvious to anyone operating in the construction industry as the world moves towards cleaner, greener and safer working practices. We have been exploring and using them for approximately 15 years and don’t intend to rest on our laurels. The pace of change is happening faster now than ever and we fully intend to stay in touch with and invest in the latest technologies available to the sector. We might celebrate our 50th year in the plant hire industry this year, and we could be forgiven for spending time being nostalgic, but our focus is very definitely on the future.

JUNE 2022

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HARD DATA

UK Construction sector – heading for a slow down? The CEA’s Market Analyst, Paul Lyons, looks at the latest machine sales data and construction market indicators predicting a general market slow down… Retail sales of construction and earthmoving equipment saw modest 2.7% growth in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the same quarter last year. This reflects a pattern of slowing growth, after sales reached “record” levels last year, the highest since before the financial crash in 2008. Sales reached over 36,000 units in 2021, as shown in the graph below, recording growth of 48% on 2020 levels, as the market recovered from the pandemic. As the market shows signs of cooling down this year, Off-Highway Research are forecasting that sales of construction equipment in 2022 will be relatively flat, showing growth of only 4% on 2021 levels. The climate of uncertainty has increased this year following the Russian invasion of the Ukraine and has added rising cost pressures to existing supply chain issues for materials and labour availability within the

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construction sector. This is expected to have a negative impact on the UK construction market and equipment demand in 2022. The pattern of sales for the major equipment types in the early months of 2022 has been similar to what was seen last year. Sales of Telehandlers (for the construction industry) have remained strong, and in the first quarter of the year have been just under 40% above 2021 levels. In contrast, sales of the most popular equipment type in the UK, Mini/midi excavators (under 10 tonnes) have shown much weaker growth, at just under 4% above 2021 levels in Q1. Construction equipment sales in the Republic of Ireland are also recorded in the statistics scheme run by Systematics International. The latest update shows that sales in the first quarter failed to match last year’s levels and were 1.5% below Q1 2021. This was not surprising after sales in the second half of last year had slowed to only a 2% increase on the same period in the year before. In 2021 overall, the Republic of Ireland saw equipment sales grow by 26% for the full year, after a strong first half year.

Construction output is expected to slow down in 2022 The UK construction Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) published by IHS Markit is a good indicator of sentiment within the UK construction industry. The April update is shown in the chart below and suggests continued growth within the industry but at slightly lower levels than the early months of the year. This latest survey also indicated the lowest new order volumes for four months and growing concerns about investment intentions and future workloads. In summary, further growth is expected within the sector this year but is likely to be at lower levels. The Commercial sector remained as the strongest performer in the April survey, while Housing remained as the worst performing sector. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that construction output in the first two

months of 2022 was 8% above last years’ levels. This follows growth of 12.9% for 2021, as the sector recovered from the pandemic. The Construction Products Association (CPA) published their Spring forecast for the UK construction market in May. This latest update shows a slowdown in the rate of growth expected for 2022 to 2.8%, compared with the previous forecast of 4.3%. This follows output growth of 12.9% in 2021, as highlighted earlier. The lower forecast for growth this year reflects the climate of uncertainty from global issues and the potential impact of price pressures on the industry due to both local and global issues. The UK construction industry is experiencing rising energy costs and supply constraints associated with the availability of labour and products. It is expected that the impact of these pressures will vary considerably for different sectors of the market. For example, strong growth is anticipated in the industrial sector, with a strong pipeline of warehouse projects due to the shift to online shopping. Infrastructure is also remaining positive due to ongoing work on projects such as HS2, Thames Tideway and Hinkley Point C. In contrast, repair and maintenance of private housing, which is very exposed to price inflation, is forecast to see reduced activity levels this year. See https://www. constructionproducts.org.uk/

Keep up-to-date with the latest industry specific news!

Visit the CEA website now www.thecea.org.uk

JUNE 2022

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NEW CEA MEMBER

How Geotab can keep Construction Projects on track Running a fleet of construction assets is a complicated business. Typically, a fleet manager will be running multiple projects and equipment needs to be on site at different times and locations. It’s difficult to keep track of where and how to use equipment in the most effective manner. New CEA member company, Geotab explains how telematics can effectively monitor your fleet. Keeping track of assets, and how to use them, ensures users can get the best performance from their assets.

Enhancing security

Improving driver behaviour

Geotab More than £800m is GO9 RUGGED lost to thefts from telematics device construction sites is ideally suited for every year, according a tough, off-road environment to insurance company Allianz. Not only does telematics enable you to keep a physical track of assets, but it can also detect when fuel has been interfered with. If a data readout shows a sudden drop in fuel-levels, it is a sure fire indication that the tank has been interfered with.

Do you know how your drivers perform when they are on site or on the road travelling between sites? With driver safety at the top of many companies’ agenda, it is essential to know how they operate assets during the working day. With telematics a company can see when assets are driven at excessive speeds or acceleration. Telematics can also judge idling times, when assets are sat with the engine on but not working. Fleet rental companies can use telematics to keep track of their assets but also how they are being used by operators. It is a useful track for those companies that are using assets incorrectly or are displaying bad driving habits. Improving driver behaviour, and reducing idling times, can have a significant impact on costs.

Maximising your assets Construction fleet operators often have assets in multiple locations providing services on different projects. But without telematics it is impossible to tell how efficient or effective they may be. They could be sitting idle for hours, or working to excess in order to complete a job they are under-equipped for. A telematics profile can show you exactly how your assets are being used and how they might be redeployed more effectively. The Geotab GO9 RUGGED telematics device is ideally suited for a tough, off-road, environment providing data in even the worst conditions.

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Predictive maintenance Companies need to ensure that assets are operating at peak performance at all times – downtime costs money a breakdown on site. That’s where predictive maintenance comes in, telematics can learn to spot when something could go wrong before it does. This can relate to tyre performance, oil changes, or engine variances. Telematics can help keep you on the right track.

Telematics can effectively monitor your fleet

For more information, contact Geotab on infouki@ geotab.com

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HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson and SCS Electric Crane Operator Leon Sobers

INFRASTRUCTURE

Major green milestone for HS2 as project announces first diesel-free construction site Canterbury Road Vent Shaft site in South Kilburn becomes HS2’s first completely diesel-free construction site. This is a major moment for the project in its journey towards net-zero carbon emissions from 2035. HS2 Ltd - the company building Britain’s new high speed, low carbon railway announced in May its first completely diesel-free site is the Canterbury Road Vent Shaft site in South Kilburn, where HS2’s civils contractor Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV) have introduced a range of diesel-free technologies and greener equipment. Earlier this year, HS2 Ltd announced that the project aims to be net-zero carbon from 2035, with the target of achieving its first diesel-free construction site in 2022, and all of its construction sites being diesel-free by 2029.

HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “HS2 is boosting transport across the UK, creating thousands of jobs and levelling up communities throughout the North and Midlands, all while leaving the environment better off than how we found it. “This, the first of many diesel-free sites, is another example of how the country’s biggest infrastructure project not only delivers on its commitment to be Net Zero from 2035, but is a pioneer in leading the whole industry to cleaner, greener construction.” Innovations on this site include one of the UK’s first 160 tonne

JUNE 2022

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emissions-free fully electric crawler cranes; the use of biofuels (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) to power plant and machinery on site; an electric compressor; and access to mains power on a 100% renewable energy tariff. HS2’s Net Zero Carbon Plan sets out how HS2 will achieve new carbon reduction milestones, support the decarbonisation of the UK construction sector and reduce the carbon footprint of the programme. Other sites are set to follow suit, with innovations including retrofit technologies, biofuels, hydrogen and solar power helping to cut carbon across the whole of the route. Peter Miller, HS2’s Environment Director said: “We’re delighted to reach this key milestone in our Net Zero Carbon Plan. HS2 is playing a major role in the decarbonisation of the construction industry, collaborating with the industry and our supply chain to accelerate innovation in low-carbon technologies. Reducing emissions and improving air quality on HS2 construction sites is crucial for both the environment and surrounding communities.” James Richardson, Managing Director of SCS said: “We’re thrilled that Canterbury Road Vent Shaft has become the first diesel-free site on the HS2 project. We’re working hard with our supply chain to introduce renewable energy, green hydrogen and sustainable biofuels to help us remove diesel entirely from our sites by 2023.”

Innovations being trialled and introduced on other sites include: ‘Clean Air Gas Engine’ funded through Innovate UK and led by OakTec, which replaces diesel power with ultra-low (bio-LPG) emission engines in Advante Welfare units and standalone units. ● ‘EcoNet’ developed by Invisible Systems, Balfour Beatty and Sunbelt which controls and reduces energy output from key appliances, reducing power demand by 30%. ● Non-Road Mobile Machinery retrofit solutions which add pollution control equipment onto older vehicles as an alternative to replacing the machine or the engine, reducing emissions. ● The CEA’s (Construction Equipment Association’s) CESAR ECV (Emissions Compliance Verification) which is a resilient system to show the EU Stage engine emission class of all construction plant. ● Proactive dust management solutions reducing impacts associated with on-site activities. ● Fully Electric Renewable Energy using solar and wind to power noise and air quality monitors, site security cameras and site briefing areas and solar pods powering sites by combining solar PV, battery storage and a back-up generator. ● Hydrogen Technology trials across sites considering both fuel-cell technology and combustible hydrogen solutions. Check out the new carbon free site https://youtu.be/GwWJWcGY_lU ●

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JUNE 2022

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DALE’S DIARY

Legislation changes and advancements in both the EU and the UK The CEA’s Senior Technical Adviser, Dale Camsell's report includes movement on the Machinery Directive revision and the Outdoor Noise Directive – and the CEA’s successful formation of an Industry Forum for trade associations sharing the common goal of ensuring government has the right expert opinion on UK legislation and regulations. In the European Union The revision of the EU Machinery Directive is advancing at a rapid pace. The process will shortly enter its final stage, whereby the three institutions (European Parliament, European Council, European Commission) enter trialogue discussions in order to find compromises in their positions enabling them to finalise the legal text.

It is likely that the final version of the legislation, which will be in the form of a regulation rather than a directive, will include a number of new requirements that will lead to an increase in the burden of manufacturers' compliance efforts. Of note is the European Commission’s proposal that manufacturers will not be able to selfcertify machinery that falls within Annex IV of the current Machinery Directive. This means that manufacturers would be forced to use

JUNE 2022

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third-party notified bodies in order to certify those products. However, both the European Parliament and European Council have softened their approach and are proposing to significantly reduce the number of products that require third-party assessment. We await the outcome of the trialogue negotiations on this critical matter. Another core aspect of the revision is the transition period, i.e. the period between the current directive being phased out and the new regulation being phased in. It is likely to be somewhere between 30 and 48 months, with industry pushing hard for the latter. Not only is the longer time needed for manufacturers to modify their products so that they remain compliant with the new requirements but sufficient time is needed to amend the 800+ harmonised standards that provide a presumption of conformity with the legislation. This regulation will form the basis of placing machinery on the EU market, hence is critical to manufacturers. Another piece of legislation that is fundamental to placing products on the EU market is the Outdoor Noise Directive. It is also undergoing revision, which will take place in two phases; the first being to update the test codes contained in Annex III of the directive and the second phase being an update of the entire directive, including probable changes to noise limit values. The update to the test codes is only supposed to be limited to those products that are not listed in Article 12 of the OND, i.e. those that have noise limits applied. However, the European Commission intends to update the entire content of Annex III, including the test codes of Article 12 machines. The good news is that where an update to a test code of

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an Article 12 machine would result in the machine exceeding the limit value, the value according to the old test code can continue to be used. Unfortunately, the updating of the test codes will require all products that fall within the scope of the OND to be retested according to the new test codes. The Annex III revision is due to be finalised by the end of this month.

In the United Kingdom The UK equivalent of the EU Machinery Directive is the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations. It is pretty much a copy of the EU legislation, modified to take into account the UK’s departure from the EU. Earlier this year, the UK government carried out a consultation on whether the UK regulation was still fit for purpose and, if not, what needs to be changed. This was a very important consultation since the UK machinery regulation is fundamental to placing machinery on the GB market. The CEA’s response to the consultation was that the regulation is currently fit for purpose and does not need to be changed. However, the CEA notes that the EU Machinery Directive is currently undergoing revision and members would prefer a general alignment of the two pieces of legislation. Therefore, in principle, the CEA would like the UK regulation to be revised to be in line with the new EU regulation but will reserve judgement on the specifics until such time as the new EU regulation is published. We await the outcome of the consultation. Since the UK consultation on the machinery regulation is likely to be the first of many such consultations going forward, the CEA felt that it would be a good idea if a forum, comprised of UK trade associations, was created; its purpose being to form joint positions on matters that are of mutual regulatory interest. We therefore invited those associations that represent machinery manufacturers to an inaugural meeting of this group, which was agreed to be titled the “UK Equipment and Machinery Industry Forum”. That formation meeting (in March) was kindly hosted by GAMBICA. It attracted an excellent attendance, with representatives of ABMEC, AEA, ALEM, AMHSA, BCAS, BITA, CPA, GAMBICA, IPAF, LEIA, MTA, as well as CEA being present. Further associations are expected to join the follow up meeting, which is imminent. One post-Brexit matter that had led to regulatory confusion was the situation regarding the movement of second-hand goods between UK and EU, i.e. do goods that were legally placed on either market prior to the end of the transition period have to comply with the latest regulations at the time they are moved to the other market for resale (or even just to be temporarily used before being returned to their original market), e.g. rental equipment. Recent guidance from UK brings clarity to the matter; the guidance makes it clear that free movement ends once product has reached the first end-user, meaning that second-hand goods must comply with post transition period requirements if they are to be transferred to the other market. Exemptions are products that were manufactured in Northern Ireland and repeated hire of an EUbased machine that was first hired in GB prior to 1st January 2023. Finally, the Department for Transport have announced a delay to the implementation of the full GB type-approval scheme covering NRMM engines. The provisional scheme will still come into force on 1st January 2023 but the full scheme, which was due to have been implemented on 1st January 2024, is to be delayed and will likely come into force during the mid-2024. Find out how you can join the CEA’s General Technical Committee, for a ringside seat on regulatory and standards developments, email: info@thecea.org.uk.

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MARKET REVIEW

Record high for Global Equipment Sales Global equipment sales hit unprecedented levels in 2021, and demand will remain strong this year as manufacturers fulfil their order backlogs. Beyond that, it is not yet clear what impact the war in Ukraine will have on already worrying inflationary pressures, and how this will translate to the equipment markets. The rebound in global construction equipment sales which began in the second half of 2020 continued almost unabated last year. As a result a record of nearly 1.2 million pieces of construction equipment were sold around the world in 2021 – a 9% rise on the figure in 2020 (which was, of course, impacted by the Covid pandemic). The only major market to fall last year was China. After aggressive stimulus spending was put in place in March and April 2020, the market grew 30 per cent that year to levels not seen since the (also stimulus-driven) boom of 2010-2011. However, by the second quarter of 2021 that impetus was spent, and sales in China started to decline sharply. The overall result was a 6% decline in equipment sales in China in 2021. But most other markets in the world had excellent years in 2021. The most striking improvements were in Europe and North America, which were up 22 per cent and

JUNE 2022

19 per cent respectively, while sales in India increased by 10 per cent. Meanwhile in Japan, this normally flat market saw a modest rise of 1 per cent. Sales in the rest of the world, which is all the countries not explicitly named above – essentially emerging markets, excluding India and China – rose 24 per cent. There were three fundamental drivers of growth in 2021. First, the extraordinarily low interest rates which have prevailed around the world since the start of the pandemic have been a strong positive for the residential building market. These have stimulated building by developers and encouraged homeowners to move to bigger properties or extend their existing houses – in many cases in response to the move to home working for many previously officebased jobs. The second driver has been stimulus spending and other infrastructure

investment by governments around the world. Although it is debatable to what extent these plans contain genuinely new projects, and to what extent activity got underway in 2021, just the announcement of schemes has been enough to reassure contractors and rental companies that there is a reliable pipeline of work ahead. This in turn has given them confidence to invest in new equipment. Third in the list of drivers are the high commodity prices which have developed over the last 12-18 months, and which of course have been pushed to even greater levels by the economic fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. High prices encourage commodity producers to invest in their fleets - either to renew aging machines or to increase production and benefit from the higher prices for the materials they produce. However, all these positives pushed demand for equipment beyond what could

ConstructionWorX DIGITAL

Global sales of construction equipment by region, 2017-2026*(Units)

be met by the industry in 2021, particularly in the face of component shortages and bottlenecks in global transportation networks.

Outlook After turning a corner a year ago, the Chinese equipment market continued to fall in the first quarter of 2022. The usual March buying spree following the spring break did not materialise for some equipment types, leading to the weakest first quarter in some classes for five years. At the time of writing, the situation did not look positive. A string of strict city-wide Covid

Contributed by Chris Sleight, Managing Director Off-Highway Research who generously make their reports and market information available to the CEA.

lock-downs have further choked Chinese economic growth, while the stimulus spending of two years ago has run its course, leaving a large number of young machines sitting underutilised in the general population. Having said that, the Chinese government has a useful habit of being able to find a few hundred billion Dollars when its economy needs a pick-me-up, so there may be more spending to come if the powers that be feel the need to boost the economy. The difficulty from the point of view of forecasting is that such measures tend to be sudden and rarely signposted in advance. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, the outlook for 2022 looks strong, despite the impacts of the war in Ukraine and the associated sanctions. These are likely to exacerbate existing issues of rising costs and component scarcity, so could mean even higher prices and longer lead times for construction equipment. But the practical reality in 2022 is that many manufacturers and distributors are already sold out for the year. That provides some certainty that sales will be strong again this year, and that markets will grow if the supply of machines allows it. It may also affect the competitive landscape in Europe, with sales being won by those who can supply the quickest. Chinese manufacturers looking to offset the downturn

in their home market may reap rewards, as several did in 2021. In 2021 the number of machines sold in Europe was the second highest volume on record, with only 2007, the peak year of the booming 2000s, seeing more sales. That means the region could see record sales this year, and a similar result looks likely in North America. The outlook beyond this year is more questionable, and more downbeat. Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, inflation was a problem. This stemmed from governments and central banks over-stimulating their economies in response to Covid and failing to react soon enough when this became apparent. The analogy of old generals fighting the last war (the global financial crisis) feels spot-on. As a result, interest rates around the world are likely to rise significantly this year and the chances are this will trigger a recession. These problems are exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The resulting economic sanctions against Russia are designed to stop it from funding its aggression by selling commodities. An unfortunate consequence of this is that because Russia is such a significant producer of oil, gas, metals and grain among others, that already high commodity prices have rocketed. A positive is that this encourages other commodities producing countries to increase their output to lessen the crisis and benefit from selling at higher prices. That requires construction and mining equipment. However, the heightened inflationary pressures are a much more significant problem than the upside of this unlooked-for commodities boom. A further threat which is specific to the construction equipment industry is the very high population of young machines which are now active around the world. There have only been two previous peaks when global equipment sales exceeded 1 million units – just prior to the global financial crisis when the market overheated and then again in the early 2010s, driven by stimulus in China. In both cases, annual sales of more than 1 million units of equipment were only sustained for one year – 2007 and 2010. But 2022 is likely to be a fifth consecutive year of annual sales in excess of 1 million units. When a slowdown in activity comes, excess young equipment in fleets around the world could be a barrier to new machine sales, exacerbating any slowdown for the industry.

For more information about their services, visit www.offhighway.co.uk JUNE 2022

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Plantworx is BACK! Dates and venue confirmed for Plantworx 2023 After a hiatus, due to the COVID pandemic and making way for the Hillhead show, the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) is delighted to confirm the venue and dates for the next Plantworx trade show. The 5th biennial construction machinery exhibition will be held on 13-15 June 2023, at the East of England Arena and Events Centre, Peterborough. The CEA have taken the decision to host Plantworx once again at the East of England venue, following positive feedback from exhibitors and visitors who attended the 2019 event, which was deemed a resounding success. The permanent exhibition facilities offered by the East of England Arena provided the perfect platform for exhibitors to showcase their products, equipment and services – introducing the latest plant and technology to the UK construction industry. Visitors also applauded the Plantworx show’s new home, praising the ‘all weather’ venue as a ‘definite winner’, with its permanent walkways, good communication signals and wifi facilities – which allowed visitors to ‘do business – while doing business’! The 2023 event is predicted to attract over 450 exhibitors from the world’s leading machine manufacturers, suppliers and service providers.

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Over the three-day event, visitors can expect to see the very latest in technological advancements and innovations which will impact the future of construction. The show, which will be the ‘largest working’ event in 2023, is planning a comprehensive demonstration programme where exhibitors can put their machines through their paces in ‘real-site’ conditions. The event team also has some new initiatives in the planning – so watch this space for more news. CEA, chief executive Suneeta Johal said, “Plantworx 2023 will be my first show as CEO and I am very much looking forward to it. I believe with the amount of new and emerging technology this event is set to be the best yet. There’s a real appetite for attending ‘in-person’ exhibitions again. Our recent Futureworx technology exhibition proved to be a great success – and there was a real buzz amongst both the exhibitors and visitors.” Suneeta added, “The East of England arena is an established exhibition venue and with the great support from our loyal exhibitors, and a targeted visitor programme, we are confident of delivering a

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memorable and valuable experience.” Simon Frere-Cook Plantworx event director said, “Planning for Plantworx 2023 is now well underway as we build on the successes of 2019. With so much importance being attached to the working demonstrations, we have undertaken an extensive survey of the grounds at the East of England Arena so that we can spread the demonstration plots and improve the footfall throughout the site. There will also be a focus on technological advancements, helping the industry to be safer, smarter and greener.” Plantworx Sales manager Angela Spink is anticipating a high demand for stands following the site plan release date! She said, “Confirmation that the show will return to the East of England Arena will be welcome news to previous exhibitors following the encouraging feedback from 2019. We are also very confident that new and old exhibitors will join us in 2023.”

Angela added, “The comprehensive digital site survey has been invaluable in identifying new site opportunities for demonstration plots and a new and interesting layout. I am very much looking forward to getting Plantworx 2023 underway.” Angela concluded, “We have put in an order for wall to wall sunshine for the 2023 event – we are just hoping it’s in stock!” Sales for stand space at the 2023 Plantworx Event are now open – please contact Angela Spink, Plantworx Sales Manager angela.spink@plantworx.co.uk for further details. Plantworx 2023 will be exhibiting at the Hillhead Exhibition (2123 June 2022, Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire) on Stand: PB24. Angela Spink will be on hand at the show to answer any questions you may have about the 2023 event. www.plantworx.co.uk

A message from Plantworx Event Director, Simon Frere-Cook MBE The return of the Plantworx trade show to its Peterborough home in 2023 – follows on from our inaugural Futureworx at the same proven venue in 2022. Futureworx buzzed with interest in the new products and technology in the innovation pipeline. Plantworx 2023 will build on that buzz – and combine it with the more familiar sound of “big kit” metal hitting the ground. To dodge some of the unpredictability of June weather, we are upping the availability of inside exhibition space. This will also accommodate many of the new technology companies that have joined the sector since Plantworx 2019. To add to that we will be launching an offer designed to attract to ‘start-up’ companies and emerging innovators with our “Big Ideas” showcase concept. Responding to customer requests, the exhibitors demonstrating working machines will be at new locations spread around the

showground – bringing their own “buzz” to the event. In line with our sustainability values, we are also discontinuing the printed show guide – and will deliver a fully interactive event App to serve both exhibitors and visitors. The construction industry in 2023 will be in a different place compared to when we left it at PWX19. There is no need to list the personal and business challenges, and technological changes, we will have witnessed over the four years between shows. However, the sector has shown great resilience and with the application of hard work and ingenuity it will continue to prosper. Let’s bring the construction equipment community together for Plantworx 2023 – and make it a great business event to remember. Onwards and upwards! Simon Frere-Cook JUNE 2022

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Agricu ltu Indust ral Confe ries deratio n

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Site plans are for illustration purposes only, and are subject to change prior to the event.

JUNE The information28 contained in ng is prepared for a specific based on data available from this document, the recipient

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EXHIBITOR & VISITOR ENTRANCE 02

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ConstructionWorX DIGITAL

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INDOOR EXHIBITION SPACE C-BA8

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New features planned for Plantworx 2023 ● Up to 20% more inside space – with a wider stand choice. ● Upgraded on site services – to enhance the exhibitor experience. ● Big Ideas showcase – tailored promotion for SME innovators. ● “Get Connected” feature – the connected construction site. ● New integrated drone display and demonstration area. ● “Dig and Demo” stands – now spread around the showground. ● Extended partner programme – reaching more key contacts. ● Reimagined event App – everything Plantworx in one handy place. ● Return of the Plantworx Awards.

30 JUNE 2022

ConstructionWorX DIGITAL

FUTUREWORX REPORT

Digital digging – the earthworks sector shifts up a gear, by Peter Haddock Over the last 12 months, the earthworks sector has felt the full force of digital transformation. With projects like HS2 ramping up and the housing sector continuing to push hard to meet demand, the swift adoption of digital solutions, real-time data, and 3D modelling has shocked even the most progressive in the industry. With equipment manufacturers also now offering a greater level of factory fitted technologies on new Stage V emissions compliant machines, customers can 'switch on the tech' when needed. This has led to a huge demand for the rental of machine control equipment and enabled machines, turning the once niche market into a mainstream must have. For industry expert Neil Williams of Leica Geosystems, who has been working in the sector with the technology since 2006, the last 12 months has been a long time coming. Neil: "The technology penny has well and truly dropped, and there are numerous factors relating to why it has happened now”. "In the UK, equipment rental is a huge proportion of the market. So, when both National Highways and HS2 mandated the use of the technology a few years ago, rental fleets began to retrofit machines and send them out to customers”.

"The larger rental players also put pressure on manufacturers and dealers to deliver machine control ready equipment and support for the technology, allowing more businesses to test machines onsite. Elsewhere early adopters, particularly in the housebuilding sector, were winning work based on modelling sites to reduce the overall volumes of material being moved”. "More recently, the acute shortage in operators, the road to net zero emissions, COP26 and fuel costs have all focused the minds of the whole sector. The change and price hike from Red to White diesel in April 2022 was the latest catalyst for technology adoption and the arrival of the realtime connected worksite. What has also been significant this year is how the industry is collaborating to reduce cab clutter, removing additional screens and integrating technologies. For example, we have worked with safety solutions provider Xwatch to bring its technology into our MC1 tablet. This means we can now alert the operator from our main screen,

JUNE 2022

ConstructionWorX DIGITAL

whilst being able to proportionally slow down and stop the machine when a wearable device is detected in a configurable zone." Bringing digital to life was exactly what leading plant hirer, Plantforce Rentals, did recently at the Futureworx event held at the end of March at the East of England Showground. It set up a live connected site demonstration from a training facility run by LP Training near Stratfordupon-Avon, some 80 miles away from the event. Using a connected fleet including two Kobelco excavators, one with Leica Geosystems semi-automatics system, the other with Trimble 3D machine control, and a Trimble enabled Cat Dozer, the business, which works with telemetry specialist MachineMax, went to work in real-time. I was fortunate enough to visit the site before the event to see it being set up. I caught up with Plantforce Chief Operating Officer, Sam Mercer, who explained its journey to reach the real-time digital reality and its impact on the business. Sam: "You can't just jump into digital and expect everything to work. You first have to test lots of different solutions in all different scenarios and try to break them. Once you have confidence in the technology and the support needed to make it work, it's then about digitally enabling staff through training to take advantage of the benefits on offer. And showing people how a real site works in front of their eyes is part of that process." In setting up the site, each item of equipment was first connected

Plantforce set up a live connected site demonstration from a training facility

JUNE 2022

into the MachineMax platform using a magnetised telemetry box that picks up on the individual equipment manufacturers API or Application Programming Interface. This is a data feed available from the machine, which allows real-time activity to be measured when it's in operation or idling. Sam: "The MachineMax solution solves one of the biggest industry problems, collating information from different machine types and manufacturers into one easy project by project based dashboard. This allows us to take data and turn it into useful information, which is in turn fed to the right people involved in managing the operation”. "In this case, our team were monitoring activities like digging, grading and hauling, picking up on productive and idling times, fuel burn and CO2 emissions. Idling is when the machine is being unproductive yet using fuel, so this is a key focus for us, as we can alert site managers to excessive idling by setting alerts and best practice benchmarks”. "By looking at this data in real-time, a site management team can also pick up any productivity issues onsite. For example, you might have a traffic jam of articulated dump trucks due to a problem with the prime mover or poor weather conditions impacting cycle times. All of this information allows you to act immediately, and ultimately, you can see exactly how much fuel and emissions are generated for specific tasks like digging a trench”. "Data like this is also very useful for fleet matching and to identify where an operator might need some additional support or training, which we now provide using both classroom facilities and a mobile training unit. This is where specialist simulators make a real difference, as you can model an activity using the relevant technology and even have a team working together on an excavator, dozer and ADT, for example”. "The key to using technology is making the right information accessible to those people that can use it to make real-time decisions, whilst also recognising how you can learn from one job to the next using historical data analysis. This is all made possible more recently as the telemetry technology, in particular, has become much more capable, affordable and simpler to use on every asset. Of course, we also get the benefit of theft prevention and knowing where every asset is at any

ConstructionWorX DIGITAL

time, which was how telemetry on training and developing new skills. For first made a big impact in the example, I see the digital inputs for a modern industry." machine being like those of a manufacturing In addition to telemetry data, style robot. The machine needs very simple Plantforce also demonstrated how inputs in order to perform the right tasks and, machine control information could in turn, output the data to tell us what it has be shared to show how work was completed”. progressing to the 3D "The challenge, therefore, is to ensure we model from both Leica have the right data inputs, and that means Geosystems and Trimble designing 3D models for the machines, not just the solutions. The team were project itself. This requires the right digital skillsets even able to update part across the board and the investment in training to MachineMax - Gotta Track 'Em All! of the model from the stand, sending support upskilling and attract new digitally focused changes directly to the individual machines. talent. We need to have greater collaboration in the Sam: "One of the big advantages of a digitally enabled fleet is the industry, as skills development needs to happen at every level, from reduction in people plant interface. You no longer need a surveyor or surveyors to engineers and site managers to operators. This is because engineer to set out the site. The machine and technology show you what all of these individuals and more play a key role in the management, has been done, and we can relate that activity directly to fuel burn and planning and execution of the project”. emissions for our clients. Using the GPS network, we can send revisions “If this is done properly at the start of a project, we can then develop and receive information at the touch of a button, whereas before, we its digital earthworks twin and undertake digital rehearsals with the would have to wait for an engineer to travel to the site. We can even client before a machine is even specified for the job. Taking this approach remotely dial into a machine and support the operator." for Major projects, in particular, allows experts to collaborate from the UK The setup from Plantforce was very impressive and timely as National and other parts of the world, enabling the best possible outcomes. For Highways also used Futureworx to launch the next phase in its 'Digital example, a lot of work is being done on connectivity solutions as you first Roads Strategy' through its industry led Connected and Autonomous need the ability to connect individuals and machines together through Plant (CAP) group. At the event, it unveiled a new industry-wide scoring a robust GPS network. Only then can you send and receive updated system which rates equipment according to its level of automation. project files from engineers to machines and back again to successfully Speaking to Annette Pass, Head of Innovation, she said: "This manage a digitally enabled site”. standardised measure, the first of its kind, will offer clarity and a clear Technology really is making a difference on site now, and thanks to way to compare different types of machinery to suit different tasks. It's a much greater collaboration in the industry, we are now able to do things key next part of our CAP Roadmap that we launched jointly with i3P in safer onsite whilst improving productivity and efficiency. June 2020 to support a goal of making automation business as usual in Connect with Peter Haddock on LinkedIn construction by 2035”. "With our new CAP Levels Maturity Matrix, we will be able to establish a common language and a first of its kind framework to enable connected and autonomous plant to be specified and deployed on construction schemes. It also gives suppliers and manufacturers a simple way of describing the capability of their products, as everyone will use the same language. "We believe CAP has the potential to improve productivity by more than £200bn by 2040 in the construction sector, and we are committed to making it standard industry practice. By establishing more collaborative relationships with innovators and academics, we hope to continue to lead in this field. Having already benefitted from mandating Intelligent Machine Control on our projects, we also see a future where the operator of the machine may not need to be in the vehicle and could even control it from the other side of the world." ¬¬¬What is interesting about the work the CAP group continue to achieve is how it has brought together the whole of the industry, from equipment and solutions providers to plant hirers and earthworks contractors. And what is significant is the role key staff from tier one contractors are playing in supporting the sector's digital transformation. One such individual is Head of Engineering for Skanska, Mark Lawton. He has been pushing hard for more industry integration, describing the rapid adoption of machine control as a 'Heard of Elephants' running straight at the industry. Mark: "Digital tools and solutions are undoubtedly changing the way we can deliver projects, but in order to make the most out of these technologies, we need to also focus Leica Geosystems and Xwatch Safety Solutions Integrated Alert Screen

JUNE 2022

ConstructionWorX DIGITAL

FUTUREWORX

Futureworx 2022 highlighted the key challenges in the areas of immersive technologies and data Organised by CEE (Construction Equipment Events), the organiser of the Plantworx construction exhibition, Futureworx 2022 attracted senior professionals in and around the construction industry, bringing them together with suppliers and innovators to help map future construction targets and requirements. In addition to showcasing what the construction site of the future will look like, Futureworx 2022 highlighted the key challenges facing small and medium-sized construction sector companies, in the areas of immersive technologies and data. Strong focus was placed on the people-plant interface, telematics, the connected site, safety systems and on the advances in autonomous equipment, and electric and hydrogen-powered machinery. This was highlighted by speaker Mark Lawton, Head of Engineering, Surveying and GIS at Skanska, who spoke about the development of semi-autonomous and autonomous equipment. Lawton said that the industry had to understand that the project design data and information sent to machines - which includes handheld devices such as smart phones as well as 50-tonne excavators - must be sent to them in a simple form that they could understand. Unique in the line-up of construction industry exhibitions and conferences, Futureworx 2022 was a focused event, designed for senior

34 JUNE 2022

level professionals. Its smaller size allowed attendees - such as company directors, managers, engineers, and other decision-makers - to have one-on-one contact with specialists from manufacturers, equipment rental providers and technology firms. Attendees were able to have in-depth discussions about the key industry challenges and concerns and to receive helpful information and advice. Michael Plummer, Chief Global Marketing Officer, FuelActive, said, “We had a great show and a really good quality of visitors all day. I thought it was a more modern format than some of the traditional ‘mega shows’.” Indeed, those attendees that signed up for the event’s VIP Preview Day were treated to a guided tour around the exhibitor showcase, during which they were introduced to the teams of exhibiting companies. This provided them with the opportunity to arrange further discussions with specific exhibitors, that could help them address their business needs and concerns.

ConstructionWorX DIGITAL

Dan Leaney, Sales and Operations Director at Xwatch Safety Solutions, said, “There was a lot of interest in our products, and we were particularly pleased with the interest National Highways showed in our laser curtain prototype.” He added, “The audience consisted of senior management, decisionmakers, and innovators. I can honestly say this was the best show I have ever attended to get in front of the influencers in our sector.” Similarly, Anthony Shooter, Drone Chair at COMIT Projects, described the event as “a professional and enjoyable occasion expertly delivered by Plantworx”. He said, “It was great to catch up with many innovative and dynamic companies and individuals. We made a host of new contacts - that share our group’s vision - on the stand.” He continued, “I don’t want to ‘drone’ on - but it was a great event and I hope they run it again as it has the potential to be an important component in advancing technology in construction.”

JUNE 2022

ConstructionWorX DIGITAL

FUTUREWORX

Industry appeals for collaboration on Net Zero at Futureworx Leading UK construction sector contractors, manufacturers, rental companies and technology firms used the Futureworx 2022 showcase and conference to appeal for greater collaboration across the industry, to help drive the sector towards achieving Net Zero. The Futureworx event, which took place in Peterborough in March, focused on the latest advances in technologies such as autonomy, the human-machine interface, AI and connectivity, and looked at how embracing these can help make construction more sustainable. Expert speakers and contributors from National Highways, HS2, Plantforce Rentals, Volvo, Costain Group, Skanska and the Supply Chain Sustainability School delivered key information and practical insight on lowering carbon emissions and achieving sustainability, to an audience of senior professionals from companies operating in and around the construction industry. Discussing how companies can go about reducing their carbon footprint, Costain’s Group Climate Change Director, Lara Young, told conference attendees that companies should start by focusing on what they know they can change before looking at other areas. “There needs to be more industry consistency around; what we ask, what we’re focusing on, what we need to address first – so, yes there’s the electrification and the alternative types of low-emission plant where it’s available - and that’s a big part about how we can more efficiently use the machines... “I think I relate it to how we actually generally procure. Because it’s all very well and good saying well actually we want to reduce emissions, we want to achieve carbon reductions, but we can’t retrofit achieving Net Zero into how our current business models work. So fundamentally, continuing to procure the way we procure is not going to lead to Net Zero.” Although Costain’s climate change action plan is based on “decades

JUNE 2022

of data” and includes targets for biodiversity, natural capital and social value, as well as targets for lowering carbon emissions to Net Zero by 2035, Young said that as much as Costain would love to tackle all of climate change, three-quarters of its sustainability targets relate to Scope 3 emissions. “We fundamentally cannot achieve this [Net Zero] without our supply chain and clients coming to the party; with everyone working towards this,” she said. Additionally, a point of consensus among the speakers was that whatever action is taken to lower carbon emissions, whether it be by contractors, OEMs or suppliers, these actions must be led by data, and be applied consistently to have any kind of impact.

Technology knowledge gap However, a major challenge for manufacturers and rental companies alike is increasing the construction industry’s use of more environmentally-friendly equipment and technology. During a panel discussion, the conference speakers said that addressing the knowledge and skills gap around using the latest construction technologies was essential to helping companies lower their carbon footprint. Sam Mercer, COO of national equipment provider Plantforce Rentals, said, “There’s quite a big divide from the major projects to the Tier 2 and Tier 3 suppliers.” He continued, “The way the technology’s advancing, if we don’t increase that knowledge share to the lower tier the gap for a new

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entrant - or an experienced person - is just actually going to get bigger and bigger. So we need to try and bring that up to speed.” Mercer went on to explain that while technology, efficiency and carbon are at the forefront of what the industry is discussing, the reality is that “back in the office, we’ll win work on price.” He added, the technology is put on the equipment for a short period of time on a need-to-have basis and, once it’s not needed, we are asked to remove it because of the cost implications.

Barriers to electric equipment uptake When asked if price was the main barrier preventing construction sector companies from investing in new electric equipment, Mats Bredborg, Head of Customer Cluster Utility at Volvo Construction Equipment, said that it is not the only point of concern. “The main thing is that we need to change, and change in the value chain is hard,” said Bredborg.

Mercer added, “The uptake for electric machines is absolutely minimal. We don’t have any success in that area at the moment because there is no behavioural change in running a site.” He continued, “It takes more planning, more programming to actually be capable of doing that and what we [people] are trying to do now is use an electric machine but change none of our behaviours… But an electric machine can’t work nine hours a day - or work for five and idle for four. It can’t do that.” “So, it needs that behavioural change now otherwise we’re just going to be sat idling, burning - whether that be hydrogen or battery electric fuel - we’re just going to be wasting as we are now. We need to get on top of that.” All the presentations from the Futureworx Conference can be found here on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCq5eXc0c-0BnboknEgeMppA

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NEW CEA MEMBER

A total warranty solution for construction and agricultural equipment and machinery worldwide New CEA member company, EPG offer warranties on new machinery as an extension to a manufacturer’s base warranty, warranties on used machinery and equipment and/or a base warranty programme, working in conjunction with their manufacturing partners. EPG tells Construction Worx readers about the company and how it can work with other CEA members. Partnerships EPG has built its reputation as a valued partner to world-leading manufacturers and dealers through a combination of market-leading equipment coverage, superior service, and a highly skilled team. Its client base includes many of the world’s top 10 largest agricultural and construction manufacturers, whom they have built longstanding relationships with. There are several benefits for both manufacturers and dealers that come with being an EPG Global partner. Some of these benefits include improved financial performance, administration support, improved customer satisfaction, time and cost saving, invaluable equipment performance data and more.

The EPG experience EPG’s team brings a wealth of technical and commercial knowledge, gained from decades of experience working within the construction industry. The claims team hold deep insight into many types of machinery and equipment, allowing them to make swift and logical claims decisions, meaning equipment owners can get back to business as quickly as possible, without waiting for claims authorisation. Warranty programmes can be costly and time-consuming, which is why EPG Global handles the end-to-end management process for their partners, from underwriting and dealership training to claims management and policy administration. One of the key services EPG provides is sharing machinery performance data throughout the lifetime of the programme, allowing manufacturers to improve the performance of their equipment over time.

Working with CEA members EPG’s extended warranty programme was designed to reduce uncertainty for equipment owners, but it also allows them some

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breathing space whilst the marketplace catches up with supply issues and demands – offering customers extended peace of mind on their used machinery whilst they await delivery on the new one. Once their new equipment has been delivered, the programme can be transferred to the new machine without a penalty fee. EPG’s aim is to build relationships with CEA manufacturer and dealer members, to help them choose a warranty programme right for their customers. Whist EPG does not work with customers directly, their ‘find a dealer’ tool allows CEA members who are not manufacturers or dealers, to locate a dealer in their local area, who will then be able to provide them with an EPG warranty product for their machinery.

Why the CEA EPG was keen on becoming a CEA member to gain even deeper knowledge of the construction industry through an understanding of market conditions, industry trends, legislation and more. For more information on the services, EPG Global offers, visit www.epgglobal.com or get in touch at info@epgglobal.com.

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