Through the looking glass
We have a story this week from the FIT Show saying it is ‘throwing its weight’ behind its newest feature: Visit Glass.
There has always been a small glass element at the FIT Show, with companies realising that there is enough of a crossover between the window and the glass markets to make the investment worthwhile.
Furthermore, some companies have found that window installers are being to asked use their skills in other areas of the home, such as glass balustrading, which has seen a massive growth in popularity in recent years. (This, of course, is a nice change from reading about window installers having their turf invaded by other trades.) Therefore, they have received a lot of interest at the exhibition.
However, with the news that Visit Glass will be host to companies such as Intermac and Lambert GT Services, the FIT Show is seriously entering the world of the glass processor.
I genuinely wish them luck. Next month Glass Times will be heading over to Düsseldorf in Germany to attend the Glasstec exhibition, which is a very popular show, and I know that many machinery purchases in the UK start off in the halls of Messe Düsseldorf.
Furthermore, at a press event (which I have mentioned here previously) earlier in the year, all of the exhibitors said that Glasstec was probably the most important event they attend.
My point is, of course, that there is a hunger for glass machinery shows. Most machinery suppliers have to rely on existing customers to demonstrate machinery to potential customers in the UK, which is not an ideal situation.
I hope this need is reflected in success at Visit Glass.