'We kept on selling!'

SED'94was always going to be a strong show, and it was.

As visitors poured in through the show's registration tent, exhibitors on nearby stands were inundated with requests for information and equipment demonstrations.

On the MF Industrial stand on day two of the show, more than 50 visitors lined up to test the company's latest arrival, the 516XP skidsteer loader.

Some of those not trying out equipment or checking spec sheets tried their hand at shifting 0.5t of gravel.

Rako Products challenged visitors to beat its latest product, the Miniveyor, designed to shift 0.5t of gravel in under five minutes.

Winners - and there were one or two - won œ50. Builders Melvyn and Bob Davis from MJ Davis Homes were among those who walked away with cash in their pockets.

Those who failed to shift the material in less than five minutes were given a bottle of whiskey - no problems here in securing visitor attention!

Caterpillar also drew its share of the crowds. Plant enthusiasts filled its demo stand, keen to check out its latest machines, including the Cat 312.

While visitors packed the aisles and operators put machines through their paces, exhibitors were busy doing business.

Liebherr's northern regional salesman, Keith Frimston, said: 'This year we've sold a machine from the stand, something which hasn't happened in the last 10 years. I've always been sceptical when others have said that they've sold machines at the show, but this year I've seen it happen.'

Liebherr's wheeled excavator, the 902 Litronic, has been bought by John Cummins from Peover Construction. Boss Andrew Greenall laughed when he said: 'We've sold the display excavator, that's something you don't do very often.'

New Holland Ford's Paul Hoptroff said: 'At least 75% of our 1994 production earmarked for the UK is already sold in the first five months. First-quarter shipments for this year are more than 200% up on the same period last year.'

MC Construction Machinery secured a deal at SED'94 that's been on the boil for several months. David Meek, md of David Meek Group, originally a buyer of Kobelco machinery from distributor MCM, arrived at the stand and confirmed that he had bought 10 of MF Industrial's 750T machines - also from MCM.

'Last year our investment in plant was limited to half-a-dozen machines. This year we intend to spend quite a bit more,' he said.

Other equipment on Meek's list includes wheeled excavators and vibratory rollers. Commenting on his decision to buy the MF machines, Meek, who has bought JCB backhoes for the last 30 years, said: 'I like MF's management style, they're committed, its a British company, and I like the product. Throughout the recession 180s provided us with the steadiest income.'

Aveling Barford md Peter Youlton said: 'We have had visitors from China, Ecuador, Chile, South Africa and a number of other Middle and Far East countries, and as a result expect to achieve significant orders.'

Nordberg spokesman Simon Glover said: 'We have not actually sold a machine off the stand this year, but have several serious enquiries.'

Saville Tractors' md Viv Davies, not one to miss a trick, did some swift business with one of the show's ice cream salesman parked near his stand. As the temperature rose Davies sold him a small Honda generator off his stand - for cash.

Alitec International, exhibiting at SED for the first time, certainly felt it had been worth booking in. Boss Jose Verstraete who had bought his range of skidsteer attachments to SED'94, cancelled his truck back to Belgium - everything on his stand found a buyer. Not surprisingly he's already booked the same plot for next year's SED.

Distributor of FG Wilson Generators and Flygt pumps Site Electrical, commented: 'Its been an excellent show, we've talked to lots of high quality people - well worth the effort of coming.

On the Belle Engineering stand, regional sales manager Richard Jackson said: 'Several of our larger mixer models have been sold straight from the stand. There's been a high level of interest in our new generator range.'

More enthusiasm emerged from the Hatz stand: 'Excellent show, as it usually is. We've enjoyed talking to a lot of quality people - our order book looks healthy.'

Stewart Allen from Ammann Equipment said: 'It's been a very good show, there's been a high level of interest in the new Ammann rollers and we have had a single order for 50 vibratory plates.'

Mercedes-Benz, whose head office is in Milton Keynes, commented: 'We based the theme of our stand around local authority requirements - as a result we've had a huge amount of interest which we're confident we'll turn into orders.'

M-B-W spokesman Greig Sandiford said: 'We sold four K150B vibration-easy-float machines off the stand and had more than 70 firm enquiries. Although they are designed for the concrete industry, there's been a lot of interest from block paving contractors. We've also sold a 240 litre paddle mixer, model MM800, to A-Plant. This is my fifth SED and its the first time I've sold machines off the stand cold. We'll be back next year.'

Sandhurst Manufacturing's Starlifter crane, which generated a lot of interest at this year's Hirex, was sold to J Murphy & Sons.

Jeremy Lamb on the Case stand confirmed the sale of seven of its new 1188 wheeled excavators. These are scheduled to come off the production line in July.

A Powerfab spokesman, spoke for many of the show's exhibiting manufacturers when he said: 'Excellent results, money well spent, but we can't make the equipment fast enough.'

Across on Matbro's stand Brendan McGrath said: 'With the current level of interest we can't produce machines quick enough. Some machines will not be delivered until August.'

John Jones over on the HM Plant stand commented: 'A very worthwhile exhibition from our point of view.'

Manitou sold several of its new 727 telescopics.

On the Hanix UK stand, one visitor offered cash for two H35A machines. Caught unawares, Hanix had only one machine and no facilities for cash transactions - next year it'll be a different story, said a Hanix spokesman.