FEATURE Year in review Graeme Middleton Business development manager, Cemplas Even though the retail sector remains challenging for clients, we have continued to see strong demand with a number of schemes being tendered and delivered in 2018. What is interesting is that there has also been something of a shift in the public sector where local authorities appear to have been more visionary by investing in the upgrading of parking assets as part of regeneration schemes. The type and scope of refurbishment schemes coming to market are also evidence that parking-asset owners have really switchedon to the true value that a well-maintained, contemporarily styled and welcoming car park adds to a destination. The fact that Cemplas has itself grown its UKfootprint with a new regional office is evidence of continuing strong demand for skills and services within the parking structure refurbishment sector. Looking forward to 2019, doubtless the dreaded B word (Brexit!) will continue to frustrate the progress of some schemes, as people continue to hedge their bets. Hopefully, some of the key issues highlighted in 2018 relating to fire safety in car park structures will continue to gather momentum and address that particular elephant in the room. There has been strong demand from local authorities [that] have been investing in the upgrading of parking assets as part of regeneration schemes Anthony Eskinazi CEO and founder, JustPark 2018 was an exciting year for JustPark. We were named Ones To Watch in 2018s Sunday Times Tech Track 100 and our Predictive Availability tool won the British Parking Award for Innovation. We hit the 2.5 million mark for drivers using our service and were now parking 10 times as many cars as we were last year. To support that growth, we increased our workforce from 35 employees to more than 70. As Ones To Watch, what will 2019 hold? Our targets will see us develop more partnerships with local authorities, parkingoperators, hotels and the property sector. Well continue to contribute to the Positive Parking Agenda with innovative servicesthat target parking pain points. I believe artificial intelligence will create social disruption on a scale never seen before, and that will give us opportunities to build parking fit for smart cities and the people who live in them. We want to change the perceptions of parking apps within the industry. More than just a payment utility, the mobile phone can serve as a one-stop communication tool, connecting motorists with local authorities, enforcement agencies, the high street and other stakeholders, ensuring the industry becomes more transparent. And with transparency comes an increased sense of fairness. I believe that artificial intelligence is set to create social disruption on a scale we havent seen before and that will give us opportunities to build parking fit for smart cities Paul betteridge Sales director, InaParc 2018 has been an exciting year for innovation both within the wider industry and for InaParc. At this years Parkex exhibition, we launched our Innovation Trail finalist product, the Elevation Upgrade Kits. Designed to offer an affordable solution to operators, the kits reduce environmental impact by lifting tired, old machines into the 21st century without the need for heavy civil works. As we become more aware of the day-to-day impact our society has on the environment, a continuing topic of discussion for the InaParc team is how this changing consciousness and fast-evolving, greener technologies will change the parking landscape. This change was evident during our recent exhibition at the Smarter Travel Live show, at which we were approached by a number of firms about the EV charging potential within our Hectronic GmbH pay and display machines. However the landscape changes in 2019, at InaParc we are excited to be a part of it and continue to view innovation as an opportunity, not a threat. A continuing topic of discussion for the InaParc team is how fast-evolving, greener technologies will change the parking landscape 26 Britishparking.co.uk PNDec18 pp24-26 Year in review.indd 26 26/11/2018 16:20