At 4:00 pm on Thursday the 2nd of November, Lab Innovations celebrated the end of another extremely successful show at the NEC, Birmingham, UK, involving over 130 exhibitors and over 2,500 visitors.

Suppliers and manufacturers rubbed shoulders with existing and prospective customers over the two days, sharing novel ideas and discussing creative solutions to day-to-day laboratory challenges. Visitor Denise Rooney, managing director at Premier Scientific Ltd, said: "Lab Innovations is a great opportunity to meet existing suppliers, see new product ranges and discover new opportunities. The event is getting bigger each year, making the trip from Belfast more worthwhile each time." Jackie Howell from Catalent Pharma Solutions agreed: "This is my first visit to Lab Innovations, and I'm impressed. There's a good mix of exhibitors, and I've met a number of companies that I wouldn't have initially visited, who have given me some good ideas."

Many visitors and exhibitors commented on the value of face-to-face interactions, as Stuart Thompson, sales executive at Sci-Tek Instruments, explained: "It's a great free event to invite our customers to, as it's always better to meet in person, rather than just over the phone. The show is an opportunity to build on relationships and generate new leads." Karl Sears, operations director at i4innovation ltd, agreed: "We greatly appreciate the chance to show people our products up close and in person; meeting face to face is like gold dust. You simply cant buy this type of feedback."

Alongside the exhibitors, the RSC and Insights and Innovations theatres proved a highlight, with keynote speakers Adam Rutherford and Jude Pullen drawing the crowds, and many visitors benefitting from the broad range of seminars on offer. But it wasnt all hustle and bustle; visitors had the opportunity to relax in the hospitality and business lounge while reflecting on a fruitful day and, from 4 pm on the Wednesday afternoon, the show took on a different mood, with a jazz trio and magician providing some light entertainment over networking drinks, sponsored by Analytix.

With positive feedback from both exhibitors and visitors, this ‘must attend event will be returning to the NEC from the 31st of October to the 1st of November 2018. Save the date.