Glassex uncovered: 25 years of sore feet and sore heads

A trawl through the archives also reveals a healthy dose of cynicism, which we journalists can be guilty of from time to time. . . .

Reporting on his visit to the first show in 1980, our then Advertising Manager Alan Frasca wrote:

‘Between 30th March and 2nd April 5,000 or so visitors attended the first Glassex exhibition at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

‘This figure was, as might have been expected, below expectations. It was still apparently sufficient to prompt most of the 60-plus exhibitors to rebook for 1981.’

Where’s the glass?

Adshead Ratcliffe, Ebor, Ulmke Metals and Wegoma were among the exhibitors from 1980 that we know today.

But even at the first Glassex, Frasca had trouble with the exhibition’s name: ‘Most of the stands displayed machinery, aluminium or sealants. Where were the glass manufacturers?’

Well, we did try. The show’s Glass Crafts pavilion, initiated by Glass Age in 1988, grew into the Glass in Design show, attracting big names like Pilkington and Schott until its demise in 1992. Even today, the Glass Processing & Technology show is at the NEC in May, but for political reasons it seems, won’t be joined with Glassex.

Sore feet

In 1981, it was the turn of new boy Peter Butler to report his observations:

‘Packing up at the close of Glassex ‘81, a stand representative who had been on his feet for the five days commented: ‘I feel I’ve just finished the London marathon – twice.

‘On second thoughts I’ll duck the next exhibition and buy a track suit’, he said.’

Footnote

Butler also observed:

‘Acid comment from an overstretched NEC stand representative to a persistent visitor demanding to see the Top Man:

‘Try the Exhibitors’ Bar. He is the one with the double glazed eyes’’.

Feel the Quality?

1981 also saw the introduction of the term ‘visitor quality’ into glazing industry parlance: ‘Attendance was only 10 per cent up on last year at 5,623’, noted Butler. ‘However ‘general quality of customer’ was higher, we learned (it sounds a bit like grading eggs, but that’s the phrase).’

Spinning the record

1985 saw a six-figure attendance for the first time with 10,897 visitors coming to see the 112 companies in Hall 3 of the NEC.

But exactly which year holds the record for attendance appears to be in dispute.

In 1995 just over 14,000 visitors was hailed as an attendance record.

But back in 1989, just before recession hit, ‘a total of 263 exhibitors and 15,077 visitors (a 44% increase on 1988) came to see proceedings, which included 13 of the top Italian machinery makers’.

Seminars problematic

EMAP and previous organisers have flirted with seminars over the years. This year’s event boasts a packed programme, that even includes a 0ne day conference for housing professionals. But the experience of 1990 is quite telling:

‘Cancellation of the seminar programme at a late hour due to lack of visitor interest was disappointing but hardly a surprise, despite an imaginative list of speakers and topics.

‘Seminars need captive audiences and they work well at American shows because attendees tend to book in for the duration and have time to choose. About 9 out of 10 visitors to UK events are day trippers who simply view time in the conference room as time lost on the exhibition floor.’