Niklas Nillroth takes over CECE Presidency

8 January 2020

Since January 1st, 2020 Niklas Nillroth is the new President of CECE. He succeeds Enrico Prandini of UNACEA & Komatsu. The CECE presidency is a rotating post held for two consecutive years by each of the associations representing their member nations.

Niklas Nillroth chairs the Swedish Construction Equipment Association SACE and is Vice President Sustainability & Public Affairs at Volvo Construction Equipment. Within Volvo CE Niklas has gained broad experience from management positions within several different areas, such as purchasing & supply management, product development, change & project management and general management.

Building trust – enabling innovation
“As the CECE President I will devote particular attention to the issue of sustainability in construction. With a special focus on the push for emission reduction and the initiatives being put in place by authorities and the rest of the industry” said Nillroth. This is the key megatrend for CECE, most of all concerning the positive impact that newly introduced machines can have in fighting pollution and improving air quality. “What is still missing – and I want to focus on – are the pull factors making these technologies appealing and mainstream for client and users in the larger construction industry” he continued.

Niklas will continue the long-term strategy of his predecessors to embrace the transition into the digital era. Standards being the focal point of this transition can facilitate the ongoing digitalisation of industry by promoting compatibility and interoperability between products and processes. Enabling innovation will also be the theme of this year’s CECE Congress, which will be held in Stockholm from October 7 to 9.

Less regulatory complexity
As the CECE President Niklas Nillroth will dedicate relevant efforts to the EU regulatory agenda. Indeed, a trio of key legislation will be proposed by the European Commission during 2020 – the Machinery Directive, the Outdoor Noise Directive and the Road-Circulation framework for off-highway machines. ”Several groups of dedicated CECE experts are actively collecting and sharing their knowledge to contribute to an informed decision-making process at the EU level. Following on the steps of Enrico Prandini, CECE will work to further strengthen the public profile of the European construction equipment sector, describing and promoting the importance of the sector for the European economy and society at large” concluded CECE President Niklas Nillroth.

As President Niklas Nillroth represents 1,200 construction equipment manufacturers in Europe. These companies generate €40 bn in yearly revenue and employ around 300,000 people overall.