UK Plant Operators Magazine is pleased to announce that the Operator of the Year competition is returning for 2022.
After the success of the inaugural event in 2021, where 24 of the finest excavator operators in the UK battled it out in a live event, covering five skill tests.
With a large audience watching on, Dave Vickers was named champion operator for 2021, picking up £10,000 in cash, in addition to a machine safety system from X Watch and a machine control system from Leica worth an incredible £40,000.
The event will once again be held in the spectacular setting of the M O’Brien Plant Hire, Sand Quarry in Milton Keynes. With its safe and expansive setting, the backdrop will host finals day on Saturday September 10th.
With interest high and registrations from operators keen to participate growing rapidly, we are really looking forward to presenting an even bigger event this year.
Tickets for the event will be available in the spring, as we look forward to welcoming fans and families, for a fun packed day that will see the champion operator for 2022 crowned.
As the event grows, we are delighted to welcome new headline sponsors in Topcon. Topcon was very much part of the 2021 campaign and as a result of that experience, has confirmed a more strategic role in the 2022 UK Plant Operator of the Year campaign.
Topcon has been providing innovative technology to a multitude of industries for decades, dedicated to keeping contractors and plant operators one step ahead with solutions to improve productivity, efficiency and accuracy while working more safely and sustainably.
With industry leading machine control systems, Topcon will be the perfect partner and stakeholder for the 2022 campaign.
Topcon Marketing Manager, Petya Spencer, said, “We are very excited to be the headline sponsor for the 2022 UK Plant Operator of the Year campaign. There are so many talented operators in the industry that we’re looking forward to celebrating and seeing them use machine control systems like ours that put them at the very top of their game. The voice of our customer is of paramount importance, so to be able to work so closely with the best operators in the industry is an opportunity we couldn’t miss.”
We look forward to sharing more content and information from our friends at Topcon throughout the year and in the lead up to finals day in September.
We are also delighted to once again be working with M O’Brien Plant Hire, the team at O’Brien’s are a pleasure to work with and as confirmed earlier, the company is our hosts for finals day. The Sand Quarry is a constructional oasis, providing an unbelievable, safe location for our operators, spectators and sponsors to participate and enjoy.
Commenting Director Dan O’Brien said, “We are pleased to once again be associated with the UK Plant Operator of the Year campaign. The inaugural event exceeded our expectations, succeeding as it did, in raising awareness of the challenging role of plant operators. Our business is multi-disciplined, we rely heavily on our exceptional people, who deliver extraordinary results for our clients. Attracting and retaining Plant Operators and thus reducing the skills gap in this area is of paramount importance, my team and I look forward to supporting and contributing to the 2022 campaign”.
Final’s day will once again provide first class catering, free parking, a regular shuttle bus to the arena, large screen TV and live commentary so spectators never miss a thing.
There will be lots to keep the kids entertained and one or two surprises that we will announce nearer the event.
At the heart of the campaign will of course be the celebration of the role of Plant Operators, in addition all the events stakeholders are united in highlighting three causes (SAS) that will be in the best interest of plant operators, the companies for whom they work and the industry at large.
1) Safety and wellbeing of plant operators.
2) Attracting people to the industry to train as plant operators
3) Solutions to improve plant operator productivity and performance.
Creating greater awareness that will attract new blood into the industry is important to us all. We trust, that in partnership with our sponsors and stakeholders, that the 2022 Plant Operator of the Year campaign will demonstrate to potential recruits, that the role of a plant operator is, in today’s technologically advanced industry, safer, smarter and cleaner. A career opportunity that is rewarding and open to all, of any age, from any background.
Look out for regular updates in the magazine throughout the year, as we thank the growing list of sponsors for their support and patronage.
Find out more about the event at https://ukplantoperators.com/enter/
