EVENT BUYERS LIVE

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Industry professionals attended Event Buyers Live 2021, hailing the event a huge success. Stand Out reviews the “best professional” industry event

Forward-thinking. Professional. Relevant. Valuable. Beneficial. The best trade event. Fun. These are just some of the words used by events professionals to describe their experience at Event Buyers Live (EBL) 2021.

Since its launch in 2014, the industry event has been hailed a resounding success by organisers and suppliers, who gathered at De Vere Orchard Hotel and EMCC for three days of pre-arranged meetings and networking.

EBL reconnected the live events industry, with data suggesting that more than 4,700 unique connections were made, and more than 700 pre-arranged meetings took place.

Neil Fagg, event director of EBL, said: “It was amazing to see so many events professionals, back in a room, connecting, networking and just looking happy to see old colleagues and make new contacts.

“We wanted the event to be the most sustainable one yet, so we engaged Blendology, a digital badging company. It meant that our guests could ‘tap’ badges and digitally exchange details. The data shows that attendees made 23 unique connections (on average). Our guests loved the new badge; it facilitated an easy exchange of contact details so that events professionals could remain connected post-event and it assisted with our social distancing measures. This, coupled with more than 700 prearranged meetings, just shows the value of the EBL format. The event was created to facilitate conversation and introductions and I am proud to say that we have done that.”

Ben Hardy, managing director of Richmond Event Management, agreed with Fagg. EBL facilitates knowledge-sharing and worthwhile conversations. Hardy said: “I’ve attended the past two Event Buyers Lives. The wide variety of industry peers who attend, across all forms of organisers and suppliers, allows for a great knowledge sharing and networking experience. I have left each event with deeper, more valuable relationships – with existing and new contacts – that have really made the difference on the event sites we operate on.”

Steve Cunningham, director of 20-20 Events, concurred: “EBL has hit on a concept that is a stroke of genius. It’s a very efficient use of everyone’s time and continues to be a very beneficial way of meeting suppliers, other organisers, and industry professionals. I particularly enjoy the roundtable discussions and on top of all that, it’s great fun.”

Cuffe and Taylor’s Joe Robinson, senior event manager and ambassador, praised the event as the pre-arranged meetings “cut out millions of emails” and Catherine Bishop, operations director at The Game Fair, found EBL incredibly productive. She said: “This was my first year attending Event Buyers Live and I loved every minute of it. Event Buyers Live is a must for an event organiser. It is educational and productive, and I am already looking forward to next year.”

Sarah Greene, project director at TBI Media, said that EBL was “the best professional/ trade event I’ve ever been to”. She continued: “I really enjoyed connecting with past colleagues and making interesting new connections across both organisers and suppliers. The meetings, roundtables and presentations were all top class and the event organisation second to none.”

Event Buyers Live has built a strong reputation for solid business networking, an insightful education programme and the sharing of industry knowledge.

Jo Hartle, co-founder of Hartle O’Hare, said that Event Buyers Live is her favourite

event. She said: “It is my favourite event of the year to find suppliers and meet colleagues that are on the same level as myself professionally. The forwardthinking nature of all the conversations only manifests when the right people are in the room.”

Events professionals from the Lawn Tennis Association, Goose Live, WOMAD, SC Productions, LS Events, Wasserman, Formula E, and Culture Liverpool attended the respected event, which facilitates prearranged one-on-one meetings between organisers and suppliers. It gives events professionals the chance to sit down with each other and discuss project and procurement requirements.

Jason Baris, managing director of Blade Rigg, was just one of the many suppliers supporting the event. A previous attendee of EBL, Baris said: “Event Buyers Live is a unique event like no other. The concept ensures that suppliers and organisers both wish to meet and that cuts out a lot of ‘cold pitches’ and chasing people at conferences. You get to sit down and talk business straight away and most times with specific projects or events in mind. It is fantastic and we will attend again next year. Neil and his team are so attentive and supportive throughout this complex event, they really ensure you get the most out of it.”

Likewise, Amy Gilbert, director of Site Equip, agreed with Baris. It was Site Equip’s first time at EBL – it used the event to meet new contacts. She said: “We have done plenty of exhibitions and I have to say it has been the slickest and most well-organised one we have ever been to. We had a hugely successful time at the event, we were fully booked over the two days and then had six or seven additional meetings with new event organisers – which was very intense but very enjoyable! I don’t know why it took us so long to be there! Wish we did it sooner!”

Tim Cook, managing director of Versatile Venues, has supported Event Buyers Live since its inception. He said of Event Buyers Live 2021: “Having attended all of the EBL events, despite the challenges of the past 18 months, the team staged, for us, the most valuable event to date. Both suppliers and organisers were of great quality and there to network with genuine interest and place business.”

Similarly, Ben Crawford, production and operations director at Wasserman, congratulated the team for “another great event”. He explained: “Yet again, Event Buyers Live provides a great environment for organisers to connect with suppliers and make meaningful and worthwhile connections, as well as a great place for the events community to network, especially in a time where we’ve been craving human connection for so long.”

Fagg concluded: “We know that everyone has been eager to get together, and network and we know that time out of the office is still precious, so I want to say a massive thank you to everyone that attended and supported Event Buyers Live 2021, who made it so special. From our speakers, our ambassadors, sponsors and event partners, everyone played their part, and delivered what has to be the best EBL to date.”

• With thanks to Energy Generator, Showcase, Tysers, Xpect, Swift MRP, Instant Marquees, Aniseed Photo, Blendology, Dependable Forces, ecolibrium and RedBox Events (Wi-Fi heroes).

Say hello to Climate Supplies

Industry cooling and heating veterans, Andy Gilman and Chris Winstanley, have launched Climate Supplies, a climate control and air purification specialist

Summer 2021, and two of the industry’s most experienced HVAC exponents, Andy Gilman and Chris Winstanley, decide to “put the band back together”. Fast forward to September 1 and Climate Supplies Ltd opened its doors for business.

Having sold their Arcotherm business to Vp back in 2008, Gilman and Winstanley had gone their separate ways but always kept in touch; when the opportunity arose to put a new business together, neither needed any convincing that it was the right thing to do. They set about getting their business model ready in time for the season they both know best… winter.

CLIMATE CONTROL WITH A CONSCIENCE

Climate Supplies believes in quality service and value for money, combined with a modern-day twist of environmental awareness or, as they like to put it, “climate control with a conscience”.

Winstanley, director of Climate Supplies, said: “We’re aware that the heating of structures with oil-fired products is, in many cases, currently the most effective solution, but not on point from an environmental perspective. To mitigate CO2 emissions from our heaters, and in collaboration with more:trees, we plant a tree for every unit sold and, to date, have sequestered more than 22 tonnes of CO2 since our inception back in September.”.

EXTENSIVE RANGE

As well as sales, Climate Supplies has been strengthened with the addition of Phil Halliday, technical engineer, who is already busy servicing and installing portable heating equipment across the UK.

Climate Supplies’ oil-fired heating offering is made of two separate models, the IDE, and the IDS range of direct and indirect fired units – both are Trotec products for which Climate Supplies has a UK supply agreement. In addition to a wide range of heaters, Climate Supplies carries an extensive stock of ancillary items, including ducting, diffusers, fuel tanks and spare parts.

HOT TOPIC

When the idea of starting a new business was initially raised, Gilman and Winstanley both agreed that their new venture should offer a diverse range of products to complement heaters. At a time when indoor air quality is a hot political topic, Climate Supplies is delighted to have added Trotec TAC Air Purifiers to its growing range of products.

The TAC units are equipped with HEPA 14 filtration, with a filter separation capability ≥ 99.995%, meaning that for every 100,000 particles filtered, only five are not separated.

Gilman, director of Climate Supplies, commented: “The COVID pandemic has heightened awareness of indoor airquality, and we’re receiving enquiries from both the public and private sector, requesting advice as to the correct unit in relation to room sizing, air changes, etc.”

•Climate Supplies is already planning for the summer event and festival season. If you are looking for information on heating or air conditioning products, visit www.climatesupplies.co.uk Also, keep abreast of all Climate Supplies’ news via the company’s social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. For further details, call 01782 480490 or email sales@climatesupplies.co.uk