FIT Show 2019 – Delivering a Record-Breaking Showcase

FIT Show 2019 – Delivering a Record-Breaking Showcase

Nickie West, FIT Show Event Director, looks forward to the UK’s biggest and best trade fair for glass and glazing. It never ceases to amaze me how the glass and glazing industry pulls together during times of political and economic uncertainty to make events like FIT Show 2019 the biggest and best trade show in our sector.

Earlier this year, we had already sold more space than the entire 2017 show, and are on track for our biggest show ever. With a more diverse mix of brands, products, innovations and audience than previous years, FIT Show 2019 will be the best showcase of everything great that our industry has to offer.

Though we’ve sold more space than in previous years and we had expected our footprint to grow, the most exciting thing about this year’s show is its diversity and how far-reaching it has become.

This year will see over 70 overseas companies making their FIT Show debuts. FIT Show 2019 visitors can expect to see an unrivalled showcase from companies, from not just the UK, but also from the USA, mainland Europe, the Far East and Scandinavia. This reinforces FIT Show’s international appeal and demonstrates the appetite of overseas companies to trade with the UK. The potential is huge.

We have broadened the show’s appeal by placing greater emphasis on materials such as timber and aluminium to give our installer market more options. And by introducing at glass and the associated processing machinery and equipment via our new event feature, Visit Glass, we have made the show more appealing to specifiers and commercial installers too.

For the first time ever, we are delivering a CPD approved learning programme. Alongside this, we will have product demonstrations, workshops and business clinics to o er practical advice and support. We’ll also be tackling key industry issues head-on, bringing the right experts and organisations together to set an agenda for change in motion for issues such as ageing workforce and skills gap.

Our marketing campaign has focused on reaching the installer market, a key audience for our exhibiting brands. We’ve really increased the depth and breadth of our reach and used a personalised mix across all the available channels. This is already paying dividends. We’re up on visitor pre-registrations compared to 2017 and the pre-registration audience includes a high proportion of decision makers with over half at
owner or director level.

At the show, visitors will be able to benefit from new event features such as our new trails which are designed to help guide visitors to relevant show content. This includes new installer and product trails plus a Wood Window Alliance (WWA) backed timber trail.

This year we also have more competitions and exclusive show offers. We’re running our very first FIT Show voucher scheme which will give visitors huge discounts and savings on purchases made at the show.

“Late Night Tuesday”, when the show opens until 8pm on the first day of the event, will no doubt be a real party night when this industry does what it does best; connects, socialises, entertains and celebrates.

We’re also taking our gala dinner (taking place on the second evening of the show) back to its roots and putting networking at the heart of the event. We know that FIT Show is the main industry platform to get together with every part of the supply chain, build on existing relationships and make new connections. The gala dinner will focus on these connections, providing a real industry celebration – and raising funds for GM Fundraising and Hope House Children’s Hospices in the process.

We’ve listened to our audience and developed an event that very much has their wants and needs at its core. It promises to be a record-breaking show and we couldn’t have done it without the continued support of the industry. I look forward to welcoming exhibitors and visitors to the NEC this May!