Clearview National March 2016 - Issue 172 | Page 66

FIT SHOW 2016

MAKING THE SYSTEMS FIT
»»How do you judge the success of an
exhibition? Floorspace sold? Leads
generated? Visitors through the door? All
of these are important, but maybe there
is one feature that is often overlooked:
representation.
The FIT Show outings of 2013 and 2014
certainly put the Glassex ghost to rest, as
fabricators and installers travelled the length
and breadth of the country to descend on
the International Centre in Telford to see what
the industry had to offer, and if partnerships
could be created with new suppliers.
The organisers pulled out the stops to
create a show that was relevant for the
modern era, bringing together the industry’s
leading players that were showcased
alongside professional seminars, challenging
competitions and gala dinners.
However, one feat that the FIT Show has
managed to achieve – one that possibly
went unnoticed – is that the broad range of
exhibitors now reflects the glass and glazing
market like no other UK-based exhibition has
for well over a decade.
It could not be ignored that the first two
outings of the FIT Show played host to a
wide range of visitors, all of whom fed into
the supply chain, and which proved that the
Telford-based fabricator and installer trade
show was one to invest in.
As a result, more than a dozen PVCu and
aluminium systems companies are exhibiting
at the FIT Show 2016 when it opens on April
12 at the Telford Internal Exhibition Centre
– the biggest gathering of its kind for more
than a decade.
Companies exhibiting so far include:
Deceuninck, Duraflex, Eclectic, Eurocell,
Ikon, Liniar, Profile 22, Rehau, Selecta,
Spectus, Swish, Synseal, and VEKA. All of

66 M A R 2 01 6

whom have got major announcements they
want to share.
Furthermore, it shows that the FIT Show
is truly an exhibition of our time – designed
to reflect the nature of the industry as it is
now. Through the FIT Show we can see
how fabricators are proud to stand sideby-side with their principal suppliers and
demonstrate the importance of shared values
and a unified approach to product design
and technical excellence.
“We have got every industry sector
standing shoulder to shoulder at Telford
this year keen to talk to customers –
existing and new,” explained Paul Godwin,
managing director of The FIT Show. “We
have got fabricators, hardware suppliers,
door companies, machinery experts, glass
companies, software designers, and systems
companies, in fact a true spread of the
industry as it is today.”
Those old enough to remember Glassex
in its heyday will remember the changing
dominance of different sectors. Paul, who
was Press Officer on that event for around a
dozen years, remembers it well: “For years
the systems companies called the shots.
When many of them slipped into the red
as the market became oversupplied, the
conservatory roof firms took over; and I even
remember the software houses dominating

for a couple of years. There never seemed to
be a balance.
“At the FIT Show we now seem to have
a good balance with most of the systems
suppliers taking space and in fact we have
more of them attending the FIT Show
than any other UK-based exhibition for a
generation. Another fundamental difference
between The FIT Show and Glassex at its
peak is the number of trade fabricators that
now exhibit; there are so many framemakers
that market themselves professionally these
days when such activities were once the sole
domain of the extruders.”
It also proves that the best place for these
companies to launch their new products
to achieve the best response is where the
industry’s heart and soul is now found – at
the FIT Show. This, of course, has a natural
trickle-down effect to the other exhibitors,
and they bask in the glow of associated
glory, and the buzz and enthusiasm that the
systems houses have helped to create.
Also, as many of these companies are
revealing brand new, ground-up systems,
it presents an excellent opportunity for
fabricators and installers considering
additional or alternative systems the
opportunity to compare most of the major
brands, all under the same roof.
As a result, systems companies will be
using their not inconsiderable marketing
clout to encourage their customers and
associated installers to meet them at Telford,
who will then tour the rest of the show to see
what else is on offer.
The Fabricator Installer Trade (FIT) Show
takes place at The International Centre
Telford on the 12th, 13th and 14th April
2016. Entry is free - www.fitshow.co.uk