Exhibitors talking shop at show

While companies at this months Haymarket backed Autosport and Aftermarket Show were generally positive, some believed that the industry would benefit by getting together and providing one event. The industry calendar also now includes the Automotive Trade Show, held alongside the CV Show in April at Birmingham's NEC. Both are annual events focused on similar exhibitor profiles. This has led some to complain that having two exhibitions on top of other event commitments are putting budgets under squeeze and making forward planning difficult. Autosport exhibitor Philip Jeynes, deputy general manager, marketing, of Japanese spark plug manufacturer NGK, believed that one aftermarket related show would make it easier for companies in the industry to plan their schedules and manage their budgets. He told Motor Trader: “Ideally one major trade show would be the ideal solution for both exhibitors and visitors. “However in reality it is a question of how this could be achieved – the difficulty is getting commitment from exhibitors. It is a chicken and egg situation.” Jeynes revealed that NGK had booked to take part at ATS and some regional events this year. He added: “The reason that we do the Autosport exhibition is it gives us the chance to meet our motorsport related customers.”