Promotional Product Expo Set for a Record Year of Visitors

The Promotional Product Expo

An exhibition aiming to connect promotional merchandise suppliers with distributors is set for a record year of visitors.

Pre-registered attendees for The Promotional Product Expo at the Ricoh Arena on 25 and 26 January is up by 40 per cent versus last year’s pre-register total, as the show looks to top more than 3,000 visitors for the first time.

Adil Rifai, event manager for The Promotional Product Expo, explained there had been an increase in interest from European businesses looking to exhibit and attend at this year’s show.

He said: “The impact of Brexit has worked in our favour this year because European businesses can get more product for their money or more money for the products they’re selling because of the value of the euro against the weak pound.”

The Promotional Product Expo attracts up to 300 suppliers from Europe, Asia and the Far East, offering a variety of promotional merchandise such as pens, mugs and T-shirts. Key suppliers attending the event include Bic Pen, Staples Promotional Products, SPS, BTC active wear, Senator and Fruit of the Loom.

This year’s show organisers are adding new features to the exhibition to drive visitor engagement.

It includes a big digital social media screen hanging from the ceiling to not only help connect businesses attending the show, but act as a platform to connect other businesses online around the world.

Visitors will also be able to take advantage of a new business clinic where they can have one-to-one advice from accounting and HR professionals on other business-related issues. A stage is also being set up for the first time where expert speakers will be giving talks on the promotional merchandise industry.

Adil added: “Obviously our visitors come to see the suppliers and products, but it’s important to offer them additional value during their visit.

“The expert panel is there to help visitors talk about any business issues, while the industry insider offers insights on future trends to help their business adapt accordingly.

“We also think our big social media screen will work quite well. An exhibition shouldn’t be confined to four walls, it’s about providing an opportunity for everybody in our industry to connect together.”

This year will be the show’s 11th inside the Ricoh Arena’s 6,000 square metre Ericsson Exhibition Hall.

Andy Gibb, managing director at the Ricoh Arena, said: “To have such a well-established show at the Ricoh Arena returning so many times is testament to the great relationships that we build with organisers of events such as Promotional Product Expo.

“The needs of each event we host change every year, whether it’s related to space, equipment or technology, and we’re looking forward to making this year’s event the best ever.”