From previous success stories originating from exhibiting or simply visiting the Offshore Europe exhibition at Aberdeen, I felt it would be highly beneficial to visit this year following the launch of engineering-alloys.com.  It was a good opportunity to spread the word about the site, get feedback from all levels and sectors of the industries we are targeting and also to enlist suppliers to help make the directory as comprehensive as possible.

My first impression of the show this year was that it was even bigger in terms of visitors than my last visit in 2007, which was confirmed by local press.  Secondly, there was an air of optimism about the next 12 months, with most exhibitors I spoke to optimistic about market conditions and growth returning.  Concerns still lingered regarding availability of finance to end users and the impact this would have on the market but this appeared to be the only thing dampening the optimism.

I was suprised to see that the number of material suppliers and stockists exhibiting was considerably smaller than previous years.  It was clear that most felt there was as much benefit to be gained by simply visiting as opposed to exhibiting and the costs involved.  However, I saw many a familiar face and thank those I spoke to for their time.  Feedback on engineering-alloys.com was very positive and the interest levels far higher than I could have hoped for.  Overall, it was worth the visit, the 14 hour return trip, the £7.00 sandwich and the parking ticket!

Please share your exhibition experiences and thoughts with us by commenting below.

Adam Dudley