Outdoor demonstrations to return to SALTEX

By Alistair July 23, 2016 06:02 Updated

Outdoor working demonstrations will return to the major turf management event, the SALTEX exhibition, later this year.

SALTEX used to be hosted outside but last year, for the first time, it was held inside at the NEC in Birmingham It will be located there again this year, on November 2-3, and the decision to bring back outdoor working demonstrations was made based on the SALTEX 2015 post-show feedback surveys. The return of this feature will once again provide exhibitors with the opportunity to showcase their products in an outdoor setting.

Although more than 70 percent of SALTEX 2015 visitors rated their overall show experience as being excellent, the survey also revealed that the show could benefit even further from the addition of outdoor demonstrations.

“SALTEX 2015 was a huge success but there is always room for improvement. What we must do in order to keep growing the event is listen carefully to the people that make everything possible – the exhibitors and the visitors. Both the post-show exhibitor and visitor surveys indicated that outdoor demonstrations would be a much welcome return to the show, so we listened and made it happen,” said IOG CEO Geoff Webb.

The addition of outdoor working demonstrations signals one of a number of new features coming to SALTEX 2016. Recently, show organisers announced the highly anticipated SALTEX College Cup, sponsored by Ransomes, and plans are already well underway for the exhibition’s educational programme LEARNING LIVE, which will see a number of industry experts from all over the world focusing on a variety of key topics.

From working demonstrations to new ideas, products and machinery, along with exciting new features, an enhanced education programme SALTEX 2016 will offer better-than-ever opportunities for visitors to find the products, advice and support they need.

Simon Brodkin, aka Lee Nelson, the after-dinner speaker at this year’s IOG industry awards

Also at SALTEX, Simon Brodkin, aka lee Nelson, has been announced as the after-dinner speaker at the IOG industry awards, the UK’s biggest annual celebration for groundsmanship.

Simon will join Mark Saggers of talkSPORT radio, who will be hosting the event that acknowledges the high standards achieved by volunteer and professional teams, as well as individuals, at facilities ranging from grassroots to professional stadia level. This year’s awards have 20 categories of entry.

A regular host and guest at ‘Live at the Apollo’, Simon is the creator, writer and star of two BBC series; ‘Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show’ and ‘Lee Nelson’s Well Funny People’, as well as the 90-minute special aka ‘Jason Bent’s World Cup’s Best Ever Goals, Ever!’