Glass News magazine recently asked key industry spokespeople to comment on the following issue:
With the move to the NEC the FIT Show 2017 was different to the last one at Telford. Was it better or worse? There seemed to be an increase in the investment on stands but did that translate into more visitors? Was it worthwhile for both visitors and exhibitors? Will you gain more business and, importantly, would you exhibit at a future FIT Show?
Bowater Doors Kevin Kiernan, joined the debate: “I was only a visitor at the show last year in Telford and this year helped to man our large stand at the NEC, but you didn’t need to be an exhibitor to see that the NEC certainly delivered more international visitors. We were flying the flag for composite doors at the show and had something genuinely new to show the market which always makes a difference, but our exhibitor peers seemed to agree that it was a busy show with the right visitors and being back at the NEC felt right.
“We received a genuinely warm and welcoming response to bringing Bowater Doors back, and although we’ve been talking to fabricators and installers for a few months now, there’s nothing like being in the midst of an industry show to take an accurate reading of market perception and interest. We wanted to let people know we were back and come away with some quality, true leads. FIT Show 2017 delivered on both counts.”