May - 2021CONSTRUCTIONTECHREVIEW.COM8IN MYOPINIONBy Niklas Nillroth, CECE President & Vice President Sustainability & Public Affairs, Volvo Construction Equipment [STO: VOLV-B]As the European industry association of all construction equipment manufacturers, CECE is committed to delivering a sustainable and competitive construction industry. One of the key ways to do that is by making connected, digital and smart machines to build better, more safe and productive places and infrastructures that Europeans need to enjoy life and to prosper. This is my core mission as CECE President and has been my philosophy in the years at Volvo CE. Indeed, CECE continues to implement a long-term strategy of embracing and leading the transition into the digital era. This is particularly needed for the construction industry, which is one of the least digitalised economic sectors in Europe. Digitalisation is one of the great enablers of increased productivity in the construction equipment sector. Technologies like telematics, machine control and automation can have a positive impact on machines' efficiency, reducing downtime through predictive maintenance, connectivity between multiple machines on site and between the machines and a cloud server to carry out jobsite advancement reports for the contractors and even the final client. This is just a glimpse of what smart machines can do in reality, already today. However, there is a dramatic need to raise awareness in the industry. The most important element that the construction industry should understand is that digitalisation is not ­ and should not be ­ a goal in itself. It is the definition of a means to an end. Indeed, to seize DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION & MACHINES ­ MUCH MORE THAN TECHNOLOGY
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