Making The Most of ARGE’s Workshops
The 2016 ARGE Conference looks set to be the best one yet, with an impressive working programme and a range of workshops for you to get involved in.
Hosted by UNIQ, the 64th ARGE Conference will be held on 15th and 16th September in the elegant resort of Le Touquet Plage. Booking forms and the official invite are available from the ARGE website.
What to expect
This year’s working programme is spread over two days, offering a chance for true engagement around all the issues and the future ARGE Agenda. As well as an impressive line up of speakers and presentations, this year’s conference will be centred around active workshops.
How it will work?
A working group will be set up for each topic ARGE and its members wish to address. Currently, it is suggested that there are three issues to be covered and these will be discussed in three separate workshops.
A Convener – an executive from the ARGE board, who will set the scene with a presentation and then form a debate around the pros and cons, will lead the workshops.
All delegates at this year’s ARGE conference are invited to join the workshops to help form and agree the actions and next steps. If a consensus is reached around a topic then an official working group will be formed. This is designed to ensure deliverables are meet and a roadmap is developed to make it relevant for ARGE’s members and agenda.
What are the issues?
The proposed issues/opportunities for the workshops to discuss and debate are:
1. Future direction of standards developments – based on what we know of market needs and trends where are the opportunities for further standards development? What role would the members like to see ARGE play
2. The creation of ARGE guidelines for master key systems – there is currently no European-wide ‘code’ on how to manage and administrate Master Key System data. ARGE is proposing to establish and promote a respective ‘code’.
3. The introduction of ARGE quality marks for builders’ hardware products. There is a common misconception that a CE mark is a representation of quality but it cannot be used or marketed in this way. To gain a competitive and commercial advantage it is proposed that ARGE publish a true quality mark, using minimum entry-level requirements based on EN standards.
4. The application of standards covering Smart Home, Connected and Elmech technologies. It is estimated that electro-mechanical locking products have increased from 25% to 50% of total locking sales over the last 10 years but standards have been slow to keep up with the accelerated change in technology and market growth. How do we ensure that the new standards introduced recently, or in the pipeline, protect end users from buying inferior or sub-standard products? How do we use these standards to address low cost competition? What role should ARGE play?
The addition of the new workshops is designed to stimulate debate and enhance our members’ experience and involvement with the ARGE agenda, this will be supplemented by a discussion around the role of Working Group C and its progress on standardisation. The Working Group has made great strides in its influence on the CEN Standardisation project and we want to ensure all members are informed and aware of its impact and progress.
Don’t miss your opportunity
The workshops are a great way to make sure that you have a say on the future direction of ARGE and how it can best support your business and industry.
A key motivation for this year’s conference will be in establishing the future agenda for ARGE and we want all members to join this debate.
We encourage all attendees to think about the proposed workshop issues and come prepared with insight and opinions on the opportunities and issues ARGE should advocate for.
Remember hotel bookings for the Westminster Hotel close on 15th July. Please make all bookings direct with the hotel and quote ‘ARGE’, hotel details can be found on the official invite. If you are planning on staying at an alternative venue, please be aware that availability will be very limited during this time of year.
We look forward to welcoming you in Le Touquet Plage!