Executive Hire Show reports successful event

The Executive Hire Show (EHS) almost sustained the record visitor numbers of 2011 with a 5% drop in industry visitors to 1752. The show was held at the Ricoh Arena on 8 and 9 February.

EHS organisers said the total number of visitors had actually increased over 2011, but it excludes certain categories of visitors from its figures, including non-exhibiting suppliers and PR representatives.

The show had a busy feel, with more exhibitors than ever before - 131 companies - requiring the addition of an upper exhibition hall for the first time.

Although there remains considerable uncertainty about the economic outlook, exhibitors appeared to be reasonably optimistic. Ian Brown, sales director at Thwaites dumpers told IRN that the company was expecting its third consecutive year of growth and that the UK market had been good.

ArcGen Hilta's commercial director, Phil Winnington, said the show had been the perfect occasion to launch its latest products - including an LED lighting tower - and that it had "received a large number of enquiries for both new and existing products from a diverse range of national, regional and independent hirers alike."

The show again included an innovation zone - sponsored by Speedy Hire - featuring 14 specially chosen new products. Visitors were able to vote for their favourite new product by leaving their business cards in ballot boxes. The winner was Global Plant Ltd's Pro-Screen, a mobile material screening system that could be used in construction, landscaping, utilities and agriculture.

The dates for the EHS in 2013 will be Wednesday 6 and Thursday 7 February, taking place the week before The Rental Show in the US.

See the March-April issue of IRN for reports on some of the new products launched at the show.