Activities Report

Business as Usual, with Extra Drive

Although 2016 was challenging, with attendances generally down, few if any BVAA events were cancelled and we even added some new ones to the mix. There was a real impetus in the Board and at the Secretariat to drive on our activities to ensure members got the very best out of them throughout the year.

Future Leaders Programme

This unique series of sites visits, knowledge-sharing days, personal development and technical training, plus experience days at centres-ofexcellence serving the industry, was an overwhelming success and the feedback we got from the participants, and crucially their employers, was phenomenal! With a couple of days of activities each month throughout the year, and with at least one Board representative at every session, the ‘silo busting’ programme culminated in a presentation to the membership’s senior executives at the AGM in November – heady stuff for those just starting out in their management careers! Some of the first FLP cohort are going on now to do a BVAA-sponsored Mentoring Programme, while a second cohort have been recruited already for induction in 2017.

Exhibitions

Spurning some of the ‘big spend’ shows this year, particularly in moribund oil and gas, BVAA was pleased to be represented at a number of different events this year, including the Engineering cluster event at the NEC, the National Fluid Power Centre exhibition day in Worksop, the EIC Connect event in Manchester and the Pilot Share Fair in Aberdeen, as well as the CSA’s Functional Safety event in Hawarden. Valve World is covered more extensively elsewhere in this Review, but this remains one of our flagship events along with Offshore Europe.

Spring Conference & Golf

Now a highlight of the BVAA calendar, this year’s May Conference did not disappoint. Generously sponsored by CSA, Duvalco, hydravalve, HSP, Rotork and SACO, we were able to cover diverse topics such as the Future Leaders programme, the Internet of Things, Improvements in Castings, the Protel service, trading with Iran, SILs and how to Make Money from Twitter.

Augmented with the new mini-exhibition, now bedding in nicely, the feedback from members was once again excellent and as always will help shape what we do next time.

The associated Golf Day looked to be threatened by rain for the first time, but actually ended up largely warm and dry again. The scoring was once again extraordinarily high, particularly given that we played the impressive 2010 Ryder Cup course, but clear winners this year were Team Emerson on 86pts.

Customer Golf Day - Scotland

Setting their collective woes aside for a day, our BVAA Customer Golf Day at Banchory was warmly welcomed by the players, and generously supported again by sponsors HSP and CVS. As an added bonus, our customers scooped a number of the individual prizes this year. Thrusting their way to the podium again however were BVAA cup holders Team HSP, with the obligatory 86pt winning score.

BVAA AGM

Stapleford Park near Melton Mowbray was our stunning AGM & Ball venue this year - a real treat for the eyes and only possible due to the generous sponsorship by Asco, Heap & Partners, Hobbs Valve, Kent Introl, Rotork and SACO.

The associated mini-conference was reduced to three presentations this year for a less-rushed feel. First up was former BBC Breakfast presenter Declan Curry, who gave some very personal insights into Brexit, the current economic climate and the USA elections, a real mix of humour and sobering food for thought. Next was Jeremy Leonard of Oxford Economics who in addition to outlining the content of the new BVAA Forecasts, also gave a global economic outlook. ‘Jam tomorrow, spread thinly’ was one assessment for the global valve industry.

Last but by no means least were the Future Leaders Group, who captivated the audience with a powerful presentation on how the programme had helped them and their companies. Cue an extremely interesting Q&A session afterwards, and immediate additional nominations for the next cohort. The afternoon session was closed out with the traditional AGM and reports sessions.

The Annual Ball was preceded with a champagne reception, awards to individual members who had provided particularly helpful service to the Association over the year. There was also a surprise, special presentation by the Board sub-group who had conceived the Future Leaders programme, to the individual FLPs themselves and their lecturer, Dr Martin Haigh, MBE.

Published: 5th February 2017