What a busy few weeks’ period this is - and I'm not just talking about (hopefully) in the showroom.

No, I'm referring to the number of events relevant to dealers taking place across the country currently.

In today's newsletter you'll see stories alerting you to the fact that there's three major trade shows coming up next week. Glee on Monday to Wednesday in Birmingham, Tillage Live on Wednesday in Monks Kirby and the APF Exhibition in Alcester from Thursday to Saturday. At least one of those events will hold something of interest to everyone reading this newsletter - some could find benefit from attending all three.

As was said after the BTME/LAMMA clash back in January, as well as visitors perhaps wanting to attend more than one show, the scheduling could also prove problematic for exhibitors who may be forced to make a choice of one show over another, or perhaps have staff rushing up and down motorways in order to attend more than one.

All this is not to mention the humble trade magazine editor who has to whizz around, trying to get to as many events as time and deadlines will allow (boo-hoo)!

But as well as these national shows, there are also plenty of individual manufacturers and distributors who are holding their own events around the country at the moment. I'm aware of at least three which took place this week - two at the same venue! And there are a several more coming up over the next couple of weeks.

So why like the proverbial bus, are all these events coming at once? I guess it's simply the best time of year for new products to be shown and for orders to be taken.

And it must also be the case they are filling the void which has been left by SALTEX shifting to November.

However much the show itself was great at the NEC last year, the issue of its less-than-ideal timing for dealers is hard to deny. Stocking decisions have been made by then and for generating sales off of the back show, the time of year just isn't the best.

I was talking to a dealer/importer who exhibited at the show last year who told me that whilst the show was the busiest they'd been at a trade event for many years, following up leads afterwards was very difficult. By the time you could get out to their site to effectively demonstrate a machine, someone who was on the hook in November, could very well have gone off the boil come March or April.

So I suppose what we're left with is this very busy September period, when if a dealer wants to view everything which is on show, the miles will have to be put in and time away from the showroom in this on-going season, sacrificed.

All very valuable events, just a shame they couldn't be spread out a bit more . . .