Gearing Up For FINROCK 2022

The countdown to FINROCK 22 is well underway following the huge success of last year’s inaugural live interactive event.  We have been talking to Peter Seaman, Head of Marketing and Customer Experience at Finning, to find out what we can expect on November 24th 2022.

The goal is to attract an even bigger audience than the 1,000 plus Finning customers and industry colleagues from the construction, aggregates, and waste sectors from across the UK and Ireland.  By all accounts, that should be very achievable, with the central theme running throughout the course of the day being ‘sustainability’.

“Last year’s event was the first time we had ever attempted such an undertaking on that scale and the feedback was incredible,” says Peter. “It allowed us to interact with Finning customers across the UK and Ireland without the need to travel to a set location which was fantastic.  That in itself had a positive impact on the environment.”

In 2021, Finning, the authorised dealer of Cat equipment and parts in the UK and Ireland, didn’t have a choice of bringing people together at a physical gathering given the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.  So why repeat the online event this time around?

“If you look at the state of the events industry at the moment, you can see that there is a seismic shift going on in terms of the way that events companies seek to connect with audiences.  So, it seems that hybrid events and virtual events are here to stay and will only grow in popularity. There is a consensus that these types of events will become the future.

“What we at Finning did last year was really good.  We had fantastic feedback but there was a lot more we wanted to do but just couldn’t at that time.  FINROCK 22 will be even bigger and better, with plenty of new features including machinery demonstrations to complement what we had on last year’s programme.

“We are, for example, expanding our live interviews and debates on FINROCK TV.  This will address the most topical issues and challenges customers face today.  It will help them to get the most out of machine assets through condition monitoring and tailored servicing – with customers joining the team of Finning and Caterpillar experts to share their knowledge and experiences leading to business success.”

Customers will also have the opportunity to ask a panel of industry experts about the challenges they are facing, with the focus being on important topics such as fuel efficiency, safety, and operator training.  Other topics will cover the role of technology in digitising construction and waste industries, and how Finning is working closely with customers to support them in meeting their own sustainability ambitions.

Sustainability Zone will help customers reduce 

greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental performance

To that end, one of the new features at FINROCK 22 will be a ‘sustainability zone’.  Customers from different industries will gain an insight into the many systems, approaches, and products that are available to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the environmental performance of their operations. These include what’s involved in switching to renewable fuels through to commissioning a rebuild to extend the operational lifespan of a machine. 

A second new zone will provide an in-depth look at the aftermarket expertise, products and services Finning provides to customers. It includes a spotlight on the engineering expertise that is embedded throughout the company.  In addition, a look at the crucial role asset conditioning monitoring plays in keeping machines fully operational, so sites are productive and profitable.  There will also be a few surprises, such as the unveiling of some prototype machines that should be of interest to a large section of the audience.  But that’s all we know at this stage.

Returning this year is the equipment showroom. This will give visitors hands-on experience with different machines so they can get a feel for how technologies can benefit their sites and businesses. Visitors can also consult Finning experts for machine, business, and financial advice, ensuring that they have everything they need to keep sites running, and business a success. As well as attending talks and demonstrations, visitors can also browse opportunities at the careers fair and network with other attendees. 

FINROCK is probably the most ambitious undertaking, fully utilisingall the modern technology available to put on a great show

Finning is not alone in developing new ways to engage with customers, but FINROCK is probably the most ambitious undertaking.  It is a rather unique and innovative way to get close to both their customer base and the dealership network, fully utilising all the modern technology available to put on a great show.

“There is such diversity within the industry and these virtual or hybrid methods of connecting people may not be right for everyone.  However, we do try to make it as simplistic as possible so customers of all ages, genders and backgrounds can access FINROCK 22 and navigate their way around the various aspects of the programme. We are always willing to learn new or different ways of making improvements.”

It seems customers who took part last year most valued the opportunity to hear from experts across the industries they work in. One of the biggest talking points was around the ‘demolition debate’ that brought together the biggest names – and characters – from the sector to discuss issues pertinent to both contractors and operators such as the transformation to deconstruction and in driving more sustainable practices in the sector. 

Although last year’s event was a resounding success and this year’s seems set to top that, what about the future of traditional physical product presentations and other events for Finning? 

“It’s certainly not the end of such customer events, rather we see each form of event as complementing each other. Having an online platform does give us the ability to reach far more people and is a more environmentally friendly way of doing things.  It cuts down on the costs and emissions associated with travel and moving machinery around, plus we can showcase a much broader range of products and services than at traditional events. We hope to be doing this on an annual basis.

“That said, we will also continue to focus on physically getting our customers together such as at localised dealer presentations.  This is a people business in many ways, and it’s good to talk up close and personal.”

The event timing has been changed this year; it will run online from 2pm to 8pm, making it more accessible outside working hours. Visitors will also be able to drop in and out as they please, as well as log on at a time more suitable to them, as the programme content will remain accessible long after the event has finished.  Iin fact, all year round, via username and password.

Free Registration

Registration for FINROCK22 is completely free. Sign up at  https://finrock.live/login/ for an exclusive opportunity to get up close and personal with the latest machines, technology and the people making the biggest impact in the construction, aggregates, and waste industries.