Channel Expo rolls right up to London
Get ready to step right up to Olympia for the UK's largest reseller event this year
Olympia: Pays host to this year's show for channel strongmen
VARs, vendors and distributors will be stepping right up to the capital 12-13 May to visit Britain’s largest IT channel company expo at the grand old lady of London trade shows, the barrel-roofed 1884 National Agricultural Hall complex today known as Olympia.
Mark Burton, publisher of event host CRN, says the move should bring the show nearer to most of its visitors.
“This decision was taken after extensive analysis of both the show’s exhibitor and visitor database, and also opens up wider opportunities for our exhibitors,” Burton says.
“As ever, Channel Expo will be the place for visitors to discover the latest products and services and for our exhibitors it offers a unique opportunity to meet potential customers face-to-face, to build on existing customer relationships and to make new business contacts.”
For 134 years, Olympia has hosted many diverse events, including horse and dog shows, gymnastic meetings, roller skating promotions, motor shows, and armed forces displays. Phineas T. Barnum’s famous circus, The Greatest Show on Earth, was at Olympia when it toured from New York in1898. CRN’s show will be in the 8,730m2 area known as National Hall.
Olympia's National Hall enjoys Victorian period design with marvellous natural light and on-site parking. The Hall features a dedicated guest entrance on Hammersmith Road, a swift step from Kensington Olympia tube station. Hospitality rooms within the hall are also available.
“We expect a lot more big-name vendors this year,” says Sara Yirrell, editor of CRN, who is really looking forward to the 2010 show. “It should be good. The entire programme has been thoroughly refreshed and rejuggled to help resellers impress their clients and power ahead out of the recession.”
Yirrell is based in Leicestershire and reckons the show will be easier to get to even for her. “It took me three separate train journeys to reach the Birmingham NEC last year. But this year, a trip to Olympia will take me about an hour,” she adds.
Last year’s official count saw visitor numbers the same as 2008, despite the downturn, standing at just over 3,000 for the entire two days. Attendance to the education and technology theatres is expected to prove popular again this year.
As ever the event will offer channel strongmen the opportunity to explore and compare a vast array of products and partners, with stars across the whole industry also having a chance to meet everyone else in one place, at one time.
In addition to more than 120 exhibitors, the show – previously held in Birmingham – will feature the technology theatre and the CRN Reseller Business Academy, where visitors to the show can take advantage of a wide range of free seminars and training sessions covering topical subjects such as how to keep all your business balls in the air this year.
Compellenthas signed up as a sponsor of the technology theatre at Channel Expo this year.
Chrissie Tarbitt, channel development manager at Compellent EMEA, says Channel Expo is the UK's leading channel event.
“It is an ideal place for us to reach out and grow our national network of business partners," she says.
Visitors can pre-register for free entry at http://www.channelexpo.co.uk . For enquiries about exhibiting, contact CRN sales manager Colin Logan on 020 7316 9000 or colin.logan@incisivemedia. c om .
Contacts:
CRN Channel Expo marketing manager
Jane Lewis 020 7316 9532 or [email protected]
Earls Court and Olympia Venues
www.eco.co.uk