Following another sell-out event, Vendex Midlands has been hailed as “the go-to show for the industry.”
Show director Phil Reynolds commented: “What a show! It was busy busy busy. The popularity of this format is a clear testament to just how important the show has become for the vending industry, and to the stature of Vendex as a true must-attend event. We were overwhelmed at just how busy the show was, with visitors arriving over an hour before opening time. There were visitors from as far north as Scotland and as far south as the West Country, as well as visitors from Romania, Germany and France. It would seem word has clearly spread, and we have had some glowing feedback from exhibitors.”
With exhibitors – 25% of whom which were new to vending – showcasing new machines, snacks, beverages and a whole host of other products and ancillaries, Vendex Midlands 2016 provided plenty of scope and new ideas for visitors.
Mondelēz International talked snacks at this year’s Vendex, showcasing their new vending opportunities for operators. Paul Taylor, customer development manager for vending, told VI: “We’ve listened to our operators and developed a number of exciting new initiatives for the channel. We’ve created planograms and adverts tailored to vending, put together useful new category education, and, of course, we brought fun to the event!”
Managing director of 4 Aces Chris Penn commented: “We’re delighted with the reception our cups and ancillary items received at Vendex Midlands. We’re in the middle of a major profile-building exercise and our attendance at events like this one is certainly paying off, as the stand was busy all day. It was good to catch up with existing customers as well as welcoming prospects that have yet to be properly introduced to the full range of products we have to offer.”
“The beauty of the Vendex show is that it provides a platform for us to demonstrate the flexibility and simplicity of the of the WorldKey system to many different levels of the UK vending industry,” said Nick Norris, sales and technical manager UK and Ireland at SUZOHAPP.
“The combination of the right product solutions and dedicated professional service has ensured the name SUZOHAPP is well recognized in the vending industry here in the UK. I would like to take this opportunity to thank to the show organizers for another fantastic Vendex show.”
“The show went brilliantly for us,” said a spokesperson from Automatic Retailing. “Exhibitors need a heavy footfall of the right kind of visitors from an exhibition. Vendex Midlands delivered this in spades and exceeded all our expectations.” Supplier of vending surrounds and housing Nebrak agreed: “Vendex does what it says on the tin; it’s a place to do business, and we did.” Distributor AF Blakemore & Son had high praise indeed for the one-day vending show: “It was an amazing turnout. I found this to be one of the best shows I have ever done over the last three years.”
Phil Reynolds continued: “The ethos of Vendex is to deliver a value-for-money show; the right audience and the right numbers – and this is exactly what we did. Exhibitions should be the cornerstone of their industry, helping to grow the industry they serve and acting as a cog in a vertical market.”
The show’s organisers reported very similar visitor numbers to the last Vendex North, held in Manchester in November 2015 (just over six hundred). Interestingly, although it has taken the northern show eleven years to reach such a high number, the Midlands show has taken only three, demonstrating that Vendex Midlands is now firmly established within the vending industry.
The next Vendex show will be Vendex North, and will take place on 8 November 2016 at Old Trafford, Manchester. Visit www.vend-ex.co.uk to register your attendance.
