SALTEX
(Sports Amenities Landscaping Exhibition) once again proved to be the
industry’s showcase event with over 500 brands on display and a record-breaking
9,104 visitors in attendance.
As soon as
the doors opened on the first day of the show there was an electric atmosphere
with groundscare enthusiasts swarming into the NEC halls eager to see the
latest and most technologically-advanced innovations in grounds
management.
The
record-breaking 9,104 visitors consisted of those working in or involved with
groundscare, sports turf, amenities, estates and green-space management. The
show not only attracted visitors from the UK but also a high number of overseas
visitors due to the venue’s easy access to national and international transport
links.
In fact,
SALTEX 2019 saw visitors attending from 49 overseas markets. Many attendees
made the journey to the NEC from Europe, Asia, America and Africa – underlining
the fact that SALTEX truly is an international event.
The SALTEX
College Cup competition, sponsored by Toro and Reesink, demonstrated just how
well young groundscare students are being academically prepared for careers in
the industry. The Myerscough College team saw off competition from four other
colleges to win this year’s trophy and can now look forward to a visit to Real
Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium where the winning students will get the opportunity
to learn from Paul Burgess, director of grounds and environment for the Spanish
footballing giants.
The
competition was just a number of show attractions and the new Eco Village
indoor demonstration area made a storming debut. In a dedicated area on the
show floor the Eco Village featured a programme of daily product demonstrations
which featured cutting-edge sustainable technology by Fleet Line Markers, STIHL
UK, Overton UK, Avant Tecno, Cub Cadet, Linddana, Husqvarna, Allett Mowers and
Sherriff Amenity in front of a large crowd of show attendees.
Indeed,
there was something for everyone on the show floor and this year’s SALTEX
Innovation Award certainly caught the eye. With the entries submitted and
rigorously evaluated by an independent panel of judges, it was decided that
there were three stand-out innovations – the Forza 360° football goal wheels
from Net World Sports, the BU50 grow lighting system from SGL and the INFINICUT
SM34 rotary mower from MTD Specialty Turf Products.
The three
finalists were given a final opportunity to impress the judges as they took to
the stage and the INFINICUT SM34 rotary mower was pronounced the overall
winner. Second place went to SGL and third place went to Net World Sports.
An
increasing number of manufacturers on the show floor were also showcasing
eco-friendly products. As well as those demonstrating in the Eco Village,
exhibitors such as Pellenc, John Deere, Ego, Ryetec, Demon International, AMS
Robotics, McConnel and Dennis Mowers all used SALTEX to launch new robotic and
battery-powered products.
“These
innovations have low vibrations, are environmentally friendly and great for
health and safety – all things that help people on the ground like me. It’s
great to see so many of these machines in one place,” says John Ryan, founder
of the Lawn Care Legends online networking community.
Reflecting
this trend, the IOG incorporated dedicated seminars which further explored
these topics into the expanded Learning LIVE free-to-attend education
programme. Chemical-free sports pitch management, and environmentally-friendly
turf maintenance were just some of the 57 free-to-attend CPD accredited
seminars.
Many
visitors also benefitted from free one-to-one turf management advice in the Ask
the Expert feature; received career advice in the Job Clinic and had their soil
samples assessed in Pathology and Soil Science LIVE- as well as specific
technical advice gained from industry experts on the exhibition floor.
All eyes now turn towards SALTEX 2020 the exhibition’s 75th anniversary and CEO Geoff Webb is already looking forward to the
celebratory event.
“SALTEX has moved from a horse racing track in Windsor to the National
Exhibition Centre in the middle of the country and the fact that we are now
gearing up for our 75th annual show next year is testament to the community
of the sports turf industry and how it has grown.”
SALTEX 2020 will take place at the NEC, Birmingham on 4 and
5 November. For more information please visit www.iogsaltex.com
