SALTEX 2024 has been and gone. The show organisers were very pleased with how it went. Over 7,300 visitors attended the two-day event, with over 20% of them being under the age of 30. Over 30 new product launches were held. The presence of over 130 educational institutions (including universities, colleges and independent schools) and almost 100 local authorities further emphasised SALTEX’s importance as a key networking platform for the whole grounds management sector. Many travelled from Ireland to attend SALTEX 2024. I hope that they had a good experience there.
With Donald Trump having been re-elected as President of the United States of America one wonders if this a good news story or should we dread what lies ahead? One thing that is particularly concerning for Europe is will Trump reintroduce tariffs on certain exports, which could affect the agriculrural machinery industry. Only last week the Irish government said that a Trump administration could have a negative economic impact on Ireland.
Despite the pros and cons of Trumps victory it won’t get in the way of the 2024 Service Dealer Conference and Awards, which is just only over two weeks away. It will take place on Thursday 28th November at the Crowne Plaza in Stratford-Upon-Avon.
The schedule of the conference has been set and includes great speakers and informative topics. Business leader Ellis Watson will be the keynote speaker. Others that are lined up to speak are Karl McDermott who is the Head Groundsman at Lord’s cricket grounds, Jim Buttar who is Head of Grounds and Technical Operation at Twickenham RFU and farmer Andrew Ward. Karl, Jim and Andrew will discuss, in their own time slot, the topic of ‘Customer Insight’.
The break-out sessions always prove popular where great interaction develops with the speakers and audience. This year will be no different where two important matters will be discussed:
• AI in action
• How criminals are hacking your business
Marketing consultant and mentor Neil Watkins will talk about AI in action. He will deliver a practical and engaging workshop exploring AI applications in our industry. Neil will give delegates a practical, hands-on demonstration and they will leave with the concrete steps dealerships can take to start or further their AI journey.
One of the growing concerns for any business is the increase in cybercrime. Fraudsters are getting more sophisticated in how they operate and it’s getting easier to be caught out by their devious methods. This session will give delegates an insight into how cyber criminals use team members to gain sensitive information from your business. Can you imagine what damage that can have on your business and reputation?
The post conference dinner will take place that evening where entertainment will be provided by comedians Charlie Baker and Rob Rouse. During the dinner the much-anticipated 2024 Service Dealer Awards will take place. There are nine category awards this year which will conclude with the prestigious 2024 Overall Dealer of the Year Award – not to be missed.
This week the FTMTA will hold their FTMTA show at Punchestown Racecourse. Plenty of new machines will be on display there. The show runs from tomorrow, Tuesday 12th Nov, until Thursday 14th Nov. I hope the show goes well, especially for those who are exhibiting.
