The technical committee is an integral part of the AVA and is run by volunteers from the membership with support from the quality auditors and the AVA technical consultant, Mike Saltmarsh. Under the stewardship of Chris Skipper, the current chairman, it represents all sectors of the membership; operators, commodities, ingredients and machine manufacturers.
The purpose of the committee is to identify and discuss relevant technical issues that are or might affect the membership. The wide experience of the members means that the committee can suggest a range of responses and actions to suit particular issues as they arise. In the past it has provided background for lobbying, proposed and developed training courses and prepared advice that is shared amongst the members and posted on the AVA website.
The training of engineers is another service offered by the committee and they have proved to be very popular. By addressing relevant topics they improve knowledge, add value and in some cases they have had a positive impact on the way the client perceives the vending company. In 2009 the committee initiated a training course on water – encompassing all aspects such as hygiene, water hardness, filtration, bacteria and regulations. This has been successfully delivered in a number of locations across the country. The next course for engineers, to be run in 2011 will cover ingredients and focus on understanding drink quality and what makes a good drink – did you know that the grind of the coffee can affect the taste of a B2C drink?
To help support the experience of the committee with specific expertise, the AVA is looking to develop a pool of scientific and specialist knowledge. Headed by Mike Saltmarsh and backed by a team of independent experts including micro biologist Dr Sarah Maddox of UWIC this will strengthen the knowledge base of the Association in areas such as microbiology, nutrition and hydration.
Interested in finding out more? Call 020 8661 1112
AVA 2011 DIARY AT A GLANCE
11 January – Midlands regional meeting
8 February – South East regional meeting
2 March – Board and members’ meeting in Manchester
8 March – Northern regional meeting
12 April – Scottish regional meeting
10 May – South West regional meeting
1 June – Board and members’ meeting in the Midlands
15 & 16 June – AVEX, NEC, Birmingham
12 July – Midlands regional meeting
9 August – South East regional meeting
13 September – South West regional meeting
21 September – Board and members’ meeting in Scotland
11 October – N Ireland meeting
12 October – Eire meeting
8 November – Scottish regional meeting
7 December – Board and members’ meeting in London
13 December – Northern regional meeting
Full details of these events are available on the events page of the AVA website – www.ava-vending.co.uk or call 020 8661 1112
