INDUSTRY BODIES LINE UP FOR IOG SALTEX

This year’s IOG SALTEX show (September 4-6, Windsor) is gearing up to be THE meeting, debating and networking venue for not only practising grounds and open space management professionals but also for some of the country’s leading industry bodies and sports governing bodies.

As well as an ever-expanding list of exhibitors that will display and demonstrate the myriad of products and services considered essential to every aspect of open space management, a host of associations will be present at the Windsor Racecourse showground, including:

[] FIFA, football’s international governing body, will be staging a meeting

[] BALI will be holding its AGM

[] The BAGMA Village show feature will represent members (UK dealers) from the British Agricultural & Garden Machinery Association – plus showcase a number of education/training organisations
[] The Contractors Forum will be hosting a networking lunch

[] BIGGA will be programming a full day of golf-centric educational presentations

[] Lantra will be holding a day-long series of meetings/discussions

[] There will be a major update on current pesticides law, and

[] Water management - best practice will be debated by an authoritative panel comprising representatives from the ‘industry co-operative’ that includes the Horticultural Trades Association, the Association of Professional Landscapers, the Turfgrass Growers Association, the Landscape Institute, the RHS and the Society of Garden Designers.

“Coupled with a number of exciting visitor features, there’s certainly something for everyone at this year’s IOG SALTEX,” commented Sales Director Clare Johnson.

IOG SALTEX 2012 (www.iogsaltex.co.uk) will be held on September 4-6 at Windsor Racecourse, Berks, and will embrace fine turf and sports surfaces, turf maintenance equipment, children’s outdoor play and safety surfacing, landscaping, contractors, commercial vehicles, outdoor leisure and facilities management, as well as software and security equipment. The show is attended by open space management professionals and contractors – from groundsmen and greenkeepers through to play officers, architects, designers and surveyors as well as local authority and outdoor leisure facility managers.

About IOG SALTEX

Organised by The Institute of Groundsmanship, the first IOG exhibition was staged in 1938, the forerunner to today’s IOG SALTEX Sports, Amenity & Landscape Trade Exhibition. Held annually at Windsor Racecourse, IOG SALTEX is the annual extravaganza for everyone who cares for and/or manages open spaces – including groundsmen, greenkeepers, contractors, local authority and leisure facility managers. The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects. For more information visit www.iog.org

IOG SALTEX APPOINTS BRINTEX FOR SALES AND MARKETING

IOG SALTEX, Europe’s leading show for the open space profession, has appointed independent exhibition organiser Brintex to manage the sales and marketing of IOG SALTEX from the 2013 event, with Jon Gibson as Event Director.

PHOTO CAPTION: Jon Gibson, the new Event Director for IOG SALTEX

“IOG SALTEX enjoys an undisputed leading position in the groundscare and open space marketplace,” says Jon. “One of my missions will be to not only reinforce but also capitalise on the considerable importance and influence of this ever-expanding industry.

“At the same time, we will continue to ensure that IOG SALTEX offers value-for-money to exhibitors and remains the not-to-be-missed annual showcase of emerging developments and techniques that impact visitors from across the complete spectrum.”

Current IOG SALTEX Sales Director Clare Johnson and her team at Pilot Navigation are continuing to handle this year’s event (Windsor, September 4-6) as well as their involvement with this year’s IOG Industry Awards and Sports Turf Conference (York Racecourse, December).

The development, which has been arrived at by mutual consent, will allow Pilot to concentrate on events that it wholly-owns or is evolving via partnerships.

Brintex has almost 50 years' experience in organising trade fairs and exhibitions, and Managing Director Malcolm Taylor says: “I have visited IOG SALTEX on many occasions over the last 20 years as it is an outstanding event for the groundscare, outdoor leisure and amenity sectors, and I am delighted that Brintex is now being given the opportunity to work with the IOG to develop the event further.”

Event Director Jon Gibson worked on IOG SALTEX from 1994 to 1999, when he oversaw a period of significant growth in both exhibitor and visitor numbers. Since then he has gone on to acquire vast experience in the events business both in the UK and overseas, and in a wide range of business sectors.

Commenting, IOG Chief Executive Geoff Webb states: “I thank Clare and her team for seven years’ dedicated service during a period of difficult market conditions – the Pilot team has certainly helped keep IOG SALTEX as a major event while many other trade shows have floundered.

“I wish her well with her new plans and I now look forward to a similarly successful relationship with Brintex, one of the UK’s largest independent exhibition organisers, and to the continued success of IOG SALTEX, the industry’s flagship event.”

IOG SALTEX 2012 (www.iogsaltex.co.uk) will be held on September 4-6 at Windsor Racecourse, Berks, and will embrace fine turf and sports surfaces, turf maintenance equipment, children’s outdoor play and safety surfacing, landscaping, contractors, commercial vehicles, outdoor leisure and facilities management, as well as software and security equipment. The show is attended by open space management professionals and contractors – from groundsmen and greenkeepers through to play officers, architects, designers and surveyors as well as local authority and outdoor leisure facility managers.

About IOG SALTEX

Organised by The Institute of Groundsmanship, the first IOG exhibition was staged in 1938, the forerunner to today’s IOG SALTEX Sports, Amenity & Landscape Trade Exhibition. Held annually at Windsor Racecourse, IOG SALTEX is the annual extravaganza for everyone who cares for and/or manages open spaces – including groundsmen, greenkeepers, contractors, local authority and leisure facility managers. The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects. For more information visit www.iog.org

IOG SALTEX – THE ONE-STOP OPEN AIR SHOWCASE FOR NEW PRODUCTS AND MANAGEMENT IDEAS

The usefulness of IOG SALTEX as the ‘one-stop shop’ for all turf and open space management matters and as a showcase for new ideas and products – plus the event’s unrivalled ability to enable equipment to be demonstrated outdoors - continue to dominate the reasons why industry decision-makers make their annual pilgrimage to the Windsor show (this year, September 4-6).

According to independent research, 88 per cent of visitors to last year’s IOG SALTEX said it was important to see equipment working in a ‘real life’ environment. And more than half (59 per cent) said the show was the one event where they could see everything they need in one place at the same time, while 58 per cent go looking for new products and ideas to improve their routines.

In addition, the visitor research (by Vivid Interface) also reveals that 34 per cent of the 9,267 visitors to last year’s show went to IOG SALTEX to source new or alternative suppliers.

[] These latest findings complement the earlier research results that showed how IOG SALTEX attracts buyers and decision-makers - 72 per cent of visitors to last year’s show had responsibility for specifying products and services.

IOG SALTEX 2012 (www.iogsaltex.co.uk) will be held on September 4-6 at Windsor Racecourse, Berks, and will embrace fine turf and sports surfaces, turf maintenance equipment, children’s outdoor play and safety surfacing, landscaping, contractors, commercial vehicles, outdoor leisure and facilities management, as well as software and security equipment. The show is attended by open space management professionals and contractors – from groundsmen and greenkeepers through to play officers, architects, designers and surveyors as well as local authority and outdoor leisure facility managers.

About IOG SALTEX

Organised by The Institute of Groundsmanship, the first IOG exhibition was staged in 1938, the forerunner to today’s IOG SALTEX Sports, Amenity & Landscape Trade Exhibition. Held annually at Windsor Racecourse, IOG SALTEX is the annual extravaganza for everyone who cares for and/or manages open spaces – including groundsmen, greenkeepers, contractors, local authority and leisure facility managers. The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects. For more information visit www.iog.org

IT’S FACT: IOG SALTEX VISITORS HAVE REAL BUYING POWER!

IOG SALTEX continues to attract influential buyers and decision-makers from the turf and open space management industry, with nearly three-quarters (72 per cent) of the 9,267 visitors to last year’s show having responsibility for specifying products and services.

Indeed, 32 per cent of visitors were from organisations that spend up to £50,000 a year on products and services, 19 per cent from firms that spend between £50K and half a million pounds a year, and over 13 per cent had budgets above £500,000.

In addition, the independent research by Vivid Interface also states that 81 per cent of visitors with purchasing power said IOG SALTEX influenced their decision to find a new product/supplier or to place an order that they would not have placed if they had not visited the event at Windsor.

The research also showed that, in an average month, 37 per cent of visitors involved in purchasing do not see any non-supplier sales representatives and 12 per cent see only one, while 38 per cent were likely to ask for a quote while at the show.

IOG SALTEX 2012 (www.iogsaltex.co.uk) will be held on September 4-6 at Windsor Racecourse, Berks, and will embrace fine turf and sports surfaces, turf maintenance equipment, children’s outdoor play and safety surfacing, landscaping, contractors, commercial vehicles, outdoor leisure and facilities management, as well as software and security equipment. The show is attended by open space management professionals and contractors – from groundsmen and greenkeepers through to play officers, architects, designers and surveyors as well as local authority and outdoor leisure facility managers.

Organised by The Institute of Groundsmanship, the first IOG exhibition was staged in 1938, the forerunner to today’s IOG SALTEX Sports, Amenity & Landscape Trade Exhibition. Held annually at Windsor Racecourse, IOG SALTEX is the annual extravaganza for everyone who cares for and/or manages open spaces – including groundsmen, greenkeepers, contractors, local authority and leisure facility managers. The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects. For more information visit www.iog.org