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The 11th Executive Hire Show (8th & 9th February 2017) exhibitor ‘Kick off’ meeting took place earlier this week (11th October) at the event’s established home at the Ricoh Arena Coventry – in the heart of the Midlands.
Show Director Robert Aplin ‘kicked off’ proceedings to a large crowd of the 2017 Show exhibitors. He used his opening address to announce his retirement from the event after 10-years at the helm and introduced the Show’s new Event Director, Craig Donovan. The new Executive Hire Show owners, the Hemming Group Ltd, were also introduced to the delegates and the company’s group MD, Graham Bond was present to welcome the EHS exhibitors.
Mr Aplin said, “Having achieved the fantastic milestone of Celebrating 10 Shows earlier this year – an achievement I am immensely proud of – I have decided that the time is now right for me to have some more exciting adventures before it is too late!
“The time is right to hand over the reins to Craig Donovan and the rest of the EHS and EHN team – Emma Sandy, Alan Guthrie, and Mandy Rees – who are all eager to develop the businesses further. To help guide and support them, I am confident that I have identified an ideal financial and commercial partner in Hemming Group.”
Hemming is a privately run exhibition and publishing company, established nearly 125 years ago by the family that still owns the business today. Mr Aplin added, “Having worked with Hemming for two months now, it is obvious that it shares many of the values and ideals that we possess in running and developing successful operations. Hemming and Brintex manages a range of complementary publications and exhibitions – several of which are also hosted here at the Ricoh Arena – and brings a great wealth of experience to our industry.”
Craig Donovan, who has been the company’s Group Commercial Manager since 2012 will take over Robert Aplin’s role with the support of the rest of the EHS team. Mr Donovan said, “The last four-and-a-half years as Rob’s right-hand man have been tremendous. I have enjoyed being an integral part of the team, passionately driving the business forward and together making a difference every day.”
“I am really going to miss working with Rob. We, the EHS team, could never replace him, nor do we want to. He has successfully figure-headed the Show for 10-years, and after Rob’s coaching and guidance over our journey together, I am looking forward to do the same for at least the next 10-years!”
It was then down to business and Mr Donovan addressed the exhibitors with the very latest news about the 2017 Executive Hire Show where there are many new and exciting initiatives – EHS may only be a two-day event but its reach and its influence continue throughout the hire industry throughout the year.
The 2017 show has an impressive 152 exhibitors in the Main Hall and the Atrium to date, which means that these areas of the event are now already 98% sold out – by Christmas the EHS team is anticipating that these areas will be full! Of these exhibitors 24 so far are brand new to the event.
Potential exhibitors that have yet to book need not despair as a new area has been created – the ‘Hire Show Hall’ – where a direct link has been created from the Main Hall into the Lower Halls. The EHS team has confirmed that the construction of this new link is almost complete and they are now taking stand bookings for the new area.
“Bookings for the ‘Hire Show Hall’ are off to a good start with several new exhibitors already signed up.” said Mr Donovan. “Eagle eyed exhibitors within the main areas of the Show, wanting larger stands, have seen the potential in this new area and have already moved their stands to exhibit in this new space.”
The 2017 exhibitor list is looking very impressive – with the majority of the key players, in the hire industry taking stands. These include A & Y Equipment, Altrad Belle, Atlas Copco, Avant Tecno, Bomag, BTE Plant Sales, Doosan, Firefly Solar Generators, GenQuip, Greenmech, Hire Supply Company, Husqvarna, Ifor Williams, Knott-Avonride, Kubota, Leica, Mace Industries, Makita, Manitou, MHM Plant, Niftylift, Obart Pumps, Ridge Tools, Shindaiwa, Sumner, Thwaites, Topcon, Wilkinson Star, Yokota and Zenith.
The EHS would also like to extend a warm welcome to the brand new exhibitors that have committed to the 2017 event so far – these include: Astrak UK, AV Industrial Products, Camberwell Plant Hire, Briggs & Stratton, Castle Brooke Tools, CCL, CEMO, Datatag, Carrymate, EC Hopkins, North West Tools, FLEX, GGR Group, Harford Attachments, HTS, Identipro, Imex tools, Klingspor, Leach Lewis Rubber Tracks, Multiquip, National Flooring Equipment, Niftylift, Nightsearcher, Paragon Protection Systems, Russon Access, RVT Group, Stanley Handling, Tammet Systems, Trime (UK) & Van-Line.
The 2016 event attracted 1,851 relevant hire industry visitors. The EHS team has already begun its 2017 National Visitor Campaign, working for the fourth year in partnership with Hire Supply Co, utilising the expertise of Steve McKenzie, who will be travelling the country visiting Hire Depots to mobilise and excite hirers to attend the 11th annual event. EHS will also be working with Altrad Belle for the 2nd year running. The Altrad Belle team will also be visiting hire depots country wide to drum up visitor support for the Show. From mid-November, check out where the team have visited on the Show diary of the EHS website.
Back by popular demand is the Innovation Trail, first launched in 2013, as innovation continues to be an integral part of the Show. Al-Ko Kober, a manufacturer of chassis systems has already confirmed that the company will be sponsoring the Trail once again.
The Innovation Trail concept is simple. Ahead of the Show, all exhibitors are given the opportunity to submit details of an innovative product that they will be highlighting at the Show. Finalists will be selected in advance by a third party judging panel including independent hirers, and the EHS will highlight these products with a floor tile outside their stands so visitors can actively follow the Trail on their visit. All Finalists are then mystery shopped by the Judging panel and a third, second and first place are selected and announced the Show.
For the Show, there were thirty-three eligible entries. Products were assessed for addressing key industry issues like Health & Safety and their worthiness of inclusion in any hire fleet, as well as their innovative qualities. After the mystery shop at the last Show, the winning product of the Innovation trail was Morris Site Machinery’s PHT-140.
It’s free to apply, so Exhibitors who wish to for the Innovation trail at the next Show can do so soon, submitting their product details with an application form. Invites and instructions will be distributed next month, so get innovating.
Another initiative from the EHS team are the ‘Executive Hire Regional Road Shows’ which have been well received, now in their 3rd-year, local hire companies are invited to come along and see just what the EHS has to offer and can take advantage of special deals from participating suppliers, available only at these events. Details of these events can be found on the EHS website. Mr Donovan said, “Our Regional Road Shows are smaller taster events where we continue to bring hirers together at smaller local events. In June this year we hosted Brexit-themed Road Shows in the North West, West and Wales. Incidentally, both hirers and audience supported the decision to leave the EU.”
The 2017 EHS website is where visitors and exhibitors will find the latest news about the Show which will be updated on a regular basis between now and the February event. Visit www.executivehireshow.co.uk. Put the 8th and 9th February 2017 in your diary now – it’s one Show in the 2017 exhibition calendar you can’t afford to miss!
