ECA News
Bumper night for ECA members at industry awards n
ECA past president and ECA skills ambassador Diane Johnson was honoured
with the Outstanding Contribution to the Electrical Industry award at the 2013 Electrical Industry Awards in October, while ECA members picked up four awards and commendations at the prestigious event staged by the Electrical Times in central London.
Diane Johnson, who received a standing
ovation as she collected her award, was recognised for her ongoing and total commitment to the industry’s development and the profound impact she has had on industry issues such as vocational skills. The award acknowledged Johnson’s ‘long term passion and commitment to skills and training‘ and her work to avert the ‘ticking time bomb’ of the looming skills crisis facing the electrical sector. ‘She has become an avid campaigner
challenging traditional perceptions and attitudes to apprenticeships and to electrical contracting as a career… raising the profile of vocational training while breaking down barriers with innovative campaigns such as Wired for Success, which she set up during her ECA presidency to encourage women into the industry.’ ECA member firms won four accolades at the
event, with a fifth making it to the list of finalists. Those picking up awards and commendations were: nSudlows, a member of ECA North West region, which took Project of the Year (Electrical, M&E or Lighting) award for the BelleVue Data Centre in Manchester. For this highly innovative project, Sudlows was engaged to design and build a new data centre on the site of the old Belle Vue filling station, in Manchester, for a web-hosting company. A five-floor building was redesigned
to house a large data hall and standby units, while incorporating a fresh air ventilation system.
nSB Electrical (Isle of Wight), a Central South region member, received ‘highly commended’ citations in both the Contractor of the Year and Apprentice of the Year categories.
nSSE Contracting, another ECA Central South member, which received a ‘highly commended’ in the Apprentice of the Year category.
In addition, ILEC Limited and IMEC Solutions, from the ECA West region, were finalists in the Innovative Commercial/Industrial Product of the Year category. Now in their 21st year, the Electrical Industry
Awards recognise excellence, innovation and progress across all areas of the electrical trade. The judging panel includes some of the industry’s senior representatives.
Diane Johnson (centre) receives
her award, alongside ECA head of Communications Carol Wrench (right), and host Matt Forde
(Left to right) Host Matt Forde; Christian Wray
(Sudlows); Stewart Gregory (Schneider Electric); and Andy Hirst (Sudlows)
PAS 91 ‘ESSENTIAL’ FOR PQQs n
Public sector procurement reform won’t benefit
construction SMEs unless it includes PAS 91, the ECA has said. Paul Reeve, ECA director of Business Services, has welcomed the government’s latest plans to make public sector procurement more accessible to SMEs. However, he believes that not including PAS 91 as the template for construction PQQs would be a fundamental omission. He said: ‘If PAS 91 is not in
the mix, construction SMEs are unlikely to see any benefit from the new proposals. It is central to controlling pre-qualification costs in construction, and
10 ECA Today December 2013
tailor-made to cover all the basic PQQs for contractors and other suppliers. The general PQQ shown in the latest government consultation needs to be consistent with PAS 91 where the question sets overlap and, crucially, to refer to all the core PAS 91 questions when construction work is involved. Given that the ECA and others in the industry worked with government to develop the recently revised PAS 91, including it would make a lot of sense.’ On the prompt payment
component of the proposals, Reeve said: ‘Overall, the government’s proposals on ensuring prompt payment down
the supply chain are extremely welcome, and very workable. Late or slow payment can break a construction business. Earlier this year we met with construction minister Michael Fallon to discuss what needs to be done. We are pleased to see that his positive interest and response to our approach has translated into action – it looks like real progress is finally on the cards.’ However, Reeve added: ‘To help
prevent insolvencies and boost SME investment and employment, ensuring prompt payment is a no- brainer – we need to turn these proposals into enforceable action as soon as possible.’
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