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SALTEX 2026


©Alistair Veryard Photography SALTEX 2026: Where The People Behind Great Venues Meet


From the playing surface to the wider site, every successful sports venue relies on teams making the right decisions long before the gates open. This November, SALTEX gives them two days to find new solutions, strengthen their skills and connect with the people who understand their work.


A stadium pitch must perform under pressure. So must the team responsible for it. Fixture schedules, changing weather,


player


expectations and the demands of a busy venue all affect how grounds and facilities are managed. The challenge extends beyond the surface itself: machinery must be reliable, staff need opportunities to develop, and investment decisions have to deliver lasting value.


On 11–12 November 2026, the 80th edition of SALTEX will bring those conversations to the NEC Birmingham. Organised by the Grounds Management Association (GMA), the exhibition connects grounds professionals, venue leaders, suppliers and industry experts across two days of products, education and practical advice.


See The Solutions In Person


For teams reviewing equipment or planning future investment, SALTEX offers an opportunity to move beyond brochures and specifications. Visitors can examine machinery up close, speak directly with manufacturers and compare approaches to maintaining natural, synthetic and hybrid surfaces.


The breadth of the show also reflects the breadth of work undertaken at modern venues. Grounds teams are responsible for presentation and performance; operations teams must consider efficiency, budgets and the long-term needs of their sites. Bringing colleagues together for a visit can help turn a product conversation into a more informed decision about how it would work in practice.


SALTEX is equally valuable for those who are not ready to purchase. A discussion with a supplier, an introduction to a new technology or a conversation with someone managing a similar site can help shape plans for the seasons ahead.


Knowledge To Take Back To The Venue


The free Learning LIVE education programme will bring industry experience to three stages. Sessions will address sports turf best practice alongside wider issues including workforce development, innovation, sustainability and climate resilience.


For stadium and venue teams, these subjects are closely connected. Surface quality depends on skilled people, effective processes and the ability to respond when conditions change. Learning LIVE provides space to consider those pressures, hear how others are approaching them and take useful ideas back to the workplace.


The Main Stage will host broader industry discussions, while the Spotlight Stage will focus on specialist topics and takeovers from industry organisations. The Community Sport Stage will offer practical guidance for those developing and maintaining local facilities, including conversations around pitch care, resilience and funding. Together, the


stages recognise that expertise travels in both directions: professional venues and community sport can learn from one another.


Beyond the seminar programme, The Workshop returns after its debut in 2025. Live demonstrations will give visitors the chance to see machinery set-up and maintenance techniques, ask questions and hear advice from experienced specialists. Sessions covering mowers and sprayers will be relevant to professionals seeking consistent results as well as those supporting grounds care with smaller teams and resources.


The People Who Make Progress Possible


Equipment and education are important, but SALTEX is also a meeting place. Grounds managers, technicians, contractors, suppliers and venue decision-makers can reconnect with familiar colleagues and meet people facing similar challenges elsewhere in the sector.


Those conversations often continue well beyond the exhibition. An exchange about a difficult surface, a staffing issue or a successful maintenance approach may provide the insight a team needs when it returns to its own venue. For newer professionals, meeting experienced peers and industry organisations can also open up valuable routes into the profession.


This year’s landmark edition will give visitors a chance to see how that profession has evolved.The Archive, supported by The Hall & Duck Trust, will trace the machinery and innovations that helped shape grounds management. Rare exhibits will include an 1858 Improved Budding mower, a 1905 Ransomes Patent Motor Mower and a 1919 Simar rotavator.


Placed alongside the technology on today’s exhibition floor, the collection


tells a story of continual adaptation. The tools have


changed dramatically, but the commitment to producing safe, high- quality spaces for sport remains.


Make The Visit Count


SALTEX takes place indoors at the NEC Birmingham, allowing visitors to meet suppliers, attend education sessions and catch up with colleagues in one location. Entry and parking are free, making it straightforward to bring members of a grounds or venue team along.


As a GMA event, SALTEX also supports the wider industry: revenue generated by the show is reinvested in the association’s work for grounds professionals.


For anyone responsible for the surfaces, people or plans behind a successful venue, the 80th edition offers a timely opportunity to step away from the daily schedule and look at what comes next.


SALTEX 2026 takes place on 11–12 November at the NEC Birmingham. Register for a free ticket at: https://www.saltex.org.uk 16 FSM


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