Tag Archive for: saltex

‘Boost your game’ at SALTEX

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‘Boost your game’ at SALTEX: With the climate and economy throwing more challenges than ever before at today’s groundscare professionals, SALTEX is responding with an unmissable mix of learning and networking opportunities, education, and exhibition, all in one place over two days.

SALTEX is carefully curated to deliver all the tools needed to meet the changing face of groundscare and help create, support, and ensure a thriving industry – and this year’s theme of ‘Boost your Game’ covers the key tools of the trade for today’s grounds staff including knowledge, career, skills, sales, surface, and network.

'Boost your game' at SALTEX

‘Boost your game’ at SALTEX

Visitors will be able to boost their knowledge of all things turf with the industry’s leading experts and experienced groundscare professionals covering the burning topics of the industry in the Learning LIVE seminar programme.

They can boost their career with unrivalled opportunities to network, earn CPD points and speak to experts offering career advice, as well as boosting their skills by getting hands-on with machinery.

Boosting sales is easier when over 60 percent of visitors have a role in the purchasing decision-making as is boosting their network with attendees coming from all backgrounds and levels of groundscare including elite sports, estates and landscaping, parks, playgrounds, and educational settings.

Pitch Advisory Service advisors and representatives from the National-Governing Bodies will be on hand to offer free technical advice on maintaining all playing surfaces, as well guidance on accessing funding and ways to upskill through the Grounds Management Framework. SALTEX provides access to everything visitors need to boost their surfaces.

Jen Carter, head of communications, says: “The theme of this year’s show highlights the many opportunities visitors will have to come away better connected and with more expertise than they arrived with. Such an approach ensures visitors and exhibitors continue to be at the forefront of groundscare around the world.

“Registration in the first few weeks since opening is the highest it’s ever been, and we recommend registering now, if you haven’t already to ensure a spot at our 77th show.”

SALTEX takes place at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023. To guarantee a ticket to Europe’s largest and leading sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, register now at https://www.saltex.org.uk/

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SALTEX registration now open

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SALTEX registration now open: Visitor registration for SALTEX 2023, Europe’s largest free sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, is now open. And with it the chance to win a one-night stay at the Moxy Birmingham NEC on the first night of the show.

The theme for 2023 SALTEX is ‘boost your game’ which will see SALTEX focus on providing visitors and exhibitors with all the key tools needed to be successful in the groundscare sector.

SALTEX registration now open

SALTEX registration now open

Sarah Cunningham, director of commercial and events at the Grounds Management Association, the leading not-for-profit organisation organising the show, explains: “At this year’s show, attendees will be supported in boosting their knowledge, career, skills, sales, surface, and network – all of which will result in an industry that is better connected, holds more expertise, and continues to be at the forefront of turfcare around the world.”

Last year’s show brought together over 8,300 visitors from 50 plus countries with the biggest names in the groundscare industry.

Sarah continues: “SALTEX was set up by the industry for the industry, keeping the many different reasons that people attend in mind, at all times. For example, boosting sales is much easier when over 60 percent of visitors attending play a role in the purchasing decision.”

In addition, Sarah confirms, “Visitors can hear from the industry’s leading experts, as well as groundscare professionals from the country’s top sports grounds, covering burning topics in the Learning LIVE seminar programme.

“There will be opportunities to speak to grassroots pitch advisors from the GMA and representatives from the National Governing Bodies to receive technical advice as well guidance on accessing much-needed funding and ways to upskill through the Grounds Management Framework,” she says. “All this is in addition to the unrivalled opportunities to network, earn CPD points and speak to experts offering career advice.”

With soon-to-be-announced exciting new show features making their first appearance at the show, Geoff Webb, CEO of the Grounds Management Association is keen to ensure that SALTEX continues to adapt and cater to the industry’s needs as it has done numerous times over its 76 exhibitions: “All income generated by the show is ploughed back into the industry securing its future for generations to come.

“By attending SALTEX, visitors are supporting the vital year-round work that enables the GMA to invest in important resources for the sector, as well as developing closer and more collaborative relationships with sports bodies that can help create inward investment back into the sector. Registering for your free ticket doesn’t just benefit you, it benefits the industry too.”

Registering now comes with the bonus of being entered into a free prize draw with the first 1,000 people to register as visitors in with a chance to win a one-night stay at the Moxy Birmingham NEC on the first night of the show.

SALTEX takes place at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023. To secure a free ticket to Europe’s largest and leading sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, register online at https://www.saltex.org.uk/ Competition details and T&Cs can be found at https://bit.ly/3PkITZU

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Key appointment for GMA and SALTEX

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Key appointment for GMA and SALTEX: Jen Carter is the new head of communications at the Grounds Management Association, supporting the GMA’s five-year strategy which covers all the sectors of the groundscare industry, including the membership organisation’s flagship event SALTEX, with an expanded communications team.

Jen and her team’s work will focus on supporting the GMA to achieve its three long-term goals: to attract new talent and accelerate the growth of a diverse workforce; to support sustainable business growth and protect the sector’s interests, and to build the industry’s reputation and promote the sector’s contribution to society and the economy, and that cannot be done without the support of SALTEX.

Key appointment for GMA and SALTEX

Key appointment for GMA and SALTEX

The relationship between the GMA and SALTEX is inherently interlinked with the work done for both contributing significantly to the growth and success of the industry. The GMA and SALTEX work hand in hand – SALTEX is powered by the GMA and in turn SALTEX feeds into the GMA’s extensive work in supporting, and raising the profile of, the groundscare industry in all its guises.

Jen comments: “I’ve been aware of the work the GMA and SALTEX have done for the industry as my experience is rooted in the sports sector and I believe it’s essential for the long-term success of the industry that they function and flourish. I am really excited to play a part in their history and their future.”

Jen joins the GMA from Liverpool Football Club where she spent nearly eight years developing and executing strategic communications for the club’s major capital projects including the AXA Training Centre, the new Main Stand, LFC’s flagship retail store and for stadium developments such as concerts and major events.

Prior to that, she spent five years at a boutique sports marketing agency working with blue chip clients across golf, tennis, rugby, equestrianism, and swimming to deliver strategic PR, media relations and sponsorship activation at high profile sporting events such as Wimbledon, The Masters, The Open, US PGA Championship, The Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

These credentials make Jen the ideal candidate to lead the GMA’s communications team and take on responsibility for all external and internal communications, including PR and media relations, marketing, events marketing, and brand management, as well as overseeing the successful implementation of the 77th SALTEX exhibition, which is the largest free sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade show in Europe.

She is supported by a strong marketing team which has recently expanded with the arrival of communications and marketing executive, Georgia Hadwin, joining Nathan Woodford-Rôtt as senior marketing executive and Ollie Swan as senior PR and communications executive.

Jen concludes: “As a team we’re very much focusing on raising the profile and increasing brand awareness and equity of the GMA and SALTEX. At the very heart of all of this we are supporting the GMA’s five-year strategy which supports all the sectors of the groundscare industry and to be involved in something so vast and important for so many is really exciting.”

As well as an expanded communications team to support delivery of GMA strategic objectives, the GMA’s Commercial & Events team has been bolstered by the addition of experienced Sales Manager, Jill Rodham who recently joined Sarah Cunningham’s team, having previously worked at BIGGA for over 9 years. Jill brings strong trade show experience of the grounds care sector and will support Sarah in building on SALTEX 2022’s success which has already seen a 20 per cent increase in show floor space to accommodate increasing demand for space from exhibitors.

SALTEX takes place at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023. Exhibitors wishing to secure their place at Europe’s largest free sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, should contact GMA Sales Manager, Jill Rodham at jrodham@thegma.org.uk or 07754 552405.

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Exhibitor demand fuels growth of SALTEX

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Exhibitor demand fuels growth of SALTEX: SALTEX is on track to have one of its biggest years yet as exhibitor demand sees the floor plan for 2023 increase by 20 percent to accommodate bookings.

Show organisers at the Grounds Management Association have confirmed early bird bookings are up ten percent from the 2022 show and there’s a 12 percent increase in exhibitor numbers with 6000 sqm of hall space already sold.

Exhibitor demand fuels growth of SALTEX

Exhibitor demand fuels growth of SALTEX

Sarah Cunningham, director of commercial and events at the Grounds Management Association, who has been joined on the sales team by Jill Rodham, comments: “Thanks to the early interest in the show the footprint has been increased by 3000 sqm to accommodate the extra demand for space from exhibitors, making it 20 percent bigger than the 2022 show. And plans are well underway for this year’s event with visitor registration due to open in early June.”

So, what does Sarah contribute this early success to? “That’s down to our incredible exhibitors. Those who are returning year after year thanks to continued success in previous years and an influx of new exhibitors who are keen to see what sales success SALTEX can bring them.”

New to the show are Asecos Limited, BigChange, EGHOLM A/S, FJ Dynamics, Grundfos Pumps Ltd, Hopespare Limited, Hubscape, QCR, Syngenta UK Ltd and Watermatic Ltd. New World Sports and Trafalgar Cleaning Equipment were last at the show in 2019 and 2017 respectively and are coming back in 2023.

A successful early bird signing period has also led to big industry names returning to SALTEX including Baroness, Dennis and Sisis, Husqvarna, ICL, Kubota, Ransomes, Reesink UK, Toro and Weibang amongst many others.

Sarah continues: “The 2022 show confirmed the confidence visitors and exhibitors have in SALTEX – it’s an event worth their time to attend. Deals happen, learning takes place and networking is enjoyed, all in a place conveniently located for most of the country. To be in the 77th year of a show and still commanding this level of commitment from the sectors we represent, is proof that the show is as relevant now as it ever was.

“I think people appreciate this is a show which contributes significantly to the growth and success of the industry. SALTEX and the Grounds Management Association work hand in hand – SALTEX is powered by the GMA and in turn SALTEX feeds into the GMA’s extensive work in supporting, and raising the profile of, the groundscare industry in all its guises.”

The show takes place at Birmingham NEC on 1-2 November 2023. Exhibitors wishing to secure their place at Europe’s largest free sports turf, amenities, and landscaping trade exhibition, should contact GMA Sales Manager, Jill Rodham at jrodham@thegma.org.uk or 07754 552405.

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SALTEX visitors up

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SALTEX visitors up: Pre-pandemic confidence has returned to SALTEX as nearly 15 percent more visitors attended the 2022 show.

Over 8,300 attendees from across the UK and over 50 countries streamed through the doors over the two-day event at Birimingham NEC, signaling a return to pre-pandemic levels.

SALTEX visitors up

SALTEX visitors up

These latest figures confirm the confidence of visitors and exhibitors in SALTEX as the industry’s must-attend event for all those involved in the groundscare and turfcare industries.

Geoff Webb, CEO of The Grounds Management Association (GMA), the event organisers says:

“SALTEX has long been the flagship show for the industry and, in its 76th year, showed that, after the challenges of the pandemic, confidence from both visitors and exhibitors has returned.

“With nearly 15 percent more visitors than the 2021 show, SALTEX delivered on offering visitors the widest array of equipment and products to explore, with over 400 brands on display, and offered exhibitors the largest audience to showcase their products to.

“As a not-for-profit, everything we earn gets ploughed back into the industry through investment in resources and initiatives that benefit the groundscare sector, so, with the 2022 show being such a hit, we look forward to beginning work on ensuring we build on this success and make the 2023 show even better for the sector.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone back at SALTEX from 01-02 November 2023.”

In recognition of current economic challenges, the GMA introduced a special show rate for 2022 exhibitors, meaning that exhibiting at the 2023 show will cost the same despite increases in interest rates and inflation. The response from exhibitors has seen the 2023 floorplan filling up quickly, a sign of the confidence in SALTEX and the quality of exhibition the GMA seeks to deliver.

The independently audited post-show survey is already underway which will shed insight into the effectiveness of the event for generating new leads and sales for exhibitors and the role SALTEX is perceived to play in overall business strategy for both its visitors and exhibitors. The results of these surveys will be published in due course.

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