This year’s ECA Electrical Industry Conference in Tenerife was, once again, a successful and stimulating forum for the electrical industry. Bringing together members and senior industry figures for thought- provoking seminars, inspiring presentations by guest speakers and lively discussion, the theme of the conference was ‘Excellence above all’. Held in the luxurious
Excellence above all First lady becomes president
We round up the highlights from the ECA Electrical Industry Conference 2010
conference was marked by the inauguration of Diane Johnson as president of the ECA – the first woman to hold the office in the association’s 109-year history. After receiving the presidential
n
surroundings of the Sheraton La Caleta hotel in Costa Adeje, Tenerife, delegates enjoyed excellent presentations from a top-notch cast of speakers. The conference was tailored to help businesses prepare for the recovery and take advantage of opportunities for growth. Session themes included ‘understanding the future business climate’, ‘meeting the sustainability agenda’ and ‘assessing people, power and potential’. The conference also afforded
opportunities for members and their partners to enjoy the stunning location and to socialise, with a range of activities for free-time, informal cocktail parties and a gala black-tie dinner. Here, we look at some of the highlights...
chain of office from outgoing president, Martin Bailey, Diane Johnson then presented the senior vice president chain of office to Alun Pearson, and the past-president badge to the immediate past president, Bailey. Introducing the conference,
In an historic first for the ECA, the opening of the
the president re-iterated the need for the industry to work closer together: ‘We need to understand not only each other’s needs but each other’s strengths, working together for a sustainable future, creating a climate which showcases excellence, commitment and integration at its best.’ She committed herself to
working as an ambassador for the association over the coming year: ‘This industry is a proud industry, and rightly so,’ she said. ‘I am proud to be your president.’
Diane Johnson receives the presidential chain of office from Martin Bailey
Economic overview n
Delivering an economist’s perspective on the
industry, Dr. F Noble Francis, economics Director of the Construction Products Association, gave a fascinating and illuminating insight into the current economic situation and future prospects for the construction industry. Dr Noble Francis began with a
macroeconomic overview of the UK economy and then went on to analyse individual sectors in detail, looking at how forecasts for
36 ECA Today Autumn 2010
spending and growth are likely to impact on the construction sector. The recovery, he said, would
be slow and protracted, and the industry would obviously suffer from the forthcoming cuts in public sector spending, which currently accounts for some 40 per cent of construction. He did, however, point to
some areas of growth within the subdued overall picture, with major infrastructure and refurbishment projects, such as across the rail industry – where
double-digit growth is forecast up to 2014 and total spending could be above £50 billion (see Making tracks, page 53-55) – and the nuclear programme, which is expected to pump £40 billion into the economy over 20 years. Overall, Dr Noble Francis forecast
construction sector growth of around one per cent a year between 2011 and 2013, returning to trend level growth in 2014 – although it could be better than expected if more movement on renewables were to stimulate the industry.
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