GLASSEX
2002 - The Buzz is Back!
If
times are a little uncertain in the world at the moment, then the glass
and glazing industry doesn't know it. Because if Glassex 2002 was anything
to go by, the industry is fitter, more bullish and ready-to-do-business
than ever before.
Business is extraordinarily positive in the window and door market, buoyed
by healthy social refurb, new housing and conservatory sectors. But there
still remained unpredictability about just how this year's Glassex would
be attended, right up until the doors opened. Indeed, perhaps installers
would be just too busy to turn up.
But by lunchtime Sunday -the traditional first day for Glassex - visitors
had flooded through the two reception areas to create a buzz that many
veterans commented they had not witnessed in a long time.
By the end of the show, it was shown that the numbers were indeed ahead,
with each day's registration analysis confirming that on some days as
many as 10% more visitors had come through the doors than last year, a
figure that will be confirmed by audit in the coming weeks.
But mere statistics never tell the true story: it's business that counts,
and Glassex '02 proved this point. Because not only did the right type
of visitor pour through the door, they came to buy, giving comfort that,
at the sharp end, business is good, very good indeed.
Conservatories again dominated the scene, as one could predict with the
massive increase in demand that continues unabated. But the response received
by the machinery companies, another key indicator at Glassex, showed that
every product sector within the glazing market is performing well enough
for fabricators to dig deep into their pockets. Said Elumatec's Phil Heavey:
'From the word go it was manic - at times we were almost overrun. The
key was that there were very few tyre kickers - the people we saw were
genuine buyers and we have some serious interest in machinery at all levels,
from basic saws to automated lines. One of the best Glassexes that we've
attended.'
But if variety is the spice of life, then Glassex was a tangy vindaloo.
The event was characterised by a greater number of smaller exhibitors,
showing a diversity of products and services that caught the imagination,
and chequebooks, of the throngs of visitors. Such treats as hi-tech satellite
vehicle tracking systems, window frame repair kits, glass machinery, timber
conservatories, specialist vehicles, access systems and even central locking
for homes had effectively taken the place of the showcase palaces of the
systems suppliers that used to dominate.
And if exhibitors brought variety with them, Glassex itself provided some
added interest with the reintroduction of a seminar programme, and various
sideshows to add a little sparkle to the proceedings. With the impending
amendments to Part L, the seminar sessions devoted to that issue were
predictably well attended, with a number of very lucky visitors being
presented with wide screen TVs, Sony Playstations and other goodies, just
for having the good sense to pre-register and turn up!
In summary, Glassex 2002 was fun, interesting, stimulating and rewarding
for exhibitor and visitor alike. Just the way it should be in fact. And,
as a barometer of the industry, the outlook is fine and sunny.
'It's been a superb exhibition - the whole show was very slick and well-organised.
We've never had to worry about anything because any issues have been dealt
with smoothly and quickly all the way down the line. I feel that the organisers
have lots of drive and that the new ideas they have put into the show
are good. We've seen loads of our suppliers and customers and by the time
we go through all our leads I believe we'll have a lot of new business.
Fantastic.'
Iain McInnes - Marketing Manager, K2 Conservatory Roof Systems
'This was our second year at Glassex and again we have had an excellent
response to our products. We find that the exhibition really gives us
a springboard to launch ourselves to the general public and there is a
possibility of us achieving £4 million worth of sales from the exhibition.'
Colin Bennett - Managing Director, Aztec Conservatory Roof Systems
'Glassex gave us the opportunity to launch our new product and this was
well received at the show with people queuing up to talk to us and we
have received some very good leads. The seminars we ran have also been
very successful and well attended'.
Martin Lawton - Operations Director, The Profit Shop
'This was our third year at the show and again we have been extremely
busy with enquiries and lots of new leads. The weathercock for conservatories
certainly produced a lot of interest from the public, especially the ladies!!
We have received quite a few orders! We look forward to coming back next
year'.
Peter Hogan, Managing Director, C H Coward
'We expanded our stand this year so that we could exhibit the latest addition
to our range - windows - as we are extremely well known within the market
for doors. The extended stand gave us a very good opportunity to show
our existing customers the latest products on offer. Due to the success
of the show we aim to have the same size stand for next year'.
Paul Reid - Stand Manager, Paddock Fabrications
'We have never missed a year at Glassex and again have received very good
quality leads from the show. The new Document L regulations has created
a lot of activity for us and we were delighted to receive an order for
a temper toughening machine (approx £380,000) against very stiff
competition.'
Dave Raven - Managing Director, Unilam International
'A great deal of interest was created by the launch of Trackamation, our
bar coded planning, advisory and tracking system which we launched at
the show. All our software is Part L compliant and we had some very good
genuine leads including a lot of US interest'.
Alan Bark - Operations Manager, First Degree Systems Ltd
'This was our first time at the show as we only started the company in
September 2001 and we were very pleasantly surprised with the huge response
we have experienced. We have received a very large number of leads and
this has given EPS a tremendous boost. Having no real knowledge of Glassex
previously, the EMAP team were very supportive and gave lots of helpful
advice before the show. We have already booked a bigger stand for 2003
and look forward to coming back!'
Peter Whalen - Managing Director, EPS Group
'As usual, Glassex 2002 has been a perfect opportunity to meet and greet
our customers in the glass industry. It's good to be here to catch up
on their news and to bring them up to date with what we have planned in
the future.'
David Smy - Sales Manager, Glasslam Europe Ltd
'I think that this year's show has been really upbeat and very well organised
- I know that everything went really smoothly for us. We've been amazed
by the response to our customers sharing in our stand, and it's something
we would definitely like to repeat next year. I'm also very pleased with
how the charity auction progressed - raising over £5000 is an great
result.'
Ellie Gamble - Marketing Communications, Ritec
'The organisation and marketing of Glassex is the best it's ever been.
We particularly liked the new product zone and all the new ideas are a
major improvement."
Gary Dean - Bohle Ltd
'It's definitely been a busier show this year and we are very pleased
with the response. We worked hard to get our customers through the doors,
and I feel that the Glassex organisers did too, particularly with the
World Cup promotion. The sales team's support - especially Leah's - was
much appreciated too. I don't really have a bad word to say about it!'
Janette Rowland - Product Manager, Cova Products Ltd
'The quality of the visitors we've seen here is very positive. Whereas
people often just turn up at an exhibition and don't know what they're
looking for, at Glassex 2002 we had people come onto our stand who had
clearly researched the type of new products they could expect to see there
and wanted to speak to us about a specific new area. It's an unusual mark
of the quality of the audience. We also felt that the industry represented
at Glassex 2002 was bubbly, almost on a high - brilliant.'
Steve Hancox - Managing Director, Goliath Group
'It's been an excellent show this year, particularly having been away
for a year. We've taken around 70 solid leads per day, which is a good
result.'
Nic Rossano - Profile 22 Systems
'Glassex 2002 has been an exceedingly productive exhibition with good
leads and an exceptional response to our new image.'
Richard Sheppard - Marketing Director, Laird Security Hardware
'We are ever so pleased - it's been really, really busy and we've had
a huge interest in our innovative Poseidon doorbolt.'
Tim Clemmett - UK Sales Manager, AGB
'What I've been pleased to hear this year is how visitors have been pleasantly
surprised by how different our stand was. Our industry can sometimes come
across as a bit boring and unglamorous, so I think it's important for
exhibitors to make a real effort and be more image-conscious. Change is
the essence of evolution and it's important that Glassex moves with the
times - I think this year has been a very good start to that.'
Giovanni Laporta - Founder, Sac Systems
'Glassex has been pretty positive for us this year. The show has been
a focal point of our marketing mix, not only for existing customers interested
in our new products but also to attract new customers. We feel that because
we have three product areas within our business, Glassex is ideal for
visitors who want to see them all under one roof and see how each part
fits into the jigsaw.'
Neil Riley - Marketing Manager, Eurocell
'Fabulous show, fabulous! We are showing something different from anything
else here, and the interest has been tremendous.'
Dave Donnelly - AVMS (Absolute Vehicle Management Systems)
'We booked just five weeks before the show. We knew that we would sell
our products, but we received over 600 leads in the first three days -
it's astronomical! We've booked a stand over three times bigger for next
year's Glassex.'
Ken Lellow - Eden Garden Conservatories
'Fabulous! The prime reason for us being here was to give existing customers
the opportunity to see our new complete conservatory system. We felt that
enquiries from new customers would be a bonus, but we've got over 300
leads! On the last day we even had a visitor who said he had come especially
to see us, having travelled from Kent and arriving an hour before the
show closed on the last day. It really has been excellent.'
Nick Dutton - Managing Director, Synseal Systems
(Interviewed twenty minutes before the end of Glassex 2002): 'I'd be quite
happy to go on for another few days if we kept taking the sort of leads
that we've had each day during the show. First rate!'
Derek Parsons - Managing Director, GTI-Kombimatec Machines
'Our stand has been packed throughout the show - it's been very busy indeed.
This year provided an excellent opportunity to actually demonstrate Centra-Lock,
our new central locking system for homes, something that would be difficult
to do through any other means. We received a tremendous reception for
that. But there was a real buzz around Glassex generally - it felt very
positive.'
Kelvin Green - Marketing Manager, Mila Hardware
'From the word go it was manic - at times we were almost overrun. The
key was that there were very few tyre kickers - the people we saw were
genuine buyers and we have some serious interest in machinery at all levels,
from basic saws to automated lines. One of the best Glassex' that we've
attended.'
Phil Heavey - Managing Director, Elumatec