IQ Annual Conference
THE 2007 Institute of Quarrying Annual Conference will take place at the Ramside Hall Hotel in the historic city of Durham from 4–5 October.
The theme for this year’s conference symposium is ‘Quarrying: Adding Value’. Speakers will discuss the benefits brought by the industry in adding value to society, the natural and built environment, its employees and local communities. Ample opportunity will be given to delegates to contribute to the discussion.
The keynote address will be given by well-known motivational speaker Steve Black, who is widely regarded as one of the most inspirational fitness gurus in the world and has worked with some of the finest sportsmen in rugby and football. He will show ways in which value can be added to the quarrying industry through its employees.
Terry Lowndon, National Industry Symbiosis Programme North East, will show that ‘where there is muck, there is brass’ in a talk on maximizing the benefit of waste materials.
The impact on the industry and its employees by the Work and Families Act 2006 will be discussed by David Gibson, partner of law firm Crutes. The changes of law with respect to age, maternity, paternity and discrimination mean that a flexible workforce will be needed if productivity is to be increased.
The afternoon session will be opened by Helen Kennedy of Wardell Armstrong with ‘Presentations to Impress’. She will show the best way to present new schemes to a resistant public.
Mary Lakin of the Northern Archaeological Associates will describe how archaeology can be seen as an opportunity and not a threat. She will explain how investigation and mitigation can reduce cost and disappointment.
Beneficial alternatives to agriculture for after-use of quarries will be explored by landscape architect David Jarvis. He will explore opportunities to add value to the natural and built environment with examples such as the Thames Gateway and Snow Kingdom.
Miles Watkins, director of group environment and corporate social responsibility with Aggregate Industries will focus on Social Impact Assessment, looking at the benefits to be gained as an alternative to Environmental Impact Assessment.
The conference proceedings will be concluded by Dr Chris Luebkeman, director of global foresight and innovation with ARUP, who will take delegates on a journey through time to look at the future of transportation and the implications for suppliers of construction materials.
