updates from 38 HYDRAULICS & PNEUMATICS September 2023 www.hpmag.co.uk Contact BCAS at Tel: 020 7935 2464 e-mail: info@bcas.org.uk website: www.bcas.org.uk The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) has long been recognised as the leading, independent source of trusted advice for the compressed air industry and it’s fair to say, I’m joining the team at a great time. Vanda Jones, who has provided excellent leadership and governance to the Society will be continuing as company secretary and working on several key projects. This means I can draw on her wealth of expertise as we work together to lobby for the best outcomes for compressed air users and our members – on important topics ranging from energy legislation to safety standards. It is this industry representation and working on behalf of our members and the wider compressed air end user base where I will be concentrating my efforts to begin with. A renewed member focus Just like any trade body, our members really are the lifeblood of the organisation. It is through their input and valued expertise, as compressed air specialists, that we can continue to deliver timely, practical and relevant advice to the industry. In fact, despite the rollercoaster ride of the last few years with the Covid pandemic, energy crisis and the changing EU landscape post Brexit, the compressed air industry has proved its resilience and our membership numbers have increased. Our members continue to demonstrate their willingness to invest in their businesses; remaining abreast of legislation, staying well informed and ensuring they have the resources needed to stay at the forefront of information. Understanding the needs of our members is therefore a steppingstone to help us better serve the demands of a changing compressed air industry. From our manufacturer members, who are developing new technologies that help lower cost of ownership, to distributors who are often the key interface between the Society and its end users, to our associate members and the vital advisory role they can play. I will therefore be starting my tenure by visiting members across the country to learn more about the challenges they – and their customers – face. For example, our smaller distributor members often rely on us for more practical business support, such as our HR or health and safety assistance programmes, so I will be exploring if there are other value-added services the Society could be offering in this area of advice. In recent months, we have also lobbied on behalf of our members to help overcome some of the challenges posed by the post Brexit landscape - and worked with our European Trade partners, supported by both Pneurop and Orgalim to help influence the legislative process. This has helped legislators to understand the effect on industry and has included tracking any changes in standards and legislation and advising business of the impact. This is especially useful for our manufacturer members, who, on one hand are tasked with developing products that can meet the latest regulatory requirements, while on the other, ensuring they deliver best-in-class efficiency levels. Part of BCAS – part of the solution Throughout its 90 year-plus history, BCAS has played a crucial role in upholding standards and advising its members about changing legislation and standards, to ensure compliance and safety within the industry. Alongside offering an independent source of technical advice to ensure that compressor equipment is energy efficient, compliant and safe, the Society acts as a reliable and reassuring voice in the wake of changing market requirements. One of the areas of I am keen to promote to end-users is the importance of choosing a BCAS member to service and support their compressed air installation. By engaging with a BCAS member, customers are making an intelligent and a strategic choice – a conscious decision to make their compressed air system as efficient, safe and compliant as it can possibly be. One such example of this in practice is our work in helping to plug the engineering skill shortage through our dedicated apprenticeship programme. The UK has a missing generation of skilled engineers and, an ageing and decreasing pool of skilled personnel is driving up Achieving the best outcomes for members and customers Cliff Warne, the newly appointed Executive Director at the British Compressed Air Society, discusses his aspirations for the trade association and the vital role it plays in supporting the needs of its members and compressed air end users.
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