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SPOA at ScotPlant 2026
ScotPlant is the highlight of the plant industry calendar and the 2026 event did not disappoint. The SPOA was represented by all of the Executive Committee with Vice President, Gail McEwen; newly appointed Skills and Industry Engagement Officer, Cheryl MacLennan; James Currie; and members of the Women in Plant group manning the stand.
The SPOA stand at ScotPlant 2026.
Apprenticeships
With the Tenstar simulator taking centre stage at the SPOA stand, many conversations inevitably centred around apprenticeships and how to attract new people into the industry. There was lots of interest both in trying out the simulator and hiring it for careers events in the communities local to SPOA members.
The SPOA remains committed to supporting its members to attract young people into the plant industry and, following ScotPlant, the Tenstar simulator is booked for several events all over Scotland. Check out our social media channels to see the simulator in use.
The Tenstar simulator was a big hit with all ages.
Digital tools
With advanced machine control systems being demonstrated at ScotPlant and the launch of a series of measures designed to support SPOA members in their journey towards digital transformation announced last year, digitalisation was also a hot topic of conversation at the SPOA stand. Expect to see more initiatives being rolled out throughout the year but in the meantime, members are encouraged to reach out to Gail McEwen, the SPOA’s lead on digitalisation. Gail can be contacted at gail.mcewen@spoa.org.uk.
Women in Plant
The Women in Plant (WiP) group continues to attract new members and there was lots of interest from visitors to the stand about WiP, the challenges and issues the group is seeking to address and, of course, the social side and how you can get involved. Check out our social media channels for new events which WiP hopes to announce soon.
ScotPlant highlights
As always, ScotPlant was enjoyed by all. Here are some of the highlights for the SPOA team and some of our members.
For Cheryl, it was the first time she had attended ScotPlant and she cannot wait for the next one, saying: “It was my first time at ScotPlant and it was such a great event to be part of. I’m already looking forward to 2028!”
For Gail, it was an opportunity to see the innovation and progress in SPOA member businesses so prominently on display: “I enjoyed seeing our members and seeing their amazing stands. It was great that the SPOA stand acted as a meeting point, with so many members coming together at our stand to meet each other and learn about each other’s businesses.”
Darren Gilmour, Managing Director at HRN, said: “We were delighted with how ScotPlant 2026 performed for us. A larger stand meant we could showcase more machines from CASE, Kubota and Mecalac which customers responded well to, and our hospitality marquee created a great space for conversations. It’s still early days, but the show has generated strong enquiries and valuable opportunities that we’ll be working hard to convert.”
Alan Rose, Managing Director at Wm W.M Rose & Sons Ltd, concluded: “A fantastic couple of days at ScotPlant 2026 – a well-attended and highly successful show showcasing the very best in construction innovation. It was great to see such strong interest and engagement at the Royal Highland Centre, with our stand attracting plenty of attention, particularly around the Merlo products on display. Wm W.M Rose & Sons was proud to be part of such a key event in the industry calendar.”
A meeting point for SPOA members at ScotPlant 2026.
Want to share your highlights from ScotPlant 2026? Get in touch with the team at pr@spoa.org.uk to feature in a ScotPlant focus in the next issue of The Sprocket.