Preview of SALTEX 2018
By Alistair
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This year’s SALTEX event at The NEC will include, for the first time, an ‘Innovation Hub’, featuring the latest groundscare innovations from robotics to pesticide alternatives, plus an insight into research and trial work findings
SALTEX 2018, Europe’s largest annual event for groundscare professionals, takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, on 31 October and 1 November.
Visitors can register their attendance for free via the newly-designed website www.iogsaltex.com, which has information on the hundreds of exhibitors that will be on display.
New for 2018, SALTEX visitors can expect to see and experience the very latest groundscare ingenuity in a new area on the show floor which is purely dedicated to innovation and new concepts in grounds management.
SALTEX plays host to the most technologically-advanced equipment showcase with exhibitors pushing the boundaries with new products and services.
Within this fast-paced and evolving industry, manufacturers are more forward-thinking than ever before to ensure their products match their clients’ needs and with over 8,000 SALTEX visitors, these new technologies are certainly under the spotlight.
According to the SALTEX 2017 visitor survey, an incredible 97 per cent claimed that their main reason for attending the exhibition was to see the latest innovations. Taking this feedback on-board, SALTEX event organisers have decided to host, for the very first time, a dedicated ‘Innovation Hub’.
Visitors can expect to watch interviews with industry experts and those at the forefront of new groundscare innovations and listen to research and trial work findings.
Furthermore, a number of key speakers will take to the stage to discuss and explore current groundscare trends such as cordless / environmentally friendly equipment, robotics, GPS control machinery, pesticide alternatives, pitch lighting (including watering systems and oxygen) and pitch monitoring systems.
In this exciting new feature, delegates will be able to engage in conversation regarding key topics or seek advice while using the opportunity to network with the industry’s most innovative business leaders and exporters – making the Innovation Hub a must visit area for all attendees.
The Innovation Hub will also play host to the SALTEX 2018 Innovation Award ceremony. Entries to the second ever SALTEX Innovation Award are now open and visitors can again expect to see the latest and very best in new grounds care technology.
Making its debut at last year’s show, the Innovation Award attracted a number of high-quality entries from across the globe spanning a wide variety of products, services and equipment.
The independent panel of judges, who based their decisions on a number of factors including what the entry offers the industry and how it makes life easier for the person using it, were unanimous in selecting four stand-out entries – and by all accounts 2017 was the year for new line marking technologies.
Learning LIVE
This year’s all-encompassing education programme – Learning LIVE – features CPD-accredited seminars that are free to attend. They will take place in four seminar theatres on the NEC’s show floor in Halls 6, 7 and 8.
Last year’s Learning LIVE programme featured more than 100 industry experts who took to the stage to address a variety of topical issues and highlight best practice case studies within the turf care industry – and feedback gathered from seminar delegates has helped organisers to create an even better line up of speakers and learning opportunities to suit the needs of all SALTEX visitors at this year’s event.
Day one will feature an interesting panel debate featuring Professor Colin Fleming (Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute), Neil Stubley (AELTC), Tony Bell (Middlesbrough FC) and Andy Gray (Southampton FC), who will discuss a chemical-free alternative to clean up your soil. Adam Witchell (Forest Green Rovers FC) and Roy Rigby (Manchester City FC) will be among those highlighting emerging trends in groundsmanship and a panel of professional groundsmen including Anthony Facey (Colchester Utd FC), Dave Mitchell (Carlisle Utd FC) and Stuart Vause (Castleford Tigers) will be discussing groundsmanship on a budget and sharing valuable money-saving tips. Elsewhere on day one, HR consultant Frank Newberry and Scott Tingley (Watford FC) will be on hand to provide career development tips and reveal how to secure the top jobs, while delegates will get the chance to ask questions to a panel of pest and disease experts in a session run by the Amenity Forum. There will also be plenty of technical advice on offer within Dr Ruth Mann’s (STRI) presentation on how technological advances are helping to improve turf grass quality on playing surfaces.
On day two, Phil Garrod (Advance Grass Solutions) will be sharing new ideas that have had successful outcomes in preparing pristine turf for multi sports on a single site and Ted Mitchell and Corin Palmer from the RFU will explain how the RFU and Premiership Rugby are raising the standards of groundsmanship. Andy McKay (Sussex CCC), Gary Barwell (Warwickshire CCC) and Chris Wood (ECB) will also explain how to prepare a cricket wicket to world-class standards.
In addition, phosphite for cool-season turf grass management; sports pitch renovations; the benefits of topdressing and education in the sports turf industry will be addressed by expert speakers including Andy Spetch (British Sugar Topsoil) and Dr Stewart Brown (University Centre Myerscough).
Visitor registration to SALTEX 2018 is free.
The full programme of SALTEX events, including ‘Ask The Experts’ and the ‘Job Clinic’, can be found at www.iogsaltex.com
To view the full LEARNING LIVE programme visit www.iogsaltex.com/learning-live
The next few pages showcase some of the companies and products that will be exhibiting at SALTEX
By Alistair
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