INTERPLAS EXHIBITION
Attendance falls by 33% against 1999 / Some 80% of visitors had direct buying influence
In common with the trend for virtually all types of trade exhibition in the UK, and in contrast to the recent Fakuma show in Germany, visitor numbers to Interplas 2002 held at Birmingham´s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) showed a sharp decline compared with the 1999 fair. Total visitor attendance was 17,441, down 33% on the 1999 figure of 26,196, although the show organiser, Reed Exhibitions, was quick to make it clear that the audited attendance did not include individuals making repeat visits, nor those wearing an exhibitor´s badge, of which more than 6,000 were issued.
Visitor numbers at Interplas 2002 were not high enough to satisfy some exhibitors, such as Husky UK, which has already said it will not attend the next show. By general consent, the quality of visitors was high, with the official statistics recording that 51% were manager, director, owner, partner or equivalent. Also, 80% said they had a direct influence over their company´s buying decisions.
Reed Exhibitions made a concerted effort to attract product design companies to Interplas 2002 in the belief that these are particularly influential in developing new applications for polymers. As a result, designers formed nearly 8% of the audience, and seven in ten had not been to a previous Interplas exhibition. An undoubted disappointment, however, was that only 1,527 visitors, or 8.8%, came from outside the UK.
One of the key sponsors of Interplas is the PMMDA (Polymer Machinery Manufacturers & Distributors Association). According to its secretary, Sandy Weaver, eight in ten of the association´s members that exhibited at the NEC were satisfied with the show, and a number of them said it was definitely better than in 1999.
The British Plastics Federation (BFP), another sponsor, had two stands at Interplas 2002 and public & industrial affairs director Philip Law termed the exhibition “first class.” The BPF plans to gather comments from its own members and the wider plastics industry before meeting with the organisers to plan the way forward for Interplas 2005, which is scheduled for 10-14 October 2005.
A third sponsor of Interplas is the GTMA (Gauge & Toolmakers Association). It was equally enthusiastic about this year´s show, calling it a great success. Toolmakers attending said the difficult economic climate of 2002 in the UK was an indication that companies visiting the exhibition were serious in their intentions and often looking to make purchases or place orders. The association´s members were pleased with the level of enquiries and are promising to exhibit again in 2005.
Visitor numbers at Interplas 2002 were not high enough to satisfy some exhibitors, such as Husky UK, which has already said it will not attend the next show. By general consent, the quality of visitors was high, with the official statistics recording that 51% were manager, director, owner, partner or equivalent. Also, 80% said they had a direct influence over their company´s buying decisions.
Reed Exhibitions made a concerted effort to attract product design companies to Interplas 2002 in the belief that these are particularly influential in developing new applications for polymers. As a result, designers formed nearly 8% of the audience, and seven in ten had not been to a previous Interplas exhibition. An undoubted disappointment, however, was that only 1,527 visitors, or 8.8%, came from outside the UK.
One of the key sponsors of Interplas is the PMMDA (Polymer Machinery Manufacturers & Distributors Association). According to its secretary, Sandy Weaver, eight in ten of the association´s members that exhibited at the NEC were satisfied with the show, and a number of them said it was definitely better than in 1999.
The British Plastics Federation (BFP), another sponsor, had two stands at Interplas 2002 and public & industrial affairs director Philip Law termed the exhibition “first class.” The BPF plans to gather comments from its own members and the wider plastics industry before meeting with the organisers to plan the way forward for Interplas 2005, which is scheduled for 10-14 October 2005.
A third sponsor of Interplas is the GTMA (Gauge & Toolmakers Association). It was equally enthusiastic about this year´s show, calling it a great success. Toolmakers attending said the difficult economic climate of 2002 in the UK was an indication that companies visiting the exhibition were serious in their intentions and often looking to make purchases or place orders. The association´s members were pleased with the level of enquiries and are promising to exhibit again in 2005.
28.11.2002 Plasteurope.com [15349]
Published on 28.11.2002