2021 Directory

www.bfpa.co.uk 59 and experience of distribution strategies and ways of going to market that may not have been implemented widely within the UK. “In France, we have a very close way of working with our network of distributors and retailers,” he explains. “We have now also implemented some of these strategies within the UK, such as building stronger relationships through giving customers a better understanding of our business by being more open and showing them how we work. Indeed, we invite people to come to our offices and warehouse in the UK.” Greater manufacturer/distributor parity of representation Abbott points out that at committee meetings the Association is also looking to establish even greater parity between how it serves both its manufacturer and distributor membership. “To this end, it is encouraging new people from the industry to join the board,” he says. “As some of the more senior Board members retire, the Association’s CEO Chris Buxton is keen to take on board younger board members that can provide a fresher perspective on the industry in terms of opportunities and ideas related to business, technology, marketing and essentially how the BFPA can further improve the support it provides to its membership.” Changing technology dynamic Abbott explains that another further area being discussed more and more at Association meetings concerns the growth in the use of other types of technology within the fluid power industry. “Indeed, I feel this growing technological sphere within our industry could be of considerable interest to young people looking to pursue engineering as their chosen career path,” he says. “The basics of fluid power have been around for a long time but now a greater marriage is taking place between traditional fluid power solutions and the digital transformation model – products and services around Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), This can offer greater levels of connectivity over different parts of equipment than ever before, saving cost, improving efficiency and so on. This is an area the Association is keen to continue to monitor and to inform its membership about.” On the topic of the inexorable march of technology, Galley believes it is important that the fluid power industry continues to recognise and react to the growing use of electronic alternatives to hydraulics and pneumatics. “A number of well- established manufacturers and OEMs are already swapping-out fluid power components for hybrid equipment, or even moving completely to electronics,” she observes. “Therefore, we as an Association, as well as the industry in general, need to continue to show that fluid power offers many compelling benefits for a wide range of industrial and mobile applications.” Like Abbott, Galley also points to the fact that the fluid power industry is increasingly playing an important part within the digital transformation landscape. “Having got up to speed with the minutes from recent BFPA committee meetings, I am aware that this is a prominent talking point,” she says. “Within the world of manufacturing and engineering in general, terms such as the Industrial Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 are increasingly being referred to and acted upon to leverage advantages in terms of greater connectivity, analytics, artificial intelligence and so on. However, as things currently stand, I’m not convinced our own industry is at the forefront of these developments. I certainly think as more young people, as well as people with skillsets more focused on this type of technology, enter our industry digital transformation will come increasingly to the fore.” Positive future Abbott believes the fluid power industry is always going to have a positive future. “Sometimes we get told that fluid power will be replaced by other energies, but I’m 53 years old now and I was told that 30 years ago,” he says. “Every year Prevost grows by around 40% in the UK and because we offer niche products, we are opening new doors rather than taking a large amount of business from other players in the industry. So, I think this is still a growing industry and I remain excited about the future.” Galley believes the main challenges for our industry include advancing technology, the lack of diversity in the workforce and the substitution of fluid power systems in general for electronic alternatives. “These are exciting times and I am very much looking forward to working more with the BFPA in the future.”

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=