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The organisers of the annual Executive Hire Show have taken the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 event by 12 months. This year’s event had already been delayed by eight-weeks from its original dates in February, this being due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, ongoing public health concerns have made cancelling this year’s Show unavoidable.
With today’s announcement, the UK’s premier hire event will now be held between 9th and 10th February 2022 at its established home at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
In arriving at this decision, the EHS team surveyed Show exhibitors and key visitors. The response rate was certainly impressive, with 80% replying – 60% of exhibitors saying they wanted to postpone the Executive Hire Show to 2022. Although this news is disappointing for the sector and the Executive Hire team, it is the right decision based on all the feedback the Show had received.
Chris Moore, Executive Hire Show, publishing and events director, explained the decision, “It is with heavy hearts that we decided to move the event to 2022. Having surveyed our loyal exhibitors, this decision received the majority vote. We investigated all possibilities to stage the Show in 2021, but the unpredictable nature of COVID-19 and ongoing uncertainties have made our decision unavoidable. We are 100% committed to supporting our exhibitors, visitors, and other personnel associated with hosting the event – their health, safety, and wellbeing must be our number one priority.”
Gary McWilliam, Managing Director of the Hire Supply Company had this to say in response to the announcement, “This makes sense to me. The show is so important for the industry, that postponing it is the right thing to do. If we have to miss a year, because of the current restrictions in place, then when we get back together in February we can put on a really BIG event. Lots of people are going to want to attend, so it’s imperative that we have this connection and the show goes ahead.”
Chris added “Many of our customers told us that they have new products launching later this year, and we have exciting new plans to help them connect with our audience of active and engaged hirers. In the meantime, we have freshened up our media and marketing portfolio and widened the opportunities available to our partners reflecting emerging technologies, innovative products, and the type of equipment that hirers are buying now. Secondly, later this year, we will hold a series of hire industry webinar events, using digital channels to help companies launch their new products.
And finally, when Lockdown restrictions allow, we’re planning new-look Executive Hire Roadshows for Scotland (October) and the South–West (December). These events will be less formal and more focused on new products and Show-only deals of the day.”
The EHS plans to continue to engage with the Show’s exhibitors and keep up to date with product launches and hire news via the Executive Hire Show website and social media channels.
Chris concluded, “We are down, but we’re certainly not out – the Show will be back bigger and better than ever in 2022. Put the date in your diaries for February 9 – 10, 2022, and the EHS team look forward to seeing you all in person for Executive Hire Show 2022, for a truly blockbuster event!”
Source: EHS Press