Summary
• Over 50 companies exhibited at the ShD Scotland show in Glasgow in April.
• ShD shows will take place in the years between the bienneial IMHX (International Materials Handling Exhibition).
• ShD South East and ShD South West are in September and November in Maidstone and Exeter.

Held at Glasgow’s SECC on April 22-23, ShD Scotland featured over 50 companies and a live demonstration area showcasing ideas to help reduce costs and maximise supply chain efficiency through storage and handling.

It was the first of three shows launched under the title of materials handling magazine ShD: Storage, Handling, Distribution, and featured a diverse range of logistics equipment and services including forklift trucks, racking, shelving, packaging machinery, plastic containers, supply chain software, mobile data systems, traction batteries, automated handling systems, shrink-wrap systems, logistics services, emissions reduction equipment and explosion protection systems.

This provided visitors with a comprehensive selection of companies and equipment to check out, with exhibitors pleased to be able to target region-specific clients.

“Our involvement in the ShD exhibition stems from our desire to be involved in logistics shows in geographic areas where there are no traditional handling exhibitions or similar events,” said Chris Adams, UK sales manager for roller manufacturer Interroll,

“We want to be close to our end users and with regional shows we can go and support them rather than forcing them to come to a central exhibition,” said Zoran Milivojevic, marketing services co-ordinator at explosion protection specialist Pyroban.

Low-cost marketing

“What attracted us to the regional show is the fact that it constitutes low-cost marketing that is somewhat speculative,” said David James, business development director at automated handling supplier KNAPP UK. “Much marketing today is highly targeted but you need some elements that are speculative, or you may be missing a new market trend.”

Such was the response from Scots at the show that forklift manufacturer Aisle-Master even managed to sell its display model off the stand to a local business.

“We’ve certainly proved the worth of this new venture,” said Rob Fisher, event director at organiser Quartz Publishing and Exhibitions Ltd. “There’s a clear demand for a regional handling show in Scotland and we’ve had pleasing feedback from exhibitors.”

Quartz also organises the triennial IMHX exhibition in Birmingham, and Mr Fisher said one of the key drivers behind the decision to move into the regions was the need to provide a platform for exhibitors in the intervening years. “With the concept of these new regional handling shows, we’ve definitely filled a gap in the market,” he said.

“The regular exhibitors at our flagship event, IMHX, were delighted with its success as an international show, but – as it is held only once every three years – they told us that they wanted some regional events in between. The response from visitors and exhibitors alike at ShD Scotland has been tremendously supportive, so we’ll certainly be back in Scotland soon.”

Remaining shows

The success of the inaugural event bodes well for the remaining shows: ShD South East, which will take place on September 17 at the Kent County Showground near Maidstone, and ShD South West, staged at Exeter’s Westpoint Centre on November 12.

Exhibitors have already signed up in their droves, including Aisle-Master and fellow for klift suppliers Briggs Equipment, Linde, Narrow Aisle, Nissan, Still, Translift and TVH; traction battery supplier Norco; packaging specialists FROMM, Schoeller Arca Systems, Easypack and Ranpak; shrink-wrap machinery suppliers Shrinkfast and AETNA; distribution network PalletForce; emissions reduction solutions provider Envirosafe; Pyroban; supply chain software supplier 3M; mobile data specialists Belgravium and Psion Teklogix; logistics management solutions provider Descartes Systems; vacuum lifting specialists Vaculex; industrial doors supplier Hormann; KNAPP and TGW; and racking and shelving suppliers Link 51 and Megarax.

“We’re focusing on making ShD South East and ShD South West as successful – if not, more so – and we’re convinced that the vibrant economies in both regions will help to underpin the success of these events,” said Mr Fisher.

Information on the forthcoming ShD regional show is available at www.shdregionalshows.biz