HAE moves annual convention to Ricoh Arena

Hire Association Europe (HAE) is moving its annual convention to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, UK, and will hold the first of its larger events on 11-12 October this year. The Ricoh Area is also where the Executive Hire Show (EHS) is held every year.

HAE’s annual convention has incorporated a small exhibition for several years – attracting around 50 companies – and HAE said the move to Coventry would give it more space for the exhibition and improved facilities for the convention and conference.

The move to the same venue as the EHS - which is held in February – will lead to speculation that HAE wants to compete with the EHS. However, Graham Arundell, Managing Director of HAE, told IRN that the intention was not to compete head-to-head but was a reflection of HAE’s need to find a better venue for its convention.

He said that the two events were quite different, with EHS being a traditional exhibition focused on products, while HAE’s convention and show was about education, networking and training. He said the exhibition element of the convention helped to finance the programme of seminars, conference sessions and workshops.

HAE hopes to attract around 60 companies to its Hire Show, which compares to the record 190 companies that exhibited at the recent EHS. The HAE’s convention typically attracts up to 400 delegates, while the EHS saw almost 2500 visitors this year.

Mr Arundell added that he hoped HAE would continue to exhibit at the EHS as it gave the organisation a good platform to promote its services and training activities. He said the recent EHS two weeks ago had seen HAE sign up more new members than ever before.

“The move to the Ricoh Arena allows us to deliver a larger and improved exhibition element to the event – it’s a bigger, more workable space and all in the one room, so much better for exhibitors and delegates alike”, said Mr Arundell.

“Also, the location is fantastic, smack bang in the middle of the UK with excellent transport links, making it easy to attend wherever you’re based...It’s a really exciting time for the event and association as a whole.”

The theme for the October convention, which is also organised by HAE’s sister Event Hire Association (EHA), will be ‘Connect – Discover - Learn’, focused on the needs of all sizes of rental companies.

Next year’s Executive Hire Show, meanwhile, will be held at the Ricoh Arena on 7 and 8 February.