Says Paul Farrant, managing director of the organisers ECI International: "When we began marketing the show, we deliberately targeted other aftermarket sectors as well as the tyre industry with a dedicated marketing and PR campaign. The result is a broader than ever exhibitor base, reflecting the wider range of services on offer today from garages and fast-fits as they concentrate on customer retention."

These services include MOTs and fast-fit servicing, air conditioning and minor bodywork repairs, among others. "A good example is EBC Brakes which is making a real push into the tyre sector having been recently approved as a supplier to Bridgestone’s First Stop network. Ayce Systems, who signed up for the show recently and who offer an alloy and bodykit repair service, is another," says Farrant.

More traditional tyre shop equipment, such as tyre changers, balancers and alignment, are also well represented, including the latest in ‘touchless’ balancing technology and software which can deliver dramatic savings in the use of wheel weights

Despite the diversity of exhibits, Brityrex International remains primarily a tyre show and this is reflected in the number of wholesalers taking space, including some of the biggest in the U.K. and from mainland Europe.

When it comes to tyre manufacturers, what is notable about the 2007 show is the number that have pledged to make the long trip to the U.K. from emerging markets in the East, with India, China and Russia topping the bill. There will be some very new, and to some, unfamiliar, names at Brityrex in May.

With this in mind, Farrant finds it hard to understand the attitude of some of the U.K.-based manufacturers. He says: "We have always described Brityrex International as the U.K.’s only dedicated tyre exhibition and this is reflected in the amount of interest from the comparatively new manufacturers from the East, who are intent on breaking into – or expanding their existing share of – the U.K. market.

"But Brityrex is also the ideal opportunity for the established U.K. manufacturers to engage with the trade to promote their latest initiatives and expand their market shares among the independent sector, which is so important to them all.

"That’s why it is so frustrating that in general they choose not to support the show and so leave the stage to other more dynamic brands from overseas which see the U.K. as a market with enormous potential," says Farrant.

This situation is even harder to understand when you look at the backing that Brityrex has received from the various trade associations. The NTDA has made great efforts in its support of the show, arranging seminars, its AGM and annual dDinner to coincide with the event, while the TRA and the Irish Tyre Industry Association will also be represented. "The RMA has recently signed up to take an area, where its members will be able to exhibit individually in a Retreading Village concept," reveals Farrant.

So the exhibitors at Brityrex promise to be the most diverse ever, both geographically and in terms of products and services, but what about the visitors? What effect will moving the show to Manchester’s G-MEX have? Farrant believes that it can only help the show, as Manchester is readily accessible from all parts of the U.K. and overseas, plus it has developed its reputation as a cosmopolitan city, offering a wide variety of entertainments and restaurants; many close by the G-MEX centre.

One measure of the likely level of support is the number of pre-show registrations and Farrant is delighted that the total is already some way ahead of the number at the same stage for the 2005 exhibition. It is not just the Manchester factor of course – the 2005 show was the first for some years and many people were hanging back to see how it fared.

The 2005 show was generally regarded as a success, especially when judged by the quality of visitors and the amount of business transacted. Farrant believes that a number of companies who sat on the fence in 2005 are now opting for Brityrex International ahead of other U.K. trade shows as it fulfils their needs more directly by delivering potential customers who are at the show to talk business.

"We’ve put a lot of time and hard work in trying to make this Brityrex the best ever," says Farrant, "and I think the mix of products and services on offer at the show will ensure that there’s something for everyone."