CPA sponsors ESTA 50th anniversary event in Amsterdam and presents award to David Collett

The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) was a Gold sponsor of ESTA's 50th anniversary conference and celebration dinner at the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam on Friday 23 October 2026, and was asked to present one of seven special recognition awards.

The CPA describes ESTA as the European association for mobile crane hire and abnormal load transport. The CPA said it took the sponsorship as a long-term member because ESTA's 50th anniversary coincided with the association's own 85th year.

CPA President Brian Jones presented the award to David Collett of Collett & Sons, an ESTA board member and CPA member, for his work with ESTA over many years, the CPA said. ESTA's board of directors page lists David Collett as a board member for COLLETT & SONS LTD.

Connie Lindhoud, ESTA Marketing Manager, said: "ESTA was founded in 1976, so this year is a very special birthday."

The conference

CPA technical staff Katie Kelleher and Peter Brown represented the association at the afternoon conference, which the CPA said drew about 150 attendees.

ESTA titled the conference "Shaping the future – Europe's heavy transport and lifting sector in a turbulent world" and ran it from 13.00 to 17.30. According to ESTA's programme, sessions included "Global challenges & European opportunities", "The future of the heavy transport & lifting industry in Europe", "The electric crane revolution", "Inspection and Maintenance of sheave assemblies", "The next step in safe trailer operations" and "The next generation".

The CPA summarised the topics as global challenges, the future of heavy transport and lifting in Europe, the effective use of electric cranes, a new publication on sheave assemblies, and careers and attracting the next generation into the industries.

The dinner

The celebration dinner followed in the evening, running from 18.30 to midnight according to ESTA. The CPA said about 250 guests attended from across the sectors and organisations involved, and that CPA chief executive Steve Mullholland joined Brian Jones at the event.

ESTA had announced in advance that the event would take place on 23 October at the Okura Hotel, and offered year-round anniversary sponsorship at Platinum, Gold and Silver tiers. ESTA is also producing a special edition commemorative book covering 50 years of people, achievements and progress.

The two associations

ESTA was established in 1976 by six national associations. It represents national trade associations whose members are crane hire or heavy transport companies, and says it now unites more than 100 member associations and companies from 27 countries. Its president is Fabio Belli and its ESTA Director is Miguel Flórez De La Colina.

The CPA said it has been an ESTA member for so long that no one is sure when it originally joined. It said it has been involved in ESTA projects including the European Crane Operator Licence (ECOL) and ESTA's range of technical publications.

ESTA describes ECOL as a common standard for mobile crane operator competence, applying to operators of mobile cranes as defined by the EN-13000 construction standard. ESTA says requirements for crane operator training and certification differ between European countries, which is the reason for the licence.

The CPA was founded in 1941. It says its almost 2,000 members collectively supply more than 85% of the plant hired to the UK construction industry, and its council is made up of volunteers drawn from the membership.

The CPA said it congratulated ESTA on its anniversary and would continue to support the association's ongoing work.