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TOW SHOW GATHERS PACE
Page 63
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The organiser of the European Tow Show is claiming a record attendance at last month's event. Andy Salter went for a wander around the halls.
Holding a show in late July just as the kids break up from school is always going to bring with it an element of risk as far as the visitor attendance is concerned, yet European Tow Show organiser Frank McAllister reckoned this year's show, held at'Telforcl in July, showed significant growth on last year's effort.
"We've got 23% more companies exhibiting than last year and so far the visitor numbers are well ahead," McAllister told CM on the final day of the exhibition. The business seminars have been over-subscribed, it's been standing room only, and we sold out all the tables for the evening hospitality events."
The event organisers have pushed the boat out on a number of fronts and we were particularly impressed with the show's website, which would put bigger events to shame. It even includes a special webcast from the show— check it out: www.towshow.co.uk
Weil-attended seminars The business seminars were very well attended, with the session on vehicle recovery contracts with David Harvey from the Highways Agency of particular note. Harvey explained to delegates that the HA would be replacing police schemes with their own contracts by October 2008. The new contracts, applicable only on roads controlled by the HA, would be trialled in 2007 and installed a year later, Harvey said. Recovery operators would be invited to tender through the European Journal.
The issue of statutory fees, brought to the fore following the recent case between NYK Logistics and the Mansfield Group (CM 15 June), was one of the hot topics in the seminars and the bars and break-out areas around the show.
The RHA Rescue and Recovery Group held its AGM at the Telford show, where it came in for criticism regarding the Mansfield ease and the lack of support it was able to give the company.
Chair of the Group Richard Goddard told CM he was distressed by the court's ruling regarding statutory fees: "We're keen to open dialogue between the recovery
sector and road transport operators so both sides understand each other's issues.The recovery sector is the fourth emergency service and the industry relies on us when things go wrong. If a situation arises where we demand payment for work before we'll attend a scene then this isn't in anyone's best interests.There's a huge amount of capital investment laid down by the operators in the recovery sector, which is only used in times of emergency. How can you put a price on something that is priceless?"
Poll position Isuzu and Mitsubishi, the two market leaders in the car recovery sector, were vying for poll position on the product front with both exhibiting the latest versions of popular 3.5 and 7.5-tonne chassis.
While Renault had no stand of its own at the show, there were a large number of Midlum chassis on display around the bodybuilders, as the French truck builder bids to topple Iveco from its strong position in the sector.
A first-time exhibitor at the show was MAN-ERE The company was displaying a I 2-tonne TGL crewcab aimed at the car recovery sector, signalling a push by MAN-ERF in this sector. Also new was the Avia D75 crew cab. •