A ‘Manufacturers’ Pavilion’ will be unveiled at next year’s Optrafair aimed at attracting prescription houses previously put off by the cost of exhibiting at large exhibitions.
A ‘Manufacturers’ Pavilion’ will be unveiled at next year’s Optrafair aimed at attracting prescription houses previously put off by the cost of exhibiting at large exhibitions. Organisers of Optrafair plan to use what they called this week enticing entry-level prices’ – though no details have been revealed – to tempt manufacturers to book the 6sq m allocations.
It is hoped the pavilion will gain a bigger presence of manufacturing and glazing businesses for the NEC show, which will take place from April 21-23 next year.
Barry Dibble, vice chairman of the FMO’s optical exhibitors UK committee, believes that many prescription houses want to attract business from a wider radius, and that attending Optrafair will help them to achieve this.
‘The Manufacturers’ Pavilion is all about companies who produce crafted, hands-on, work,’ he said. ‘Those making hand-made frames, repairing frames and lens wholesalers would also qualify to exhibit in this area.
‘This is very relevant news for the specialist glazing companies, particularly rimless and supra companies should be attracted.’
Earlier this month organisers reported that exhibitors were securing their stands early for Optrafair 2007, with 25 per cent of the space already booked for the Birmingham show, largely by those involved in the 2005 exhibition.
* Some 65 stands have been rebooked for April 21-23 2007 and already these represent an additional 315sq m of space.