SHOWCASING some of the newest and best in quarrying, construction and recycling machinery, Hillhead, the biggest exhibition of its kind anywhere in the world, is finally back.
The 2022 show, due to run 21 – 23 June, is a triumphant return to form as the expo show marks its 40th year, and promises to be bigger and better than ever before.
For the first time, more than 600 exhibitors will be present, including some of the biggest names in the industry such as Doosan, Hyundai, Liebherr, Metso Outotec and Scania. Thousands of products will be on display and demonstrated live over the course of the show’s three days.
20,000 visitors are expected to attend and be greeted with a new-look registration area, re-configured demonstration areas, and the opportunity to get even closer to the live action in the Quarry Face demonstration area.
The show takes place every other year and was due to run in 2021. However, following a review of the government’s roadmap to ease Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the show’s owners, The QMJ Group, made the decision to postpone it by 12 months.
Said Hillhead event director Richard Bradbury at the time: “Under these guidelines, it is clear that the show will not be able to operate legally in June this year. Our priority is to provide the Hillhead experience that our exhibitors and visitors have come to expect but, with the continuing uncertainty around travel restrictions and social distancing measures, this is not achievable in 2021. By delaying the show until June 2022, the full benefits of a completed vaccination programme will have filtered through, allowing us to deliver a safe and vibrant event.”
Celebrations
The show is also a chance to look back on the past four decades of success.
The very first Hillhead show was held in 1982 at Jackdaw Crag in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. To mark the occasion, The QMJ Group have been asking former exhibitors and visitors to send in their photos and memories of the show on Twitter, using the hashtag #40yearsofHillhead. They will be sharing some of the best photos in their online gallery which goes live on the show’s website this month.
Connections
There will also be an ambitious site-development programme for the event, which will keep everyone digitally connected at all times.
Hard-wired fibre-optic broadband is being installed strategically across the whole showground, which will increase capacity from 300mb at the 2019 Hillhead show to more than a gigabit, and deliver broadband at three times the speed.
Richard Bradbury explained: “The application of digital tools in quarrying and construction is becoming increasingly prevalent, so it’s important that Hillhead keeps ahead of the curve, enabling our exhibitors to showcase the latest technology available to the industry.
“This investment will allow exhibitors to book more powerful internet packages at a lower cost than before. Free Wi-Fi hotspots will also be available around the site for visitors to download their e-mails and go online.
“We would also like to thank our Wi-Fi sponsor for 2022, Spillard Safety Systems who will be launching their next generation Spillard.Live, a video telematics and management platform built from the ground up for the industries they support.”
Hillhead is free to attend to all visitors, though registering online is recommended. The show is open 08:30 – 18:00 for the first two days and 08:30 – 16:30 on the third.
Click HERE to register for your free entry badge.
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