ROUNDTABLE


want the kinds of solutions the industry can offer. So, I would say trade shows have increased in value in the last few years. JC: We are seeing some major shifts and it seems that many show organisers are not taking into account other large shows with conflicting dates. For instance, there are long-running shows that have always been on clockwork dates, so why would you try to conflict with those shows when it could affect attendance or make people pick one over the other. There is also a feeling that some of the right decision-makers are not coming to shows, and there needs to be a shift in the curriculum to justify attendance for some larger corporations. KL: Today’s attendees expect more than static displays. They want engaging, solution-based experiences and ongoing digital access to content. Our booth no longer showcases products alone. It presents end-to-end life cycle compliance management. Organisers should support this shift by creating more thematic zones and enabling technology-focused engagements.


What strategies can organisers use to maintain and improve the quality of attendees? SN: I think that exhibitors have an obligation to proactively advertise their presence at these shows across social media, newsletters, websites and other means. So, part of the responsibility lies with the exhibitors rather than the organisers. Nevertheless, I believe it would be helpful if event organisers provided more resources to help with that. They could provide media kits and pre-made templates, for example, to make it easier for us to promote their show. TB: I think that the times are driving that anyway. The pressures from the economic situation, and the challenges in the market mean that more people are interested in coming to the shows. And, generally, the shows do a good job when it comes to promotion. You can easily see who is going to be exhibiting at a show, so I would say the organisers are already doing a decent job. Some of the shows have apps so you can plan a course through the show, and that is really useful. You don’t want to just show up without a plan. You can easily get lost without a map or an app. JC: I think more attention could be paid to the curriculum, and shows could be more maintenance-minded, rather than just being display shows that only have glamorous displays. KL: To increase the quality of attendees, organisers should partner with industry associations (like LEEA or API), implement invite-only sessions, and facilitate pre-qualified meeting bookings. Stronger registration systems that capture job roles and project interests in advance would allow exhibitors to tailor our engagement and allocate resources effectively.


What innovations in trade shows have you seen in other industries that the overhead crane and hoist sector could learn from? SN: At the top of my list would be AI-driven lead scoring. Also, smart badges for attendee lead tracking would be really useful. Attendees’ smart badges can automatically log their visits and interactions in your booth, eliminating the need to manually scan or exchange contact info. Think of Amazon’s ‘Just Walk Out’ technology, for example. With that, the system automatically tracks what you pick up in the store and you don’t have to go through the payment process because you are billed automatically when you leave. Also, WEFTEC holds large-scale competitions and events that draw large, engaged crowds. More shows could benefit from performances or interactive events to keep people engaged. TB: I’m not sure there are any, really. We do some trade shows outside the overhead crane sector because we are also involved in fall protection, and I have felt that shows in the overhead crane sector are on a par with others. Generally, people are doing the same kinds of things. Automation is a big theme at the moment, but the shows across all sectors are being operated in the same way. MHI, the material handling, logistics and supply chain association, puts on most of the shows we attend, though FABTECH is another one, and we feel that they are all organised really well. JC: A show that I’ve really enjoyed watching thrive is Cleanpower OM&S – operations maintenance and safety. It feels like the right attendees are there. It feels more of a steel toe work boots show than dress shoes. The people at these shows are looking for tooling, innovation, bells and whistles, and it’s making an impact on decision-making. KL: We’ve seen great use of AR/VR in the industrial automation and automotive sectors, enabling real-time simulation and diagnostics. In our field, similar innovations could allow customers to virtually experience inspection workflows or risk assessments, making RFID- based solutions easier to understand and adopt.


Are traditional large-scale trade shows still the best format, or are smaller, more specialised events gaining traction? SN: Given that we have a wide customer base, we find that there is value in both large and small shows. Some organisers hold small events in multiple states, but it is hard for a business like ours to attend every small show, so that can be an issue. We need more bang for our buck if we’re going to invest in booths, displays, logistics and travel, so there needs to be a clear value proposition for any show that we attend, whether it is large or small. TB: For manufacturers, the big shows are very important. People meet each other and they see your name, and you establish a presence in the minds of the attendees. The smaller shows are


great, and we still participate in them. We sell through a distribution network, so we support our distributors by maintaining a presence in regional shows. After all, if they get business then we get business, so everyone wins. You need to do both the small shows and the large shows, but it is important to understand that they serve different purposes. JC: I think the large formats are still the way to go, but the frequency of small events seems to be stealing their thunder. It is getting harder for small or mid-sized companies to keep attending these events. Sometimes there is a misconception in the industry that if you don’t show up or have a booth then you must be doing badly as a company. KL: Large-scale shows like ONS and ADIPEC remain essential for global branding and top-tier connections. However, we increasingly find that smaller, specialised workshops or regional events deliver deeper technical engagement and stronger conversion potential. For this reason, we pursue a dual-track approach: big shows for visibility, smaller ones for impact.


What role do virtual and hybrid events play in today’s industry? Can they replace in- person trade shows? SN: People learn in three ways: sight, touch and hearing. I believe that virtual events limit the ways some people can absorb information. That has a definite impact on how well you can establish a relationship. Virtual events lack hands-on product interaction and relationship-building, which is ultimately what trade shows are all about. TB: I remember doing the virtual shows during the pandemic, and I have to say that they did not do much for us. It was very awkward for the presenters in virtual booths, and for the attendees. It always had the feel of a 1990s AOL chat room. When you walk into a booth at a trade show, people smile. There is more communication and you can learn more from the interaction. I am all for in-person events. I don’t see the virtual events taking off unless there is another pandemic. If I had to pick, I would say you get more traction with customers in person, and you get way more done. Your peripheral vision is a hundred times greater in person. I was at a trade show recently and I was able to search for who would be there, and I identified some people I wanted to meet. But when I got there, I went in many different directions and networked much more. With virtual events you have horse blinders on. JC: We have done and participated in such shows, but nothing can replace the in-person experience, though I have seen some nice 3D virtual events. We have started shifting to more videos displaying our products than shipping a massive tonnage of products to events with no real guarantee that customers will touch or want to feel the craftsmanship of our products. That is partly why we have invested in highly detailed backdrops showing products as discussion points. KL: While we do not believe virtual events can


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