PPC Live is run by Professional Pest Controller magazine, the official publication of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA). The second event was held on 16 March 2016 at the East of England Showground near Peterborough and here we look at how it went for both delegates and exhibitors.
The first PPC Live event was held in Manchester in 2014. This biannual exhibition is held in the years when there is no PestEx – the main exhibition and conference organised by the BPCA – and the idea is that it takes place in locations where such exhibitions would not normally be held to try to attract a wider variety of delegates and exhibitors. While PPC Live 2016 attracted over 500 delegates, according to the BPCA, PestEx 2015 attracted over 2,000 delegates; however, fewer delegates at the PPC Live 2016 event meant greater opportunities for interaction between delegates and exhibitors.
What happened
PPC Live comprised nearly 50 exhibitors, some of whom held live demonstrations in the large outside space. In addition to the exhibition, the day included a packed seminar programme led by experts in the field on a variety of pest control-related issues. The purpose of the event was to enable those who work in the pest control industry to meet and network with suppliers and experts in an informal atmosphere. The chief executive of the BPCA, Simon Forrester, was upbeat about the event, which is now the largest one-day event in the UK calendar.
Who was there
Delegates who attended the event wanted to learn more about the new techniques and technologies being used in the field of pest control, which could include London bird control services provided by companies such as vvenv.co.uk and services that are of use to pest controllers, such as insurance companies and auditors. There were also services to help the public, such as a new price comparison website for pest controllers. According to the BBC, in 2013 the pest control business was growing by about 6% a year; therefore, it is important that businesses have the right services to offer and apply competitive pricing.
If this has given you a taste for attending the next pest control-related event, PestEx 2017 will be held in March 2017 at ExCeL in London.
