A sunny weekend was very welcome after one of the busiest weeks in our 2013 calendar. It certainly helped us to catch our breath and to appreciate the highlights of last week and think about the benefits that we need to follow-up on.
So what made last week so hectic? Firstly, the Association was invited by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills to exhibit over the last fortnight a small cross-section of our membership’s construction products in the Department's London HQ, with a mind to showcase their economic impact, innovation and sustainable development. Examples included, to name a few: electronically tintable glass from Saint-Gobain; hybrid boilers from Worcester Bosch and a micro-CHP boiler (which feeds electricity back into the electric grid) from BDR Thermea; plastic piping and flood alleviation systems from Polypipe; and wall tiles from British Ceramic Tiles created using a new digital printing process which allows for detailed bespoke design.
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We were very pleased that the Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, Minister of State for Business and Energy, took time on Monday to meet with us and some of our exhibitors. He came prepared for a stormy reception with umbrella and raincoat but stayed far longer than his officials planned and was clearly very interested in the products on display. He was keen to stress the government’s support for the industry and “challenge the out-dated perception that as a country we don’t make anything anymore”. To make sure our products remain top of his mind we have also arranged for the Minister to visit one of Polypipe’s factories in Kent to see for himself the modern technologies in the manufacturing process.
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| Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, Minister of State for Business and Energy, speaks with Kate Godfrey (left, External Communications Manager, Aggregate Industries) and Dr Diana Montgomery (right, Chief Executive, Construction Products Association). | Rt Hon Michael Fallon MP, Minister of State for Business and Energy, speaks with Dr Jason Shingleton (right, Marketing and Development Director at Polypipe Civils) and Dr Diana Montgomery (left, Chief Executive, Construction Products Association). |