Brityrex is Back

Next month sees the much anticipated return of Brityrex. After an eight year absence the show is returning to Harrogate as Brityrex International and the organisers, ECI International, are determined to deliver exactly what they promised from the beginning – an exhibition dedicated to the tyre and related industries. Tyres & Accessories caught up with event organisers, Paul Farrant and Rowena Suthers, of ECI international, to discuss the up and coming event, in this, the final countdown to the show.

There hasn’t been a UK tyre trade show for years, so why re-launch the show?

“The UK is an important market and it should have its own tyre show,” enthused Rowena Suthers, when asked about the company’s decision to revive the show. Brityrex dates back to 1979 and was seen as the only opportunity for the UK tyre industry to get together and exhibit its wares. Tyre Exhibitions held the last show in 1997, an exhibition that Paul Farrant and Rowena Suthers, now ECI International, were originally involved with. As well as having first hand experience of the show itself, the organisers also bring with them the knowledge gained from running the successful exhibition, Tyrexpo Asia. Together the pair have 38 years of experience in organising exhibitions and as frequent exhibitors themselves they know what exhibitors want as well as what the tyre trade wants.

“UK legislation is changing and shows like Reifen and SEMA can’t satisfy the needs of companies present in the UK market. Brityrex was never intended to be a Reifen or a Sema but it was meant to be as important to the UK market as they are to their respective markets,” explained Rowena. And what about demand for a UK show? “As the second largest market in Europe there is demand there, it’s an important market, it has always had its own event and it deserves to have its own show.”

What do you want to achieve with Brityrex International?

According to the company its aim is simply to get the industry behind the exhibition. ECI wants the show to be important to the UK tyre industry as well as to visitors to the UK. “More than that,” interjects Rowena Suthers, “we want it to be an exhibition people want to invest in, an opportunity for companies to market themselves. We want to give Brityrex International value and build the exhibition’s reputation and encourage people to once again believe in the benefits of having a dedicated tyre show in UK. We want to put Brityrex back on the map.”

Managing director, Paul Farrant added: “We want to launch a dedicated, independent tyre event, that’s cost-effective. A no frills trade exhibition that offers the industry the opportunity to get its own event back on track.”

As far as the MD is concerned, the show’s exhibitors share the same objectives as ECI, commenting: “The positive feedback shows that the decision to stage an exhibition focused squarely on the tyre sector was indeed what the market was looking for. When we looked at re-introducing Brityrex International, it became obvious from talking to people in the industry that they wanted a show where they could meet people in their industry, talk and do business. We at ECI have always made a point of promising only what we are confident that we can deliver. Our aim from the outset was to keep the format simple and provide an exhibition dedicated to the tyre sector. Brityrex International is exactly that.”

The organisers are keen to establish the show in the industry; ‘longevity’ is the buzzword and is crucial to the show’s success strategy. Standing in their way is a general sense of ‘industry complacency’ explains ECI. Tyrexpo Europe, held in 2001, and organised by Tarsus Exhibitions, pre ECI, was the last tyre exhibition to service the needs of the UK market. Deemed unsuccessful by most, companies have since been “put off” exhibiting. This combined with the four year absence of a UK tyre show has forced companies to find alternative means to market themselves. Undeterred, ECI believes that all those “sitting on the fence” need is a reminder of how effective a UK tyre exhibition can be. The exhibition organisers are committed to the event and dates have already been confirmed for Brityrex 2007.

“The success of the show will be determined by market forces,” maintains Rowena Suthers, “if the trade wants a successful show it will support it.”

Most exhibitors believe in the quality not quantity of visitors at a show. Who and how many visitors are you intending to attract?

“We want to attract between 3 – 4000 visitors to the show,” estimates Paul Farrant.
“Pre registration figures have been recording about 100 new entries per week, and that’s two months before the show,” added Rowena Suthers. “There are a lot of people interested, the show has certainly generated a lot of curiosity.”

To achieve these numbers ECI has been promoting the show at home, in Scotland, Ireland and England, as well as abroad in Germany, Asia, Japan, the US and as far as Australia. “Forecourt publications, tyre depots, car dealers, retailers, you name it they’ve heard about Brityrex,” says Rowena Suthers.

Registration figures for the first week in March reached near on 200 applicants, 85 per cent of which were interested primarily in tyres. Visitors registering their interest have come from all over the world, Yorkshire to Sudan and from every sector of the industry, manufacturers to recyclers.

And what about the exhibitors?

“The show’s support comes from all sectors of the tyre industry,” says Rowena Suthers, “as well as from all over the globe.” Exhibitors range from manufacturers, wholesalers and retreaders to suppliers of tyre shop equipment, consumables, wheels, computer systems and the list goes on.
Companies from the UK and Europe will be joined by a strong international presence. According to Rowena Suthers the number of international exhibitors has increased by 40 per cent compared to the 1997 show. “There are far more international visitors, especially from the US, India and China, all keen to establish a foothold in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. Also it’s the first time Singapore company Stamford Tyres has exhibited at a UK show.”

In addition to new exhibitors from abroad, Brityrex International will see the return of some familiar faces from overseas, including Inter-Sprint, Deldo, and Van den Ban.

The show received the welcome support of the National Tyre Distributors Association when it was announced that the follow-up event to the NTDA conference in Marbella last September would be held in Harrogate to coincide with Brityrex International. For Paul Farrant, the NTDA’s decision was further confirmation of the need and the desire for a truly dedicated tyre industry event – and that the industry’s reaction shows that Brityrex International is that exhibition.

Brityrex has, in the past, been held in many locations, why did you choose Harrogate?

“The exhibiting companies are coming from all around, however about 30 per cent originate from the South East of England and all are willing to travel to a central point that will allow them to meet customers they wouldn’t usually have contact with, as well as to make new contacts. The new exhibition halls at Harrogate provide the perfect forum for the global tyre industry to do business and the location is cheaper for exhibitors than alternatives such as the NEC, it also allows them to stay on site. The tyre industry is a very social environment and Harrogate is so accessible and will facilitate the tyre industry well.”