The organisers of IWLEX, (the new business to business trade event for the warehousing, materials handling and intralogistics sector) have expressed their gratitude to the sector as they announce their “surprise and delight” that more exhibiting companies have signed up than they were expecting since IWLEX’s launch in October.

According to show MD, Nairn Foster, IWLEX has exceeded its 2022 revenue target and is way ahead of schedule to fill its floorplan.  Commenting on the early sales success for IWLEX Nairn comments:  “I would like to thank the exhibiting companies in the sector for their faith and support in IWLEX to deliver a new marketplace that delivers the buyers the conversation and sales that they are looking for.  Despite having many years of experience onboarding exhibiting companies to trade shows, launching our evolved offer is exciting and daunting in equal measure.  We fully recognise that some companies may have concerns and objections at making considerable investment of time and money at a launch event.  But we have been delighted that the majority have backed our vision to create an event “Shaped buy the industry, for the industry”.

IWLEX which is being held at the Telford International Centre on May 23rd and 24th 2023 was conceived by Nairn Foster (MD) who has spent the past seven years working on exhibitions in this space.  During these years Nairn had the opportunity to listen to what the visitors and exhibitors wanted from a b2b exhibition, and the key message was that it needed to be something that was inclusive, that involved the whole sector, the associations, end users, system integrators and consultants.  Nairn shared his ideas with his colleague and exhibition industry expert Justin Craig (CEO), who was looking for a niche sector where there was a demand for something new, something community led. Together they spoke to the industry, the associations, the key influencers and suppliers and were encouraged to launch IWLEX.

Justin Craig (CEO of IWLEX) comments: “The feedback that the industry gave us left us in no doubt that there was a demand for a more inclusive annual b2b exhibition in this space.  IMHX, which is a well-known industry event, has switched to only once every three years, other well-established events are (we believe) in a rigid and non-flexible format, so the audiences coming to those events tend to be the same attendees.   IWLEX will be a very different event to what has come before.  It is based on the principle of a 365 community, whereby our exhibitors and audience can communicate, share ideas, and sell beyond the event.  We are not restrictive.  We have included so many of the UK’s leading associations to shape the content and our event is “purpose driven”, meaning it will promote core pillars of inclusivity, commerce, innovation, community, sustainability and wellbeing.  We are thrilled that exhibiting companies are supporting our vision and showing their faith and onboarding with IWLEX.  We are committed to providing them with broader return on investment and we always be grateful to our early adopters”.

To ensure the exhibition reflects the broader needs of the industry IWLEX has garnered the endorsement involvement and partnerships with UKWA (UK Warehousing Association), AMHSA (Automated Material Handling Systems Association), RTITB, IOC (The Institute of Couriers) and Women in Logistics.  IWLEX is further supported through media partnerships with Warehouse and Logistics News, Logistics Matters and Forkliftaction.

Currently IWLEX’s exhibitors include well-known brands that specialise in warehouse automation and robotics and material handling, picking and sortation and software, packaging, warehouse construction and sustainability.   Nairn Foster continues, “IWLEX’s exhibitors become IWLEX’s partners and we will work with them year-round to ensure they benefit from the breadth of our community.   IWLEX has been built for the industry it serves, to create a more open, inclusive, diverse, equalitarian event that truly represents the modern and evolving sector within which we operate.  IWLEX will be a breath of fresh air, shaped by the industry for the industry.  But we recognise exhibitors are the lifeblood of our event and without them we have no event.  So, we would like to thank every exhibiting company that has come on board and shown their faith in this exciting project, we will not let you down!”

For further information about exhibiting at IWLEX please contact NairnFoster@iwlex.co.uk or call: 07359250670.  For more information about IWLEX please visit www.iwlex.co.uk

Upcoming dates:

IWLEX Advisory Panel to be announced January 2022

IWLEX Core Pillar Awards to be announced February 2022

Comments are closed.