Totally Tools Review
Retail Buyers Out In Force For Totally Shows 2013 “This is the best trade show we’ve been at in at least ten years!” So said Chris Mahon of Am-Tech, at the close of this month’s Totally DIY & Totally Tools trade show, which ran at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry from Sunday, 10th to Tuesday, 12th February. His sentiments are echoed by fellow exhibitors and visitors alike, who despite the snow which fell overnight on Sunday, 10 February, made it safely to the show. “We have had a cracking show!” said exhibition director Paul Grinsell. “And it’s because of a real team effort from exhibitors and us to target and invite quality
buyers to come along. Everyone worked really hard to find the right people to invite and it seems to have paid off! “It was also a pleasure to be able to offer our visiting buyers and resellers a sit down hot lunch. It certainly helped to create a more relaxed, sociable
atmosphere at the show, which everyone benefited from,” he added. The show played host to buyers from across all the DIY and tools sales channels – multiples, TV, online, independent, high street, and all types – decorators,
plumbers and builders merchants, hardware and general stores and tool specialists. Vincent Rodgers, buyer at Wilkinson commented that ‘the quality of exhibitors was better than he had expected and he had had some great meetings’. Gill and John Hewitt, directors of Bamford Trading said they ‘liked the bonus of a free lunch, the show was very well organised with some good exhibitors’. Audra Rhone and Dan Grace, both Homebase buyers, thought the show was ‘friendly, had a good layout and good stands’. Ken Sheppard, managing director of Sheppards DIY, Coventry said: ‘Excellent show – obviously the venue suits us because of close proximity but I felt the
atmosphere was much better than previously. The hot lunch was most welcome and we had some very fruitful discussions with suppliers both old and new. Hope most of the feedback is positive – we want to come back next year!’ Neil Mackay, of Mackay’s of Cambridge, commented, ‘I was pleasantly surprised by my visit to the show. It was far busier than I had expected. I came along on
the Monday intending to do a rapid sweep around the show and see if there was anything new of potential interest. Before I knew what had happened it was 5pm, the show was closing and I had only seen half of the stands. As a result I returned together with my buyer on the Tuesday. I think the venue change certainly worked very well. The free and easy parking was a bonus. The
excellent food was very welcome and very tasty indeed. All in all I was impressed and hope that the show continues to develop.’ Mike Stocks, retail partnerships executive, Ideal Shopping Direct Ltd, commented, ‘ Great venue, great to see new products, sadly did not have time to enjoy
the free lunch (nice idea) and great to see people who wanted to demonstrate their products and were passionate.’ Other aspects of the show also worked well this year. The free seminars which ran on Monday and Tuesday featured speakers who were all able to give their
audience a real sense of the bigger DIY and retail picture. Michael Weedon, deputy ceo and communication director of bira, Simon Foy and Daniel Fearnley of market researchers GfK, John Herbert, general secretary of EDRA and Steve Collinge, commercial director of Insight DIY certainly left everyone with plenty to think about, and great ideas for the future to consider.
Silverline Tools Appoints Craig Phillips
As NEW Ambassador Silverline Tools, manufacturer of hand and power tools, is proud to announce its new partnership with DIY TV personality Craig Phillips, who will represent Silverline as official Ambassador and DIY Expert.
Craig is well
known for winning the first Big Brother in 2000, and has since produced and presented over 850 DIY and home improvement shows for TV broadcasters all over the world. Craig’s expert knowledge of the construction industry stems from setting up and managing a successful
construction company in the 1990s, and it is this experience which made him the ideal expert on shows such as 60 Minute Makeover, Craig’s Trade Tips and Celebrity DIY. “I’m really excited to be working with Silverline Tools,
it’s a great brand with such a large range of products. The team at Silverline are passionate about tools and share my passion for DIY, it’s been my career for the last 20 years, so being able to offer others my help and experience in partnership with Silverline is something that I am really looking forward to”, said Craig.
Reply No. 6 14 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE
EVERBUILD ‘Come Back’
At Totally DIY 2013 Everbuild returned to Totally DIY in 2013 - which took place at the Ricoh Arena Coventry on 10th-12th February - after a break in 2012 and what a comeback it was with two Best New Product Awards and high levels of visitor numbers to their stand! Everbuild were presented with two awards at the show: The Totally DIY Show Gold Award for Best
New DIY Product for Rendagrip and the BHF Best New Product Awards for the Evercryl Roof Repair product range. These awards provided great exposure right from day 1 and, combined with exciting product launches, ensured that the Everbuild stand was inundated with visitors throughout the duration of the show. Totally DIY 2013 was the launch pad for Geo-Fix All Weather, a new version of market leading Paving
Jointing Compound Geo-Fix which can be used in ALL weather conditions – particularly in the wet - and to go along with the ‘wet’ theme of this year’s main product launch, Everbuild offered visitors free branded umbrellas and ponchos, which went down a storm and attracted much attention to both the product and the stand. As well as Geo-Fix All Weather Everbuild also launched a new version of Pinkgrip Dry Fix at the show.
The newly named Pinkgrip Dry Fix FR has now been enhanced to have ‘dual flow’ application and a B2 Fire Rating. Finishing off the new range of products was a 250ml size of Everbuild’s popular Quick Drying Wood Stain and Evercryl Roof Repair in Clear which is available in 1 and 5kg sizes.
Reply No. 17
www.toolbusiness.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32