Clearview National October 2019 - Issue 215 | Page 36

INDUSTRYASSOCIATIONS Protecting, Defending & Promoting Members since 1994 CAB ceo Justin Ratcliffe, highlights how the Association continues to benefit its growing membership in its 25th Anniversary Year and looks back on a busy couple of weeks spent highlighting CAB’s activities and benefits at the Alfed/CAB Closed Loop and the Glazing Summit. » » JADE GREENHOW, Operations Director, Insight Data, revealed some intriguing data at the Glazing Summit 2019, including a near 9% increase in aluminium fabricators from 2017- 2019. Given the increases in membership CAB is experiencing and the strategic moves many traditional PVCu companies have made into the near 100% recyclable material it was perhaps an unsurprising statistic. The figures are also backed up by the high overall confidence levels in the last 8 quarterly CAB State of Market Surveys, especially surrounding investment in plant and equipment. Interestingly too, Jade highlighted a 26% increase in the number of aluminium fabricators offering sliding doors in the same period and spoke about the trend towards premium entrance doors. The total number of installers dropped away very slightly from 13,281 in 2017 to 12,930 in 2019s. The summary messages were that more builders than ever are competing with installers and that the rate of change within the industry is the highest ever with consolidation throughout the supply chain. Against this background CAB has seen its highest level of approved new membership since The busy CAB Lounge at FIT Show 2019 was a great meeting point for members and their customers 2005 and looks set to record its highest ever membership growth in its 25th Anniversary year. Yet the Association’s focus has always been more on working with existing members and ensuring added value for membership. In times of uncertainty the membership pound sterling must work harder and activity must provide as much variety as well as focused content for a broad range of supply chain businesses, to demonstrate that in CAB - they are ‘stronger together’. Key Themes in 2019/2020 for CAB and its membership have been Closed Loop Recycling and Developing National Fabricator/ Installer Training for Curtain Walling as well as general Training Days that will lead to CAB Skills Cards. The need to update members about changes in standards, regulations and best practise has never been more relevant and CAB’s bi monthly INSIGHT 36 » OCT 2019 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M CAB’s Contractual Awareness presenter Geraldine Fleming, Executive Vice President, Knowles CAB at the Glazing Summit technical newsletter is very often an agenda item within internal member company meetings due to its robust coverage of content pertinent to members across the aluminium in building supply chain. Crucially members get the opportunity to input into feedback on standards updates which form an important part of the Association’s coordinated response. The Association’s Events and Marketing activities have continued to develop in 2019 with a new domestic website launched in the middle of the year at www.residential- aluminium.co.uk . It is vital for any Trade Body to be visible and accessible for its existing members to be able to meet with. CAB has had a key presence at major industry events this year including the CAB Lounge and Pavilion at the FIT Show 2019 (May), sponsorship at The Glazing Summit (September) and supporter of the Conservatory & Orangery Awards (October). Our March Regional Meeting was held at Warwick Castle and next month we will be at the Imperial War Museum, Manchester engaging with members on topical issues in captivating surroundings. One of the most popular elements of the CAB annual programme is the contractual awareness seminars presented by Geraldine Fleming, Operations Director, Driver Trett which is all about defending members’ positions and enabling them to better protect themselves. Geraldine does this by a mixture of up to the minute case studies and scenario building drawing on her wide experience with Balfour Beatty and as a trained lawyer and QS. CAB’s next seminar will take place on 12 November in Birmingham. For more details on our work or to find out how to join CAB contact [email protected]. uk or go to c-a-b.org.uk/about- cab/why-join/