Feature
Working in all weathers
EN takes a trip to a rather
rainy edition of Plantworx, the
construction event that’s for the
industry, by the industry
I
t’s always unfortunate when it rains
during an outdoor event, and even
more unfortunate when that outdoor
event takes place in June.
Such was the situation when EN
popped up to the East of England Arena
and Events Centre for the latest edition
of biennial construction equipment
exhibitions Plantworx. Luckily no
industry is more accustomed to working
in all weathers, and the rain failed to
dampen spirits at the trade event.
Plantworx, along with new co-located
rail construction event Railworx,
is organised by the Construction
Equipment Association (CEA), the
trade association that represents the
£13bn industry. The show has moved
between different venues over the past
few editions as it continues to grow,
taking place at Stoneleigh Park and
Bruntingthorpe before settling at East of
England for 2019.
“It’s a busy showground and we’re a
growing show, but at the moment the
intention is very clear that we’ll be here
for six years,” says event director Simon
Frere-Cook.
The event showcases the length and
breadth of the civil construction industry,
from the expected diggers and dumpers
to the latest breakthrough technologies.
In total the show has around 450
26 — July
exhibitors, with a maximum stand size
of 36m by 24m, to avoid large companies
dominating the outdoor space.
The large amount of indoor and
outdoor space at East of England provides
numerous opportunities for exhibitors
to show as well as tell, with an area of
grass set aside for digger demonstrations
and a netted section indoors for drone
demonstrations.
“Our raison d’être is working
demonstrations,” agrees Frere-Cook.
“If you’ve got a certificate to operate
any of these machines you can do that
at Plantworx. You can go down the line
and try everybody’s machine and then
decide which one you want. It’s also
seeing the experts from these companies
demonstrating their machines, there is
some fantastic kit out there. Watching
an expert drive a big 360-degree digger
on tracks and laying a billiard table is
fantastic. They are superb at their trade.”
The Drone Zone at the show is
new for 2019, and features the large
demonstration area, a range of exhibitors
and a content area.
“I think it will grow in the future,
we all know how important drones are
becoming in all industries, particularly
in the construction industry,”
continues Frere-Cook. “This is a very
technologically-led industry at the
moment, both in terms of environmental
credentials and indeed how the machines
themselves operate.”
Other zones at the event include the
Security Zone and the Simulation Zone,
which features six interlinked simulators.
“People can practice on the simulators
and see how one links to another,” says
Frere-Cook. “Each of those has a lot of
technology attached to it and replicates
what is on the real machines today.”
A focus of the event is education, in the
form of the Get SET Zone in partnership
with mental health charity Mind, which
focuses on skills, education and training,
and the Thursday student day.
At each edition of Plantworx, primary
and secondary students are invited to
come and experience the show.
“It’s very important that we engage
with the students from primary school
upwards,” explains Frere-Cook. “They
are the engineers, operators and drivers
of the future, every industry is after
them.”
There’s no doubt that Plantworx
is a must-attend event for the UK
construction industry, as evidenced by
the thousands of visitors that braved
the rain to attend, and one that provides
that all-important hands-on experience.
Fingers crossed for sunnier weather when
it returns in June 2021. EN