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Never mind Brexit There’s still a lot we can learn from going to Europe *seV CITB CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

TRAINING BOARD Nl

CITB Nl’s Leader in Construction participants recently

visited the Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe, based near Brussels in Belgium. They had a busy two days learning about doing business in Europe and further afield. Over the two days spent in Leuven they heard from local speakers and visited the Living Tomorrow initiative and a dockside regeneration project.

The objective of the study visit was to broaden participants experience - giving them insights into how business is done elsewhere and the potential for innovation within their own businesses here in NL The programme was designed to be applicable to exporters and non-exporters and incorporated networking opportunities and site visits designed to inspire and enthuse the future leaders and give them ideas for the development of their own businesses.

The group were welcomed by Dr Christina Geary, Operations Manager and Mr Malachy Vallely, Director, both of the Leuven Institute for Ireland

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in Europe. They highlighted the extent and scope for construction opportunities within the Benelux Countries and the wider European market. Culturally, the Benelux area is an easy first step for UK companies looking to expand their horizons, however there are some customs and practices that companies need to be aware of when doing business outside their own area. The group were able to discuss this and the assistance available to Northern Ireland businesses from the Leuven Institute and other similar organisations.

The group then moved on to The Living Tomorrow Project which is a unique ‘future living' project inaugurated by Bill Gates in 1991. It features and promotes prototypical and futuristic concepts around construction, electronics and energy efficiency. From initial welcome by ZUZU the interactive robot, through to innovative building and product design to enhance how we live, the experience encourages us to look at things differently, or to use familiar things in a more innovative way. The idea was to show

our future industry leaders that they can, and should, think more widely about the world, and buildings, they are creating as well as how their own businesses operate.

Then it was back to the Leuven Institute to hear from Mr Adrian Joyce, Secretary General, EuroACE (European Alliance for Energy Efficiency in Buildings) and also Director of the Renovate Europe campaign. Adrian is at the forefront of developing European and global policies around Improving Energy Efficiency in Buildings including proposals and issues around more efficient use of energy in buildings and he provided examples from across Europe. He highlighted how pan-European policies help those wishing to work outside their normal areas. The policies remain the same but the methods used, and the products and materials available are often different to those familiar to UK contractors. Common issues were explored and Adrian highlighted how different countries are tackling the same issues in different ways. Mr Ulrich Paetzold of the

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European Construction Industry Federation spoke about opportunities for Nl companies to do business in Europe and how to make useful contacts for future opportunities and identify potential partners. As one of the two major European employer federations (the other being the European Builders Confederation), Ulrich highlighted the work they do at European policy level and the support available to companies who are members of federations under their umbrella.

The day was rounded off with a networking reception and evening meal with guests Mr Adrian Joyce, Mr Riccardo Viaggi (Secretary General, European Builders Confederation) and representatives from the Flemish Construction Federation (Nicola Loxham and Freddy Thuysbaert). Our future leaders learned a lot from these experienced construction professionals, each leaders in their own organisations.

The second day started with an overview of EU

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policy on the construction industry from Mr Tapani Mikkeli, Head of Sector, Sustainable Construction Unit, DG Growth, European Commission. This session provided the participants with an opportunity to meet with an official from the European Commission to gain an insight into the development of the industry across Europe. Tapani discussed how the construction products directive helps companies and specifiers to work with unfamiliar products by ensuring they have access to clear information on performance and operation. By providing clear information on the performance standards of products that may be unfamiliar, the mobility of contractors throughout Europe is facilitated.

Mr Olivier Van Kerkhove took over and delivered an enlightening lecture on approaching European tenders. Olivier explained some of the common pitfalls those new to these encounter as well as the opportunities. He focused on identifying improvements in selecting and preparing tender submissions, learning and applying good practice for large and small, exporters and non-exporters alike. This was an area that many in the group can relate to and a discussion on how European tender processes and law impact on our Nl

procurement process grew out of his presentation.

Following on from the networking experience of the evening before, Professor Marco Hellemans of Dynamite Consulting, provided a session on communication and sales techniques for senior managers attacking International markets. With the aim of providing the participants with effective communication / sales approaches (for use at home or in international markets), Marco walked our group through the standard stereotypes that we all have. In an illuminating and entertaining presentation Marco blew away some myths and highlighted many pitfalls in perceptions on how we can work with other cultures. His basic mantra is “do your homework on the people as much as on the stereotypes”. Many of the messages apply no matter whether you are doing business locally or abroad.

The last few hours of the programme were spent on a tour of the Vaartkom Construction Project, led by Ms Veronique Henderix. This is a large-scale urban renewal project that has transformed a former industrial area (previously occupied by the Stella Artois brewery) into a stylish, lively and green urban district that includes a

high-quality combination of accommodation, work and leisure facilities. The group were able to view this state of the art construction project and obtain an understanding of the tools, techniques and approaches used. It was also interesting to compare development and planning issues that arose in the redevelopment, with those we encounter domestically. The big lesson here is that Planners are Planners and Developers are Developers no matter what country you operate in. The rules, design and materials may be different but the core issues of commercial viability and community benefit are still there.

On returning from the trip, Barry Neilson, Chief Executive, CITB Nl, commented that the experience will have widened the perception of these future leaders and the potential for innovative thinking in all areas of their business. The group certainly started to think about what their organisations do now and what is possible in terms of personal and organisational development.

Feedback from the participants indicated that the key learning points were challenging traditional thinking or thinking outside the box, use of communication

techniques, insights into European culture, procedures and legislation, and a better understanding of what innovation means. The participants are now planning on taking this back to their companies to help develop a change culture, evolve their existing practices, and tailor their communication both internally and externally.

Upon their return from Leuven the Leader in Construction participants met again in late July to partake in the fourth local workshop. This time the focus was on Organisation and Project Management. As part of the workshop, two guest speakers, Tim Kinney and Michael McCord from Tughans specialist construction team (sponsors of the programme), provided the participants with guidance on managing variations in construction contracts and in dealing with adjudication.

This cutting is reproduced by NIMMS under licencee from NLA No further copying (including the printing of digital cuttings), digital reproduction or forwarding is permitted except under licensefrom NLA. www.nla.co.uk (for newspapers)

Ref: CITB 1485242