SPATEX, RICOH ARENA, COVENTRY

SHOW REVIEW

SPATEX 2016 Is Hailed An Industry Triumph

The annual SPATEX exhibition returned to Coventry’s Ricoh Arena at the end of January for a 20th anniversary celebration that promised to feature the best line up to date. We report on the three-day event, which didn’t disappoint By Jon Wadeson

D

uring the setup at this year’s SPATEX, there was a real air of calmness among exhibitors as the stands with the Ricoh Arena’s Jaguar Exhibition Hall gradually took shape without seemingly a hitch or problem in sight. It really was a case of the calm before the storm because I don’t think anybody from the in excess of 120 companies that were exhibiting quite expected what was then to unfold over the following three days. Shows can often get off to a sluggish start, but that wasn’t the case at SPATEX and it

It seemed that from the moment the show opened its doors, there was a constant stream of visitors arriving

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seemed that from the moment the show opened its doors, there was a constant stream of visitors arriving at the Coventry based event. For three days the Jaguar Exhibition Hall was a vibrant and often verging on manic networking extravaganza, bursting with great looking stands displaying all the latest wet leisure innovations and products. Every sector of the industry was represented – from saunas, steam rooms, swimming pools to spas and hot tubs and everything else in between. Even on the last day, the Tuesday afternoon, when shows are notorious for going quiet,

visitors were still searching the aisles, looking for the latest gadgets and products for the season ahead. One impressed visitor, Toby Lamper the owner of Affordapool commented: “The first thing I noticed when I arrived was the packed car park, then I came into the hall and the stands were packed too! We’ve been coming to SPATEX four or five years now and 2016 was definitely the best!” That epitomised the views of many with the show being widely acknowledged as the best edition to date.

The smart looking Aqua Water System stand contained a selection of products from their comprehensive range

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