WITH RECORD ATTENDANCE AND THE EXHIBITION VENUE FILLED TO CAPACITY, ORGANISERS OF OFFSITE EXPO HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMED WITH POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM DELEGATES, SPEAKERS AND EXHIBITORS.
Sam Davies, Construction Director for British Offsite said: “The organisation of Offsite Expo 2021 was very professional and well executed. The event organisers were helpful and accommodating and the pre-planning of the event was exceptional in terms of communication and ensuring a successful delivery.”
Across the two days of the event which was held at the Coventry Building Society Arena (Ricoh Arena) on 21 & 22 September 2021 – 3,054 delegates visited over 100 exhibition stands and feature builds which involved everything from a transporter hauling a module and a new innovative ‘room in the roof’ system to a double height light steel frame exhibition stand and even a two-storey apartment block.
It was often standing room only in the three theatres where over 100 speakers delivered CPD Accredited Masterclass sessions. Mike Fairey, Director of Fusion Building Systems and Chairman of the Light Steel Frame Association (LSFA) presided over the light steel framing sessions on the first day of the event. To a packed audience Brian Alborough from Richard Hopkinson Architects, Joanne Booth from Lucideon and Andrew Waddell from Hadley Group shared knowledge and insight on offsite in an evolving world, the benefits of full-scale testing regimes and pre-panelised systems.
Again, on day two there was tremendous interest in the light steel framing Masterclass sessions when Andrew Way, Associate Director of the Steel Construction Institute (SCI) chaired proceedings. Andrew was joined on the stage by Peter Burchill from EOS Framing who are part of Etex New Ways, Gus Houliston recently appointed Managing Director of Intelligent Steel Solutions and David Ellison from Fusion Building Systems. The CPD Accredited presentations on loadbearing steel systems for offsite housing, the change journey and attaining sustainability, efficiency, precision engineering with cost and programme certainty using light steel frame – were extremely well received. “We found the exhibition to be a little bit different this year,” said Clive Reeves, Customer Manager from Light Steel Framing Association member, Knauf.
Talking to visitors at the last event they were ‘thinking’ about the way they wanted to build – this year developers are much more confident in the offsite construction approach and wanted to know what solutions we could provide. Offsite Expo has been a very positive event for Knauf. We’ve generated quite a few leads and are looking forward to progressing them over the next few weeks and months.”
Many exhibitors also reported that the Offsite Connect forum was a major highlight for them with over 330 productive business meetings taking place. Offsite Connect is a highly effective way for buyers and specifiers to meet with new and existing offsite industry suppliers exhibiting at Offsite Expo. Over 80 construction professionals with major buying remits participated from such high-profile companies as Barratt Developments, Persimmon, L&Q, as well as main contractors Willmott Dixon, Bam, Kier and Morgan Sindall.
Julie Williams, Business Development Director for Offsite Expo said: “Offsite Connect is such a draw for exhibitors, and buyers equally find the business forum a major benefit as they can meet with so many offsite suppliers all in one place. This is just one of the reasons why 70% of this year’s exhibitors have already signed up to take part again in 2022 which is testament to a successful event.”
To secure you place at Offsite Expo 2022, go to ‘book a stand’ on the event website: www.offsite-expo.co.uk
