CECE’s new president, Alexandre Marchetta: 2022 will be the key year for the Machinery Regulation

At the beginning of this year, Alexandre Marchetta took over the role of the president of the Committee for European Construction Equipment. Marchetta, who is also the President and CEO of Group Mecalac, will use his experience in the industry to solve two of the biggest problems that the European manufacturers, who’s interests he now represents, are facing right now: post-pandemic economic recovery and the legislation needed to ensure the fair competitiveness within the market.  

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More about this hot topic and many others, including the one about continuing the strategy of transitions towards a digital and decarbonized economy, in the next interview that LECTURA conducted recently.

FC: What will your main responsibilities be as the President of CECE and what were your thoughts when you received the great news about the appointment?

AM: The CECE presidency is a rotating post held for two consecutive years by each of the associations representing their member nations. As CECE President I officially chair the CECE Board and represent the organisation in external relations, supported by CECE Secretary General.

Together with the CECE team, I plan to focus on advocacy and communications in support of the key technical dossiers. My main task is to foster visibility and political recognition for the construction equipment sector and to strengthen CECE to optimally represent the sector’s interests. Promoting the idea of a fair competition and free trade for all market players in Europe will also be one of my main responsibilities.

I am very proud of this new role. My long-term involvement in CECE and now the take over of the Presidency post shows that even medium-sized, privately owned companies like the Mecalac Group are stable and relevant players on the international arena.

FC: CECE represents the interests of national construction equipment manufacturers associations in Europe. What is the biggest contribution that you want to bring in order to improve the activity of the institution you’re running?

AM: For European associations like CECE it’s not individuality that matters but cooperation and partnership across all members. It is crucial for the success of the organisation in maintaining unanimous voice towards the relevant stakeholders and institutions. I will certainly support the fair and transparent processes established within CECE and will make sure to foster the great collaboration between CECE’s national member associations.

FC: What are the challenges that the machinery sector is facing right now and what can you do from your new position to help all the 1200 companies in the industry to overcome them?

AM: The disruptions brought by the pandemic and the current economic recovery have brought enormous challenges and an industry association like CECE wants to tackle them all. However, as a Brussels’ based organisation, I have to focus on the prime mission of CECE as advocate and representative of the CE industry in the policy-making arena. This is why I see the regulatory burden as one of the big challenges our industry is facing. Most of all when it affects directly the competitiveness of the European manufacturing.

There is a wave of regulation in the field of sustainability which is not being assessed against the reality of manufacturing, such as the taxonomy on sustainable finance or the upcoming reporting obligations. As a globally competitive industry, construction machinery in Europe needs to integrate all these regulatory and compliance costs into a very challenging environment already.

Together with the CECE team in Brussels and a range of experts from national member associations and OEMs, I will monitor the preparation and development of these regulations and voice the opinions of the European construction equipment manufacturers when needed.

FC: You mentioned that your biggest role as the President of CECE will be to steer the European industry association in 2022 and 2023, at a key moment of economic recovery. What are the measures that you intend to implement in order to achieve this ambitious objective?

AM: Indeed, we find ourselves in the key moment of recovery. I believe it is time to grasp the market opportunities arising from the EU Recovery Plan and continued investments in the EU built environment. This is actually possible thanks to an historic agreement at the EU level to create debt instruments guaranteed by the joint national budgets and collected by the European Commission. Let us remember that.

CECE, together with the Construction 2050 Alliance, a partnership of more than 50 European organizations representing the actors of the entire construction value chain advocated for the built environment to become a key priority in all national Recovery plans. This is because we believe that construction can and should play a key role in the recovery and resilience of Europe‘s economy. We will continue to monitor the rollout of the Recovery Fund, with roughly 10% of the whole fund going to construction activities to achieve the twin transition of green and digital. This EU financial support is proving fundamental to kick-start investments and growth in the major economies of Europe.

FC: You also mentioned that as CECE President you will dedicate relevant efforts to the EU regulatory agenda for the machinery industry. Can you please mention what would those efforts be?

AM: CECE as the recognized organization representing the voice of construction equipment manufacturers in Europe, influences the European and national Institutions and other organizations worldwide to achieve a fair competitive environment via harmonised standards and regulations. The regulatory agenda has therefore always been crucial for our work.

The year in which I begin my Presidency is a defining moment for the regulatory landscape in our industry. This year we expect the proposal for a harmonised system of road circulation requirements across the EU. Moreover, 2022 will be the key year for the Machinery Regulation, which is one of the most important pieces of legislation for the CECE industry.

Together with my team, I will make sure that CECE continues to take part in the discussions with the legislators and inform the debate on what Europe needs to remain a competitive and trustworthy manufacturing bloc.

FC: How are you planning on continuing the long-term strategy of your predecessors to embrace the twin transitions towards a digital and decarbonized economy?

AM: CECE’s member companies are embracing and leading those transitions, with smart machines creating connected, safer and environment-friendly jobsites. As industry leaders we know we have a responsibility towards society and the next generations. That is why CECE has undertaken a structured approach towards both digital and green transitions.

We believe that if properly managed, digitalisation can play a major role in increasing company's competitiveness and it could even change the positioning along the value chain in relation to customer needs. Furthermore, our innovative industry has invested heavily in “green” technology. Recent technical developments led to increased efficiency, decrease of noise limits and reduction of emissions. Our industry is making their products more sustainable overall.

The European construction equipment industry is committed to actively contribute to a high level of environmental protection and is liaising closely with the relevant European Institutions and other stakeholders in order to shape this legislative framework. We believe that policy makers should allow industry to be customer-driven and to develop an innovative approach.

FC: You announced that the next CECE Congress will be hosted in France in January 2023. Can you unveil a few details about this great event and the themes that will be discussed there?

AM: The next edition of the Congress will be the first post-Covid event for CECE, that is why the social and human dimension of coming back together for this occasion cannot be overlooked. In the last two years CECE have organized a virtual Congress and Summit which turned out to be very successful, however we are all hoping to be able to meet again physically in January of next year, to network and to come back to face-to-face events in general.

Why Chamonix? We have decided to make the event in this beautiful village facing Mont Blanc as it is very symbolic for our industry. Hosting the CECE Congress facing the highest European mountain reflects our industry’s ambition to keep growing and ‘climbing’ as high as we can.

The programme of the event is developing with the help of the CECE and EVOLIS teams. We will make sure to make this an unforgettable event – not only because of the location – but also thanks to some unexpected themes we want to cover. That is all I can say for now but please save the date in your calendars already for 19-20 January 2023 and more information on the event will follow soon.

FC: What is the message that you want to send to all the European machinery manufacturers whose interests you are representing?

AM: I can say with all confidence that I will do my best in the next two years to stay neutral and to support our industry in achieving the necessary goals in order to remain a competitive and trustworthy manufacturing bloc on the global arena.