Industry back at NEC in Birmingham for postponed 2021 Show.
The Commercial Vehicles Show made a welcome return to the NEC in Birmingham this summer as exhibitors and visitors reconnected with industry after missing out in 2020 due to a Covid-enforced postponement.
Big-name manufacturers from the road transport sector made the journey to the NEC to showcase their latest products and services, including Ford, Toyota, Land Rover, Isuzu, Vauxhall and countless others, to reaffirm their commitment to the sector by exhibiting new emissions limiting technologies and alternative fuel vehicles that dominated the Show.
Bruce McGill, Society Chief Operating Officer, said: “We are delighted to finally be back here at the NEC. The Show has proven to be a successful event for both exhibitors and visitors, and remains vital for the industry to maintain relationships, network and, ultimately, do business.”
The IRTE’s sector stand featured its latest accreditation scheme irtec Electric, and representatives took enquiries relating to Professional Registration, membership, regional activity and Workshop Accreditation. Continuing the popular technical presentations from previous years, the show hosted a live programme across two theatres featuring lectures from representatives of the IRTE sector and the Society.
Speakers from the Society’s Professional Registration network presented to a live audience on day one of the Show to give advice on how registration to the Engineering Council can help individuals maintain competence and organisations to demonstrate their commitment to professional standards. The Society’s Membership Manager Oliver Teasell, the SOE Volunteer of the Year Ian MacDonald, Chartered Engineer Paul Winstanley and Joe Williams from the Ministry of Defence presented.
On day two, the irtec and Workshop Accreditation schemes came under the spotlight as Dani Rathke from Vehicle Inspection Training Services, the IMI’s Chris Cotterill and IRTE’s Chris Grime gave a presentation on how SOE champions industry-wide improvement for HGV and PSV engineers and encourages high standards and self-regulation in maintenance of sectors crucial to employment and public safety.