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After a lengthy hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Ainscough Crane Hire has again been able to use its cranes to help the smooth running of events at one of the world’s most renowned exhibition centres.
In late September, the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre (NEC) hosted its first three full capacity events in over eighteen months. These included TCT – the event for 3D Printing & Additive Manufacturing Intelligence, the Med-Tech Innovation Expo and Interplas.
Interplas is the UK’s leading plastics industry event and a showcase for the manufacturing processes, technologies, and services essential to the plastics sector.
After having worked on the last Interplas in 2017, Ainscough’s Birmingham depot was again enlisted by CEVA Showfreight, the award-winning events service of CEVA Logistics – a leading logistics company that helps support the delivery of industry fairs, events and exhibitions across the world – to ensure the exhibition was set up in a safe and efficient manner.
Beginning at 8pm on the Friday night ahead of the event – which opened on Tuesday morning – Ainscough used three cranes and in partnership with CEVA ensured products and machinery could be lifted into place at the trade show.
A 45t, 40t all-terrain, and 55t all-terrain crane were on site for two days lifting equipment such as plastic printing machines made by some of the most innovative companies in the world.
The items that had to be lifted ranged in size from 1t to 16t.
Following the successful set-up, Interplas 2021 saw more than 300 exhibitors present solutions, products, machines and ideas from across the entire spectrum of plastic moulding and forming machines as well as materials, automation, contract manufacturing and supporting technologies including software, testing, inspection, surface treatments and much more.
The same three cranes were also used post-event to remove the machinery and equipment from the NEC.
Trevor Lakin, senior hire controller at Ainscough Crane Hire, said: “Ainscough has extensive experience of supporting exhibitions and events of all sizes across the country. We’ve a lot of friends in the sector and so it was difficult to see the industry – like so many others – have to shut down during the pandemic.
“Therefore it was brilliant for us to work with CEVA to help support this fantastic event at the NEC, the country’s most prestigious conference centre. Our cranes were lifting complex and highly valuable items of equipment, and thanks to close collaboration with CEVA we were able to complete both the setup and post-event breakdown in a timely manner. It’s wonderful to see the events industry on its feet again.”
Ben Jones, exhibition leadman supervisor at CEVA Showfreight said: “I can’t speak highly enough of the service Ainscough provided. It was great to be back on-site at the NEC with these events and it’s the support of your suppliers that enables the exhibitions to run as planned and provide a rewarding experience for all who attend.
“Trevor, Rob Groat and the entire Ainscough team showed an attention to detail and dedication to quality that made it a pleasure to work with them, and I look forward to doing so again at many future events here at the NEC.”
