Next Week The cost of confidence
Page 6
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THERE WAS a greater air of confidence on the stands at the 1984 Motor Show than there has been for many years. If the genuine interest of visitors can now be translated into hard sales, then chassis manufacturers will be more than a little pleased.
Nevertheless, many were asking the question: "Could we not have achieved as much at less cost?" The answer is "probably yes".
The bus and coach sector is already looking at the possibility of mounting its own exhibition. The trailer manufacturers have withdrawn from the Motor Show in strength and Foden was absent this year.
Rumour has it that a three-day independent commercial vehicle show may be held, close to London, next year. All of this leads to the belief that exhibiting at the National Exhibition Centre is not cost-effective.
We heard stand costs of £500,000 being quoted. That amount of outlay will take a lot of recovering in vehicle sales.
Undoubtedly, the three trade days were attractive to both buyers and sellers. One suggestion was that these days plus Saturday and Sunday would suffice for the cv exhibits. However, that would not reduce costs significantly.
Perhaps some thought should be given to smaller regional exhibitions to attract the smaller fleet operators and owner-drivers who find the expense, of travelling and time, prohibitive.
An operator based 100 miles from NEC faces an "outlay" of more than £150 to visit the show when loss of use is taken into account.
Viewing all of the makes and models under one roof is attractive, but surely the same could be achieved at local level at less cost and more effectively. It is a concept which we know _appeals to many potential customers.