The three trade bodies, the Association of Car Fleet Operators (ACFO), the Institute of Car Fleet Management (ICFM) and the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), have all booked stands at this year’s Show at the world-famous motor racing venue.
They will be situated in the main indoor exhibition area in halls 1-3 of the Silverstone Wing, which will be home to up to 60 exhibitors demonstrating some of the latest developments, products and services in the fleet arena.
Damian James, Chairman of ACFO, said that the Association was really looking forward to the show and would be using the event to engage with fleet industry colleagues with a view to explaining the benefits of ACFO membership.
‘It is hoped that the Show will provide a good opportunity for the Association to promote itself and gain additional memberships,’ he said.
Roddy Graham, chairman of the ICFM, commented: ‘The Institute of Car Fleet Management is the UK's only independent not-for-profit organisation dedicated to furthering the education, recognising the achievements and advancing the profession of car fleet management.
‘The Institute connects people involved in car fleet management, promotes excellence in car fleet management practices and delivers the industry sector's premier education programmes. So the opportunity to meet potential new members at the Fleet Show this year is not one we wanted to miss!’
Toby Poston, Head of Communications at the BVRLA, added: ‘The BVRLA is very happy to have a presence at the Fleet Show. The event is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the association amongst fleet managers, and we look forward to promoting the reasons for working with BVRLA members.’
Their show of support was welcomed by the event’s organizers.
‘We are delighted that the industry’s three main associations have given their backing to this year’s Fleet Show by confirming their attendance at the event,’ said Jerry Ramsdale, Show organizer and publisher of Fleet World.
‘In this high-technological age, while all the different electronic media and other forms of communication have their place in the fleet industry, there's still no substitute for a face-to-face meeting where you can shake on a deal while looking the other person in the eye.
‘One of our aims in staging the event is to bring together under one roof as many facets of the fleet industry as possible and the presence of ACFO, ICFM and BVRLA goes a long way towards achieving this,’ added Ramsdale.
As well as meeting up with the three main trade associations, Show visitors this year have a wide variety of activities in which they can participate, including an exciting new seminar and training format, designed to provide practical hands-on advice and guidance across a range of fleet management disciplines.
Each session will be presented by a number of respected fleet managers whose own experience in their chosen subject areas will provide delegates with a highly interactive, case-study style learning experience.
And test driving will again be a major focus of the event, with two options on the Grand Prix circuit, the National circuit for faster laps, and the International Circuit for road speed drives. There is also an off-road circuit for those wishing to try one of the many 4x4s on offer.
The infield Stowe Circuit, meanwhile, will become an eco-driving hub for those manufacturers with strong low-CO2 sub-brands. This will allow them to not only prove the fuel efficiency of their cars, but also to demonstrate how to drive them in the most economical fashion.
There will also be a strong presence of manufacturers with electric vehicles, including BMW, Nissan, Vauxhall, Citroen, Renault, Infiniti, Volvo, Peugeot, Lexus, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai. All are expected to have their latest low emission and EV offerings at the event on display and available for test driving.
At the same time, electric charging companies, including ABB and Charging Solutions, will also be exhibiting at the Show to allow fleet decision makers to compile a complete overview of the infrastructure available.
For more details of the Fleet World Fleet Show 2014 please phone 01727 739160, visit www.thefleetshow.co.uk or click here to register: www.thefleetshow.co.uk/visiting