LONDON, July 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

Show organisers announce 10,000 attendees and 7% increase in seniority of attendees at this year's exhibition. 

Facilities Show has celebrated its 15^th year in style, with a 16% increase in stand space and over 10,000 attendees. The move from the NEC Birmingham to London ExCeL was long in the planning and keenly anticipated, with over 100 brand new exhibitors attracted to the event. Show organisers have declared the event a resounding success as 10,000 Facilities Show visitors registered for the show and crossing over from the co-located events. In total, the Protection and Management Series welcomed 40,000 attendees to the ExCeL over the three days.

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Fergus Bird, Group Event Manager, UBM Live, said:

"We are really pleased with the overall event this year. We saw an increase in visitors, seniority, international attendees and a large crossover from the other co-located show. These are highly encouraging signs for the future of Facilities Show as we aim to grow in all these areas over the coming years."

The show, held June 17-19, is run in association with the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM). The event is the world's largest dedicated exhibition to the facilities management industry and plans to further internationalise the event have now been cemented by its new residence in London.

Gareth Tancred, Chief Executive, BIFM, said:

"The move to London was a major undertaking for all parties and we are thrilled to have moved safely to the docklands world-class convention centre, London ExCeL. It is vital for our profession that we have an annual meeting point for the exchange of ideas and the latest innovations. We believe that the UK is the global leader in facilities management and Facilities Show is an important event for the industry."

There is no other comparable exhibition dedicated to uniting FM professionals from all sectors and geographies with suppliers, advisers and specialists offering the very latest in innovation and education.

Martyn Freeman, Managing Director of Mitie's Facilities Management business, who took part in the TFM debate on the opening day, said:

"When it comes to networking with industry peers and learning more about the FM industry, Facilities Show is second to none. This year's show attracted more people due to the London location and was a fantastic event that gave us the opportunity to meet professionals from all walks of the industry."

A perk of being situated in London was the highly exclusive site tour at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park during the show, organised in association with BIFM London Region. Attendees were given a "behind the scenes" look at many of the facilities including the Aquatics Centre by the Head of Facilities and Estates, Stephen Gill. Both Tom Daley and Rebecca Adlington were using the competitor pool at the beginning of the site tour, creating much excitement for the attendees.  

Another benefit of the new venue was the co-location of the show with other events within the Protection & Management series covering security, fire, safety & health, energy & environment and service management. Facilities managers attending heralded this one-stop shop for all their needs, a true rarity for the diverse needs of the FM.  

Lorrie Dannecker, Services Director, Telegraph Media Group, said:

"In a nutshell, the event brought under one roof industry peers and current service providers, providing excellent networking opportunities. It also provided a platform for new providers to showcase innovative products, solutions and presentations for our ever-changing and evolving industry."

One of the major characteristics of this year's event was the prevalence of technology being used throughout the event. The education sessions were a proverbial melting point of devices with headphones being used for silent technology, wireless smart screens being used for the presentations and visitors diligently taking notes on lightweight laptops & iPads and planning their next move using the show app on their smart phones. Visitors buying needs were being connected to exhibiting suppliers via twitter using the buying request service.

Katie King, Managing Director of PR & Social Media Agency Zoodikers Consulting Ltd, said:

"This year's London based Facilities Show was a huge success for our clients and for Zoodikers. It was great to be so heavily involved in the event. It was an incredibly busy three days and working alongside the UBM team as the show's social media partner in the lead up was also a really positive experience. 

Our stand was well attended and we received lots of positive feedback from visitors and other exhibitors about our 'PR & social media clinic' theme. I spoke in the keynote theatre and BIFM Networking Hub to an audience keen to learn and discuss utilising social media in their businesses. The silent seminars were a great idea, given the large number of visitors and noise levels. I would highly recommend exhibiting at the Facilities Show at ExCel London and Zoodikers are very much looking forward to being part of the 2015 event."

One of the most eye-catching exhibitors was Innovise Software with a Wild West themed presence at the show. They were running the cowboys out of FM and judging by all the happy faces at this year's event, they may well have done this.  

Graeme Hughes, Managing Director, Innovise Software, said:

"Facilities Show 2014 certainly lived up to its expectations and we enjoyed a great few days of networking and trading. The move to London ExCeL has rejuvenated the Show, opening up the opportunity to attend to many more people which in turn creates the atmosphere that you would expect from one of the FM industry's leading events. Well done to the UBM team."

Facilities Show 2015 will take place Jun 16-18 at London ExCeL. For more information, visit: http://www.facilitiesshow.com   

About UBM Live: 

UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets. Through premier brands such as MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, Facilities Show, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors.

About Protection & Management Series:  

UBM Live's Protection & Management Series unites business professionals across the fields of security, fire, safety, facilities, energy and environment at IFSEC International, Safety & Health Expo, Facilities Show, FIREX International and Energy & Environment Expo. In 2015, the events will take place at the ExCeL London from 16-18 June.

SOURCE UBM Live