Professional pest people from around the globe pile into PestEx 2013

Having grabbed the exhibitors, the key question was – would the visitor numbers also show a significant increase?

Yes was the emphatic answer. The figures released by BPCA show a 24% increase in people over the two days. The event saw 2,369 people (including exhibitors) attend in total, compared with 1,911 in 2011.

Broken down over the days, there were 876 visitors on Wednesday (day one) and a further 486 new visitors on day two (Thursday). To these figures you have to add the 446 exhibitor personnel looking after their stands and the numerous visitors who attended on day one and then returned on the second day. Read our exhibition report.

But it wasn’t just the exhibition stands which attracted people. Running alongside the exhibition was a series of two concurrent technical and business seminars which were also very popular. Certainly trying to do justice to these and visit the exhibition did require more than one day.

For a review of these seminars click below for:

• rodent topics
• survey reports
• a round-up of some of the other seminars
• PestEx discussion time 

Strong international presence
Without doubt the increase in numbers – of both exhibitors and visitors – came from overseas. In their figures, BPCA estimates that almost half of all visitors came from outside the UK. An interesting statistic, as this would then place them ahead of all the other European exhibitions as well as the annual PestWorld event organised by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) in the USA – an event which has traditionally been viewed as THE international meeting place for the pest control industry.

However, this is something of a ‘double-edged sword’. It is good news for all those exhibitors who sell their goods and services internationally – as is the growing trend. But bad news if you are an exhibitor who only trades within the UK. This increase in an overseas presence also reinforces the differences between PestEx and the annual PestTech exhibition which has always had a more practical and local following.

BPCA’s technical manager, Richard Moseley, sums this up saying: “It is clear the majority of our exhibitors now sell products across international boundaries, and PestEx provides them with a perfect platform to reach pest management professionals from across the globe.”

The last word should go to BPCA chief executive, Simon Forrester, who said: “We were really pleased to see the volume and quality of people at the show. I’ve been organising trade exhibitions for almost 20 years, and this is the best response I’ve ever had. I want to express my personal thanks to the BPCA staff and the team from Dewberry Redpoint, who made the event shine. I’d also like to thank the visitors and exhibitors who travelled so far to make the event so successful.”

Plans for 2015…
PestEx 2015 dates have not yet been set, as BPCA is talking to the organisers of another show with the possibility of co-locating. More news soon. 
 

Delegates registering on the door 

A fast track for pre-registrations!


Thank heavens for a sit-down! 

Event organiser, Simon Forrester (right)
of BPCA in conversation with his new counterpart
from DSV in Germany – Andreas Beckmann

Delegates found ExCeL, in the foreground, easy to access