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Stihl join the big brands at The Hard Landscaping Show with World of Paving

Stihl UK are the latest big name to sign for the shows joining companies such as Kubota, Aco, Boddingtons, Probst, Instarmac and Avant Tecno. Other recent sign-ups of many include Eire based pre-cast paving manufacturer Barleystone Paving, sustainable drainage company Aquadyne and leading Danish manufacturer Larsens Building Products.

Visitors like the show line-up – “There’s a really comprehensive range of things to see – I thought it might be only block paving and stone on display…..” Rob Smedley, Argyle Paving

Because the organisers understand the paving market, we know that the paving itself, the top layer, whilst being the element that excites the designer and the client, is only part of the story for the trade and that’s why we’ve worked hard to make sure that these are real working shows. There is drainage of all types including special SUDS products, specialist gravel retention systems, a wide range of digging and specialist muck shifting equipment, mechanical handling and laying, specialist hand tools, diamond drilling and cutting along with specialist cleaning products such as power washers and a wide range of paving treatments for sealing and anti-stain.

The best range of bedding mortars and jointing compounds seen at any show in the UK – ever! And a live installation masterclass sponsored by Steintec…..

This is a claim we can make easily with a line up like Steintec, Instarmac, Larsens and NCC Streetscape and not only will there be displays and seminars on this subject but also a live installation masterclass using silo-fed bedding mortars to lay granite setts which will then be finished with a number of jointing compounds to demonstrate the pro’s and cons of each method. But we won’t be taking things easy – the specialists installers will be laying the setts in a number of complex patterns in what promises to be one of a number of interesting and excellent live demonstrations that are sure to bring in the crowds.

Encourage your customers to enter the Projects of the Year Competitions

Don’t just leave visitor promotion to us – supported by exhibitors such as La Farge and Probst, we’ve offered some great prizes for project competitions in a number of categories. The winners will also get valuable publicity in post-show review copies of the trade press so make sure your customers to pre-register for the shows and enter the competitions – it’s easy and can all be done online.

The Artisans Avenue by Claudia de Yong will showcase the Best of British crafts

Claudia De Yong is a well-known award winning garden designer who is keen to promote the Best of British craftsmanship so she has teamed up with The Landscaper Magazine to sponsor an avenue of stands that we expect to create a great deal of interest for all types of visitor. You will meet companies such as Fenland Ironworks and Chris Nangle Furniture Design who are producing superb bespoke pieces that will enhance any project.

Machine Lay and Power Handling Demo Area sure to be a hit

A lot of pre-registering visitors have already told us that they are very keen to see the demo’s using the latest technology on the market from the two German manufacturers who lead the World in this field who are both exhibiting at the shows, Optimas and Probst. In the adjacent demo area, Kerb ‘n Turf will be showing their continuous concrete curb system and a range of stunningly realistic artificial grass that will really amaze all who see it.

Live Concrete Polishing Demo with HTC and Artevia is not to be missed

The UK’s specialist decorative concrete company Artevia -La Farge Readmix Ltd have got together with the World’s Number 1 concrete polishing machine manufacturer and have put together a demo schedule that will see some truly stunning polished concrete finishes created that will be sure to be in great demand with designers and clients in the years to come. The range of specialist Artevia mixes incorporating colour and self compacting capabilities can be finished in a variety of ways to create a truly outstanding result for many types of paving and you can see them all at the show.

Live Demo’s of Stencilled Concrete and Resin Bonded Overlays attracting great interest

Reactions to many types of decorative concrete can be mixed but Stencil-Tech aim to wow visitors with the fantastic range of finishes that stencilled concrete can offer and Artevia (LaFarge Readymix Ltd) will also be showing just how simple it is to cover any sound surface with an attractive and hard wearing overlay

It’s a warm welcome to CSB Environmental who have taken stand number F11 at the show.

CSB have been providing specialist industrial and commercial cleaning services since 2000,  providing a nationwide service to an extensive client base that includes retail, quarries and mines, construction, education, rail, waste recycling, leisure and local authorities.

They are also the the main distributors, sub agents and service and repair centre for Lavor, Nilfisk Alto, Dual Power, Kerstar, Powerboss, NSS and Cleanwell in Leicestershire.

CSB also sell cleaning equipment online and a range of floor care products with a large range of scrubber driers (ride on and walk behind) and sweepers and vacuum cleaners (wet and dry) including health and safety vacuums for industrial and domestic use.

I have always liked visiting Glee, getting to see how old friends are getting on, etc., so it was a bit of a shock to find the show reduced and, on the last day, very quiet. Some exhibitors were quite pleased with whom they had seen – it was easier to get to them in a smaller show! There was a feeling that the trinket (TAT) side of the business was very over represented.

Talking to some press acquaintances there, confirmed what many observers are picking up on – the migration of exhibitors & visitors to far more focused shows/events.

In no sector was this more pronounced than in landscaping. The biggest exhibits were the ones focused on the DIY end of the business, and bagged aggregates, etc., for the Garden Centre trade – the core business of GLEE. Though a remnant of other hard landscape products were represented, the inevitable drift to focused shows seemed irresistible – roll on the HLS!.

I certainly don’t want to criticise Glee for the sake of it; its own refocusing on what it is about should strengthen it from the huge analogous mass it has become.

At the same time as GLEE seems to be getting a lot of criticism from visitors , support for World of Paving and The Hard Landscaping Show is going from strength to strength.

The latest company to reserve a stand at World of Paving is Stencil-Tech who will be both showing and demonstrating their innovative decorative concrete paving systems.

We will shortly be launching the show projects of the year competition plus a unique new feature on the websites that will be introducing exhibitors to some of the visitors they will be meeting at the shows.

We’re very pleased that we’ve been able to get the 24 & 25th of March 2010 for the show, we were always a bit concerned that early February presented somewhat of a risk of bad weather, the end of March is a much better bet climate wise and yet is still early enough to ensure that all are not busy onsite and unable to get away to visit the show.

The launch of The Hard Landscaping Show, www.hardlandscapingshow.co.uk, is also something to celebrate – it will be held alongside World of Paving and we feel it will very much enhance the show experience – we discuss the dynamic between the two events on the HLS blog, have a look, you can find it on www.hardlandscapingshow.co.uk/blog.html