Opening the event, CPA chief executive Steve Mulholland said the Association had made “significant strides” in influencing regulators on skills, training and fuel costs. He highlighted CPA‑commissioned Oxford Economics reports, including The Economic Impact of the UK Construction Plant-hire Sector and Half-Built Britain, noting that every £1 spent on construction generates £3.30 across the wider economy.

Keynote speaker Richard Fuller MP argued that government procurement too often prioritised political objectives over practical delivery. As the UK’s largest construction client, he said, the public sector must work more closely with industry rather than “put obstacles in the way of progress”.

Oxford Economics’ Graham Robinson warned of “little or no growth” ahead, with inflation and interest rates likely to remain stubborn. His analysis showed decades of underinvestment in infrastructure and highlighted the capital‑intensive nature of plant-hire, where firms reinvest 26p of every £1 earned.

CPA policy director Chris Cassley called for long‑overdue consistency in government, noting that UK construction ministers have changed on average every 10 months for 15 years. His priorities included a Cabinet‑level Infrastructure Secretary, pro‑growth fiscal policy, clarity on planning frameworks and renewed focus on skills.

Industry leaders echoed the need for a stable pipeline. Ainscough CEO Peter Gibbs said there was “no clear pipeline of work”, while Plantforce’s Chris Matthew warned that too much attention goes to project “stories” rather than delivery realities. Sunbelt’s Mark Hoad criticised short‑term political thinking around major projects.

The second session focused on workforce development. Flannery operator Molly Gill described discovering her passion for plant through a government‑funded Bootcamp, urging better promotion of modern construction careers to young people.

Flannery’s Aaron Davis said more than 2,500 people had completed Bootcamps in three years, but 85% went on to work elsewhere in the sector, underlining the need for sustained government backing rather than fragmented schemes.

L Lynch’s Rob Lynch said no single firm could meet the full range of recruitment needs, while Paul Skitt proposed a Government‑backed National Infrastructure Fund to coordinate training and modernise perceptions of the industry.

Former Downing Street communications director Lee Cain delivered a session on effective messaging, arguing that audiences now filter out more noise than ever. He emphasised three principles: prioritisation, simplification and repetition. The Covid‑era slogan “Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives”, he said, worked because it was direct, memorable and relentlessly consistent.

CPA sustainability manager Luis Bassett warned of accelerating climate impacts, advocating a pragmatic, staged approach to Net Zero rather than unrealistic overnight change.

Off-Highway Research’s Chris Sleight highlighted the UK’s slow adoption of battery-electric plant — just 0.4% of sales in 2025, compared with 15% in China and nearly 10% in Norway and the Netherlands, where subsidies support uptake.

Finance specialist Steve Moody said lenders remain cautious due to limited long‑term data on plant battery life, though the Government’s 70%‑backed Green Growth Guarantee Scheme may help unlock investment.

Hiboo’s Charles Bénard outlined how telematics can drive efficiency, while ESG PRO’s Joe Gallagher noted that ESG requirements and local sourcing expectations are increasingly embedded in tendering.

Shadow transport minister Jerome Mayhew MP closed the conference by posing the central questions facing the sector: why projects take so long, why they cost so much, and what must be fixed. He said he had been tasked with seeking answers over the summer, arguing that the UK needs less “steady as she goes” and more “scruff of the neck” action.

An accompanying exhibition featured Spartan Solutions, JCB Insurance, Plant Planet and a range of plant, technology and training providers.