CAB marks year of progress

The Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB) reflected on a year of strong progress and renewed member engagement at its 31st Annual General Meeting, held at the Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon.

The event brought together members, guests and industry leaders for an evening of updates, insight and celebration, including the introduction of CAB’s new president, Russell Yates, long-service member awards, and a charity raffle in support of Sparkle, a children’s charity.

Noble Francis, economics director at the Construction Products Association (CPA), provided the keynote address, outlining a cautious but improving economic outlook.

“The UK economy is showing slow but steady progress,” Noble said. “GDP grew by 1.1% last year, is forecast at 1.3% this year and 1.5% in 2026.

“While uncertainty remains around the Autumn Budget, sectors such as refurbishment, data centres, energy infrastructure and defence are expected to deliver strong performance.”

Following the forecast, Claire Fenton, principal facades manager at Wates Construction, led a session on competency and the Building Safety Act.

“The Act applies to every single building,” she said. “Competency isn’t just about qualifications, it’s about skills, knowledge, experience and behaviour. It’s a mindset shift, not a tick-box exercise.”

CAB chief executive, Nigel Headford, confirmed that the organisation is working closely with the Joint Competency Initiative (JCI) and government to have manufacturer and installer training formally recognised as CPD.

“Our goal is to make demonstrating competence simpler, faster and more credible,” he said. “Members already invest heavily in training; that commitment deserves official recognition.”

In his first address as president, Russell Yates praised CAB’s momentum across sustainability and technical leadership.

“CAB today feels more connected than ever,” he said. “From the growth of our Closed Loop Recycling Scheme to the U-value Charter and our expanding events programme, we’re building a stronger, more collaborative aluminium community.”