CECE President Phil Layton: London is the place to be in October

CECE Congress 2026 will bring more than 150 senior figures from Europe’s construction equipment industry to IET Savoy Place in London from 27 to 29 October.

With the UK hosting the biennial Congress during Phil Layton’s presidency of CECE, the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) is leading delivery of the event on behalf of the Committee for European Construction Equipment.

Ahead of the Congress, Layton has outlined why he believes the industry needs to come together at a time of economic uncertainty, changing regulation, skills shortages, technology investment and global competition.

Why CECE Congress matters in 2026

Layton describes the Congress as one of the few opportunities for the European construction equipment industry to step away from day-to-day pressures and take a wider view of the forces shaping its future.

“Manufacturers are dealing with economic uncertainty, changing regulation, skills shortages, technology investment, global competition and a rapidly shifting political landscape,” he said. “Those issues affect every business, but they cannot be solved company by company or country by country.”

The event is intended to bring together manufacturers, association leaders, economists, technical experts and policy voices, giving delegates a chance to compare experience and consider how the industry should respond.

Create, Innovate, Inspire

The theme for this year’s Congress is Create • Innovate • Inspire, with each strand focused on a different part of the industry’s future.

For Layton, Create is about finding better ways to solve problems, develop people and build value. Innovate is about turning ideas into industrial advantage through more productive factories, capable machinery, stronger supply chains and better use of data. Inspire focuses on the people the sector needs to attract and retain, from engineers and technicians to digital specialists, operators and future leaders.

The programme will include Jason Bevan, former Head of Creative Development and Vice President of European Marketing at Warner Bros. Pictures, who will discuss creativity, innovation and how organisations respond to change, including the growing role of artificial intelligence.

A dedicated panel will also look at skills, education and attracting new talent into the sector.

Economics, leadership and industry competitiveness

The Congress programme will cover geopolitical volatility, the outlook for European manufacturing, industrial competitiveness, technology, leadership, skills and market conditions.

Joe Nellis, Emeritus Professor of Global Economy, will examine the global and European economic outlook. Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Hill, a former British Army officer whose career was cut short by a life-changing injury sustained on operations in Afghanistan, will close the first day with a keynote on resilience and leadership.

Sessions will be moderated by Riccardo Viaggi, Secretary General of CECE.

Why London?

Layton believes London is the right setting for a Congress focused on an international industry facing international issues.

“The UK remains an important manufacturing, engineering and construction equipment market, and hosting the Congress here is an opportunity to bring European colleagues together at a time when the UK-EU relationship, trade, regulation and industrial competitiveness remain very much on the agenda,” he said.

Alongside the conference sessions, a Welcome Reception at IET Savoy Place will open the Congress, while the Gala Dinner will take delegates onto the Thames for an evening cruise through central London.

A place to compare ideas and look ahead

Layton says delegates should leave with a clearer understanding of the environment their businesses are operating in, practical ideas they can apply and new industry contacts.

“No business should be setting its strategy based on headlines, assumptions or a narrow view of its own market,” he said. “The Congress gives people direct access to informed perspectives on the issues influencing our sector across Europe.”

He added that the value of the event also lies in the conversations between manufacturers, associations, suppliers, policy experts and industry partners away from the formal sessions.

“For anyone serious about construction equipment, London is the place to be in October.”

CECE Congress 2026 takes place from 27 to 29 October at IET Savoy Place, London, and is open to CEA members and non-members.