BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
Last month, Lyme Media & Events announced the launch of a new, national, trade only exhibition to be held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, on June 19th and 20th 2011.
The brainchild of Lyme Media & Events’ managing director, Jerry Ramsdale, the event takes the concept of trade-only events to a national scale. The rationale behind the exhibition is to provide a profitable and productive trade forum for companies in the cycle trade wishing to engage with prospects from across the nation’s retail market.
Along with a majority contingent of UK based manufacturers, the exhibition will also play host to a number of Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers and a host of other international businesses seeking UK representation for their inventory of products.
The innovative event has been expressly developed, both in layout and operations, to deliver maximum return on investment for exhibitors and visitors alike, in the venue’s flagship Jaguar Exhibition Hall. The programme is shell scheme only, with four stand size options; our research shows this parity provides a level playing field to all exhibitors whilst encouraging visitors to engage with the products and services held within the space. The stand packages are true ‘turnkey’ solutions and inclusive in the price is lighting, power, carpeting, signage and show guide entry.
A direct move away from London-centric cycle exhibitions was at the forefront in the development of this exhibition. The venue in Coventry places the event at the centre of the UK and at the heart of the motorway network; just ½ mile from J3 of the M6 by car, with 2,000 parking spaces. It’s also less than 20 minutes from two major train stations and one international airport, making the Ricoh Arena the perfect venue to deliver Cycle Trade Expo to a wider regional audience, in a free-to-visit exhibition.
The comprehensive media plan and creative media activities will engage with the nation’s independent bike dealers, e-tailers and retail chains and draw highly engaged trade visitors from across the UK; all with specific purchasing and merchandising objectives.
The event will also feature an exhaustive educational seminar programme. Industry thought leaders, and individuals from companies and organisations offering insight and best practice to the cycle trade will be offering free-to-attend seminars designed to collaboratively drive the cycle trade forward. From merchandising, new product development and store design, to vertical service and support providers and financial service providers the seminar theatre will provide a 360 degree view of the cycle trade, and offer educational advice and guidance to cycle trade audiences.
The Lyme Media & Events team boast over 13 years of experience in delivering successful manufacturing, trade exhibitions in locations across Europe. We believe that Cycle Trade Expo can do this for the cycle industry. It has the capacity and structure to advance the UK’s cycle trade and fill the gap for a national, trade only exhibition designed around driving the industry forward and generating direct commercial results for both exhibitors and visitors alike. There’s never been a better time than now to be in the cycle trade, however as a retail market it’s still relatively new. I see Cycle Trade Expo as a catalyst for change and progression within the industry, a forum to collaboratively drive the industry forward.
To find out more, visit www.cycletrade-expo.co.uk.
