After a successful launch in 2015, the second Fleet Management Live attracted 16% more visitors to the NEC, Birmingham 19-20 October 2016 with a number of new exhibitors, features and seminar content.
Over 1200* professionals attended the event, many of which attended the seminar sessions.
The event saw the industry come together and attracted ACFO members with an on-site briefing; local SMEs joined the fleet breakfast briefing hosted with Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce; and finance, procurement and HR managers attended the tailored sessions hosted by HR Grapevine and ICFM’s Breakfast for Beginners.
“We saw a huge 30% growth in floor space as more exhibitors supported the show or expanded their stands to display even more products & services this year,” said Chris Lester, event director. “It was great to see Fleet Management Live becoming a launch pad for so many new vehicles and products. With more vehicles and larger stands at this year’s event, we are now planning to create even stronger features and partnerships for the 2017 event to grow the audience in line with the exhibitor base. We have some exciting new features now in development to discuss with exhibiting companies for next year.”
Fleet News’ columnist Nigel Trotman, who hosted the ‘Ask Nigel’ feature was enthusiastic about the 2016 event, “Fleet Management Live again provided a great learning and sharing opportunity for both those new to fleet and the more experienced. There was something for just about everyone, including new products and services and some really fascinating glimpses of the future. I met some very committed fleet managers and hopefully helped them with some of their challenges.”
The event attracted some of the UK’s leading fleets including retailers, utilities and public sector. Jerry Ward Manager – Legal Operations, John Lewis Partnership, “It was well worth the visit as the show provided a good cross section of events and exhibitors”.
“The opportunity to meet existing and future suppliers under one roof should never be underestimated, “ commented Stewart Lightbody, Head of Fleet Services, Anglian Water Services Limited. “A day spent at Fleet Management Live is as productive as a week full of travelling and hosting meetings across our various offices. Next year, I plan to send my team to the event over the two days to truly understand the diverse and inspiring industry we work in as there is a really big world out there where things don’t stand still for a second.”
Eric Bristow, Fleet Manager – Service Division, Hobart UK found the legislative content helpful, “Fleet Management Live is a great forum for meeting new suppliers and getting up to speed on changing legislation. There is a lot happening at the moment with the Government reviewing salary sacrifice schemes and the tax treatment of ultra-low emission vehicles.”
The exhibitors also found the breadth of the event conducive to doing business. Simon Wheeler, UK fleet and business marketing manager, explained why FCA Group supported the event “It was a good opportunity for us to showcase our new product across our five FCA brands: Jeep, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Abarth and Fiat Professional ranges. In particular, our All New Fiat Tipo Elite and Alfa Romeo Giulia Tecnica, both geared for business use, were really well-received across a broad spectrum of prospects that visited us on the stand.”
Jonathan Reynolds, Head of Fleet, and second-time exhibitor, Infiniti UK was pleased with the level of sales leads “Fleet Management Live gave Infiniti a great opportunity to showcase the latest model line-up and technology within the range. Attendance over the two days was excellent, without being packed, keeping our fleet team busy meeting both existing and new contacts. It is a vital part of Infiniti’s program to be seen at these industry events and Fleet Management Live continues to work well for us.”
Malcom Maycock, of exhibitor Licence Bureau commented on the seniority of the audience “a large proportion [of visitors] proved to be high quality leads and were there to actively seek new business relationships, not simply to browse.”
The 2016 event saw a total of 104 exhibitors (52 of which were first-time participants). Fleet Management Live returns to the NEC 4-5 October 2017.
*Unaudited data. BPA Worldwide audit will be available in due course.
About Fleet Management LIVE
Fleet Management LIVE is the UK’s largest event for fleet vehicle decision makers. In 2015 the exhibition and seminars attracted over 1,000 visitors.
The 2017 event takes place 3-4 October at NEC, Birmingham.
