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Five good strategies to make the most of the UK’s largest construction event

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When faced with a huge industry event attended by 35,000 contacts, featuring at least 350 speakers delivering 300 hours of content, and more than 650 stands covering over 70,000 square metres and providing launches, demos and offers on more than 10,000 products, you need a strategy.

So, if you have only one day to invest in this year’s UK Construction Week (UKCW), 9-11 October at the NEC, what should you prioritise?

Here are five good ways in which to navigate the UKCW.

  1. Go for the new stuff

Ninety percent of visitors to the UKCW say they are there to source new products and suppliers. Four new areas have therefore been added to this year’s show, with more than 100 exclusive product launches covering innovations in offsite construction; doors, windows and glass; roofing, cladding and insulation; tools and health and safety.

For the cutting edge inspiration, head to the Future of Construction Hub, providing an immersive experience of digital construction, 3D printing, robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and experimental methods of construction.

The Digital Construction Hub will update you on all things BIM, and follow the UKCW Innovation Trail – a self-guided tour around selected exhibitors with amazing new things to show off.

Or why not create your own tour? Arrive at the NEC an hour early, make yourself comfy in a coffee area and use the floor plan and show guide to map out a bespoke route through the halls to ensure you get to see all the brands you want to see.

  1. Go for the big hitters

The UKCW Stage will see some keynote presentations from UK and international speakers and celebrities you might not otherwise get another opportunity to meet.

So why not choose just one day to camp out at the big stage in the centre of the show to meet and listen to the likes of Barbara Res, the trailblazing engineer who will spill the beans on working with Donald Trump during the years when she project-managed the construction of Trump Tower.

Or join BBC Breakfast’s Steph McGovern for hard-hitting discussions on housing policy, quality and how we stop future building failures, the digital future of construction, diversity and political correctness in the industry, economic forecasts, Brexit and the Government’s proposed new quality mark for home improvement and low energy retrofits.

  1. Go for the learning

If that’s possibly a bit too political for your tastes, the best bet is to get into the show’s free, fully accredited CPD sessions. But watch out – there are more than 35 to choose from, and pre-booking is essential.

The BRE Academy will also be hosting CPD workshops on BIM, offsite construction and urban planning and design; OM Group is holding health and safety CPD sessions on its stand; the Access Industry Forum is delivering working at height CPD sessions; and there are also specialist seminars in the Regeneration Hub and the Offsite areas of the show.

  1. Go to do deals

The point of attending many trade shows is to come away with new business. For three days, the NEC becomes the building industry’s biggest marketplace under one roof. Key exhibitors at this year’s show include: 3Thermo, Easy Trim, American Softwoods, Aurora Lighting, Cemex UK, G2 Energy, Pfleiderer and Tradepoint (B&Q) to name but a few.

But to save hanging around on stands or chasing people around the show, make sure you book online in advance to arrange your meetings with exhibitors. This will save you loads of time.

  1. Go for the networking

Finally, remember that UKCW is also one massive meeting place. Network with customers, suppliers and industry influencers, or even grab a beer with a competitor.

Or choose the informal route – after all, the Beer Festival is bigger than ever this year. Sponsored by Velux, this area features amazing street food, live bands, a gin and fizz bar and rockaoke. FIX Radio will be broadcasting from there from all three days. There is also a central bar in Hall 11, sponsored by the Elliott Group and the Timber Bar in Hall 9 sponsored by Germany Trade & Invest. Where better to meet up with old friends.

So get planning now. You can keep up to date with the latest information about exhibitors, product launches and speakers at UKCW via the website www.ukconstructionweek.com

and on Twitter at @UK_CW or using the hashtag #UKCW2018.

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Aspiring ironmongers receive globally recognised door hardware qualification

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The next generation of architectural ironmongers is celebrating its Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) education results.

Exams were sat in 23 different countries by 355 learners. So far, 102 students have attained the Certificate in Architectural Hardware and 32 students have now completed the GAI Diploma this year.

The Guild’s education programme continues to grow overseas, with 49% of learners based outside the UK. There has been a particularly high number of learners in the UAE, China, India, Hong Kong and South Africa.

Rachel Tipton, manager of the GAI education programme, said:

“The GAI has been providing a unique education, qualification and CPD programme for people who work in and around the architectural ironmongery industry since 1961. It’s the only recognised programme in the world that leads to a qualification in architectural ironmongery to British and European standards, and with over 60 of these standards to get to grips with, gaining this qualification is something that all our students should be incredibly proud of. We look forward to celebrating with our newly qualified Diploma holders at this year’s Education Awards.”

The core of the education portfolio is separated into two qualifications. The Certificate in Architectural Hardware (CiAH) consists of two stages with 24 education modules covering everything an architectural ironmonger is required to know, supported with eight block assessments to test the students’ understanding.

Once learners have gained their CiAH, they can continue their studies to achieve the GAI Diploma. This stage focuses entirely on the skills and learning needed for scheduling the architectural ironmongery, electric hardware and key control for a project, and is of particular importance to those architectural ironmongers working on projects being built to UK and European standards across the globe. Once they have completed the diploma, they become a DipGAI, an industry recognised symbol of professionalism.

The 2018/19 education programme prospectus has been published on the GAI website, outlining the qualifications, course content and training support available. It also gives further information on becoming a RegAI through the Continued Professional Development (CPD) programme. The programme was revamped last year to make the process more flexible and give busy professionals more opportunity to gain CPD points.

Enrolments are now open until 31 December 2018.

Download the prospectus here: www.gai.org.uk/prospectus

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Integrated Building Management Systems Market projected to grow at +12% CAGR: Know about Influencing Factors by Targeting on Top Companies like Schneider Electric, Cisco, Bosch Security, Bajaj Electricals, MS Group, Honeywell, Siemens, Johnson Controls

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The global Integrated Building Management Systems (IBMS) market report provides a detailed analysis of the market by solution, end-user (commercial buildings, residential buildings, government buildings), and geography (the Americas, APAC, and EMEA). Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Continue Reading