Presidents Blog

As we progress through the year, we are all finding our ‘new normal’ both personally and professionally. From a global perspective we can see how Covid-19 has been moving through different countries: from the initial spread of the virus to containment and reduction of cases; through to, sadly, increased peaks and further surges of infection.

It is hard to believe we have already entered the second half of the year. The first six months of 2020 has been an extraordinary period that will continue to affect how we live our lives well beyond the next few months and years.

We start the month of June with a stark reminder of just how much has changed for everyone over the last few months. Under normal circumstances this column would have been looking forward to Hillhead and the opportunity to meet up with colleagues past and present. We would also have been welcoming around 20,000 people from around the world to share in the latest developments in equipment and technology.

As this issue of QMJ lands on your desk, we mark another step in our journey through the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month we were preparing ourselves for the early effects of the virus; now we are seeing the full extent of its short-term impact.

A Joint Statement from IQ President Phil Redmond and IQ Chairman Martin Riley

As we write this column, all of us are experiencing or expect to experience significant disruptions to both our daily and working lives, regardless of where we live and work across the globe, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The actions being taken in many countries are unprecedented, with the sole aim being to safeguard the health and wellbeing of as many people as possible.

We are all faced with the daily challenges of making sure that we deliver the best results for our companies, teams, customers, communities and for ourselves. In my last column, I reflected on competence and its importance for delivering an efficient, safe and healthy industry.

As we all settle back into work after the seasonal break, many of us will be re-evaluating our professional lives and setting new goals for the year ahead. What that looks like will vary widely, but I’m sure that we all set out with the best intentions. 

What a year 2019 finally turned out to be; a changing of the prime ministerial guard, a snap election and whichever way we may feel about it individually, hopefully, a resolution to the impasse of Brexit. Now with the election firmly behind us, we can finally enter 2020 with greater certainty about where the industry is heading.

This month’s President's blog lands on your doorstep just a matter of days before the UK general election. It’s not certain what next year will bring for the country or our industry, but as the end of 2019 approaches, I think that we can be positive and proud of our progress and that of our colleagues in the sector. Whatever the outcome of the general election, we can be sure that our industry’s contribution is of fundamental importance in supporting the drive for economic success for the country.

It is hard to believe that a year has passed since the IQ Fellows Lunch and Student Awards at the Tower of London. It was a great environment to celebrate the successes of students from the University of Derby Centre for Mineral Products. I look forward to returning this November to celebrate another year of academic achievements.