Institution news
For further details of this year's Cranes seminar and to book your place, please visit the event website.
Please could you briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience with regards to the Cranes/Lifting industry and this event?
Tedd Holt (TH): I’m the Operations Director at Radius Group and I take care of the day-to-day procedures of the business. I have a strong background in executing lifting operations, including the planning and management of complex lifts, across various industries and environments including construction, engineering, retail, rail, oil & gas, facilities, and civils.
What, in your experience, has been the biggest roadblock for the industry this year?
TH: Seemingly more and more businesses are going into administration and the strain that puts on other parts of the industry, and the worry of who you’re working for and with. As a result, businesses are concerned about money and budget, therefore QS’s and commercial teams have more input and power in the early stages of procurement, without it would seem sufficient input from the technical people executing the works.
What key topics are you excited to discuss at this year's conference?
TH: I’m looking forward to hearing about the challenges from the last 12 months, especially as I’m hoping that now, people will be talking about topics other than Covid. I’m also keen to hear and talk about people’s thoughts regarding the biggest challenges to come over the next 12-18 months.
Regarding the utilisation of Innovation, what would you say are the technologies or applications to watch for the future?
TH: Ground control for tower cranes is the next big thing. Radius Group have partnered with Cockpit, marking a monumental leap forward for the crane and construction sector, and are the first UK lifting provider to have a ground control unit on a working tower crane. The safety & wellbeing advantages outweigh the commercial benefits; preventing accidents caused by operators climbing up and down, reduced risks, improved working positions/conditions, and welfare is significantly increased, which all result in a more efficient, quicker workflow on site.
Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme?
TH: I’m looking forward to hearing all the different topics, because each one of them will have an impact on me in one way or another. Continued professional development, training and knowledge enhancement has always been close to my heart, so I am excited to hear from the NOCN to see what breakthroughs they have had with developing content for both newcomers to our industry (which we need) and how to enhance the tangible skill set of our existing workforces. I’m also keen to hear from Hawkins regarding incidents and their outcomes, because I always find these topics are an opportunity to learn myself.
Why is it important for engineers to join this conference?
TH: I think the industry has got better about speaking about its vast range of impactful topics and without the continued support of the whole industry and an open forum to communicate our challenges and innovations - without waiting for a sales rep to come round with a pack of biscuits - we will only go backwards. So, I feel it’s critical for people who drive progression, to attend, to ensure sustainable technical growth of our sectors.
The Cranes 2023 seminar will take place on 26 September 2023 in London
Join us at the Institution's London Headquarters in September to understand how engineers are driving innovation across lifting operations, whilst addressing the challenges of maintaining safety and reducing the overall risk.
Presentations will cover examples a wide variety of projects and industries, together with technical insights and industry best practice to reduce the risk of incidents, maintain compliance with standards and make the most of new and novel technologies.
For further details of this year's Cranes seminar and to book your place, please visit the event website.