Exhibitors doubled at the second staging of a new trade show for the commercial turfcare sector this week - but visitors through the gates remained lower than was hoped.
The sophomore edition of SAGE took place at the Three Counties Showground at Malvern on Wednesday and Thursday, following its debut there last summer.
This year exhibitors included major professional turfcare machinery players including Toro, Price Turfcare, Redexim, Campeys, Ego, Stiga, Trimax, Overton, Handys (with Cramer), Kersten, Cub Cadet and Husqvarna amongst others. This represented a significant increase in stand-holders compared to last year.
Many of the representatives of suppliers on these stands who Service Dealer spoke to this week, voiced similar feelings. They told us that whilst they were admittedly disappointed with the clearly low numbers of visitors who had walked through gates, those who they had met had been quality, decision-making visitors - representing warm leads.
All were keen to support to the show into the future as the ability to demo machines there and then to potential customers in the outside space, was a seen as a real bonus for the show.
It was hoped that attendance can be built on in subsequent years.