The exhibition season is upon us. Intermat has been and gone and now our thoughts turn to Hillhead. It promises to be an interesting and lively event as Richard Bradbury, managing director of event organizers The QMJ Group, outlines in his preview on page 17. It is encouraging to hear him talk of the unprecedented demand from exhibitors, which hopefully will be reciprocated with unprecedented visitor attendance figures. They will have plenty to see and do.
Exhibits will include a full range of combined equipment displays with excavators, wheel loaders, ADTs, crushers, screeners and much more. Big display highlights will be a 100-tonne excavator from Hyundai and the ‘all-electric’ stand of Volvo CE with dealer SMT GB, whilst Hitachi will be showcasing both machines and its fully connected site solutions.
Interestingly Bradbury is keen to point out the show’s tech factor when it comes to the digitalization of the sector. From telemetry solutions to machine control, drones, AI-driven safety, and the latest advanced 3D site management and modelling, the connected site will really come alive this year. And thanks to the continued investment in the Wi-Fi connectivity onsite, the event will have live data feeds even from the demonstrations on site.
Visitors will also notice a big change in the show’s layout, as the organisers have increased the size of the indoor pavilion by more than 30%. In addition to this they have recognized the importance of Hillhead as a meeting place, which was highlighted in feedback from the last show in 2022. As a result, they have created the Big Hillhead Cafe and food court as an outdoor hub for visitors and exhibitors alike. Let’s just hope the weather plays ball.
And it’s worth bearing in mind that the exhibitors really appreciate your attendance. For them it is a significant investment, but the payback can be even more significant, not just in monetary terms, but in starting new relationships and cementing existing ones. E-commerce, websites and doing business digitally might be the way things are done these days, but nothing beats face to face meetings, discussions and a bit of banter.
Many commentators have, over the years, harped on about the decline of trade shows, and when Covid was at its height, you could be forgiven for thinking that their demise was sealed and that nobody would ever venture forth again, whether to exhibit or to visit. Happily, the naysayers have been proved wrong; people actually enjoy going to these industry events, especially after the bunker-like existence we all endured during the pandemic. Just look at last year’s Plantworx. It’s good to get out, good to meet new and old, good to talk!
We’ll see you there.
Happy reading
The CPN team
