Firstly today, I'd like to point you in the direction of a fantastic new video that has just been published, put together by the talented creative team at TAP.
Looking back at the recent Service Dealer Conference and Awards, it's a great reminder of what a fabulous day and wonderful evening the event truly was.
Opportunities to get together with peers and colleagues such as this hold such great value. I don't think any of us will underestimate these occasions again, following those two years of lockdowns and restrictions.
When I think back on 2020 and 2021 it seems unbelievable what we all went through - with being kept apart from family, friends, work colleagues and customers at the top of that list of unbelievable-ness!
And it's really not that long ago that we were in the midst of it all. I don't know about for you, but it seems to me like so much time has passed since we were all studying outbreak graphs and waiting for new proclamations of what we could and couldn't do.
However, I looked back on a blog I wrote this time last year and it was full of trepidation regarding what 2022 might hold. And it wasn't trepidation about an impending cost-of-living crisis. It was a genuine concern that more restrictions on movement were going to be imposed.
It wasn't just me being my usual worrying self thinking like this either. BTME had just announced a postponement of their show from the traditional January slot to a date in March. Major manufacturers were pulling out of LAMMA, which at that point hoped to still take place in January (as it was they moved to May). And the German Agritechnica exhibition shifted from their already re-arranged February position, back into their normal cycle (the next edition not taking place now till November 2023).
So at this point last December, the industry was still deeply concerned that times to mix, share knowledge, show off new products and to simply socialise, were at genuine risk of being curtailed once again. Looking back on those shows moving from January, I think many feared another full-on lockdown was imminent for the start of '22.
Of course, the country thankfully avoided that bullet - with our trade shows able to take place in their new, temporary slots. Whilst 2022 had many challenges for the sector, at least meeting up wasn't one of them.
Too far the other way?
Now however - to play devil's advocate for a second - there is a school of thought that perhaps the pendulum is due to swing too far the other way in 2023 in regards to trade shows. Certainly considering national shows for the turf machinery sector, there are currently four events on the calendar.
Taking them in chronological order throughout the year we have BTME, then SAGE, then GroundsFest and then SALTEX.
Is that too many? Is it in fact, three too many?
I know many dealers and manufacturers will have their views on that (which you can feel free to express below). But as with anything, I suppose the market will dictate what it wants.
When we spoke to some manufacturers the other week, it was interesting to hear several express a greater desire to spend their budgets on supporting their dealers when they appear at county shows - rather than to invest in national exhibitions. Perhaps smaller-scale, more local-customer focused events will gain an increased significance as we move forward?
How the national trade show scene plays out will be fascinating. This time next year, will we be looking forward to four turfcare events scheduled for 2024? And for 2025?
Who knows? But at least we can watch the situation develop together!
