Inside the ScaffEx26 conference programme
ScaffEx26 opens at Manchester Central next week (10-11 September) and the conference programme has been built around one objective: every delegate leaves with something they can use on Monday morning.
Hosted by journalist Sophie Long across both days, and focusing on skills, safety and success, the programme is deliberately weighted towards the questions the industry argues about rather than the ones it has already settled.
Thursday 10 September
The conference opens with a keynote at 11am, followed at 11.30am by Thriving in Uncertainty: Insights from Across the Supply Chain, a Question Time-style debate on the commercial realities facing the sector. Fair payment, contract terms and workforce pressures are all on the table, with panellists from the National Federation of Builders, PHD Access, Altrad UK, Lindum Group and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. Anyone who has spent the last year worrying about payment terms should be in the room.
At 12.45pm, What Nobody Tells You About Starting Your Own Scaffolding Firm does exactly what the title suggests. The panel is made up of people who have built businesses themselves, giving honest accounts of the financial pressure, the culture and the things they wish someone had told them earlier. It is aimed at anyone thinking about going out on their own, and at anyone who already has and is finding it harder than expected.
The afternoon turns to recruitment with The Talent Crisis: Why You Need a Blend of Youth and Experience at 2.30pm, looking at how firms attract new entrants while making the most of the experienced people already on the books.
Day one closes at 4pm with a project showcase, giving behind-the-scenes access to schemes including the Manchester Town Hall restoration and 25 Canada Square at Canary Wharf. The focus is on what was learned rather than simply what was achieved.
Friday 11 September
Day two opens at 10.35am with Hiding in Plain Sight: The Hidden Risks of Getting It Wrong, covering the hazards that get underestimated on site, including fire and dust exposure.
At 12.15pm comes the session most likely to divide the room. Would You Trust a Scaffolder Trained on a Computer? brings together training centre leads, employers and scaffolders to debate whether immersive technology complements practical experience or dilutes it. There is no settled industry view on this, which is precisely why it is worth an hour.
The conference closes at 2.30pm with Dawn of a New Era: Innovation in Temporary Roofing, a 90-minute session on where temporary roofing is heading.
The conference runs alongside the exhibition across both days, and ScaffEx26 closes with the famous Scaffolding Excellence Awards on the Friday evening.
Registration is free. Book your place here.
