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As first-time exhibitors at the show, Leicester-based Red Band UK was very pleased with the high level of interest in its range of products, particularly the ICS 613-GC concrete cutting chain saw. The portable chain-based petrol saw is designed for the wet cutting of reinforced concrete, natural stone, brick and concrete-based products.

It can cut perfect square corners and has more than twice the cutting depth of a conventional petrol-driven disc cutter. Weighing 9.5kg, it can be easily handled making it ideal for cutting irregular shaped holes. "We have had a lot of promising leads, the results of which have yet to be determined," said general manager Andy Cairns.

Another first-timer, Young Black Industrial Stapling, launched its RB650 rebar tying machine at the show. This can tie together rebar up to 65mm diameter without any strain on the wrist and produces ties three to five times faster than the traditional hand-tying method. It also reduces the risk of repetitive strain injury and carpal tunnel syndrome, and the simple operation reduces training expenses.

Making its debut at SED was Somero Enterprises with its shortlisted S-9210 Copperhead Laser Screed. About the size of an industrial lawn mower, the S-9210 Copperhead is an easily transportable and highly manoeuvrable walk-behind paver finisher, guided by a laser and hydraulically propelled. "The show proved a fantastic success for us in launching this new piece of equipment. In addition to more than 50 serious enquiries, we took orders for two CopperHeads and an S-160Q Laser Screed - more than £200,000 worth of equipment. The CopperHeads were sold to people not even on our radar screen," said sales director Andrew Keen.

Ocmer (UK & Eire) displayed its batching plant that can produce 80m3/hr of concrete and features galvanised bins, belts and weigh hoppers. Managing director Bryan Hebble thought that the show needed better attendance from the concrete industry. "We've had a good reaction from people who are in the concrete business but there doesn't appear to be the number of visitors we were expecting. There needs to be more people from the concrete side," he said.

However, staff on CombiForm's stand were rushed off their feet throughout the whole show, with visitors stopping to enquire about the company's floor-levelling system. The stay-in-place product, which works as a form, a screed rail, a dowel bar holder and a crack inducer, is manufactured of sheet metal, with a plastic strip on top. "The CombiForm System is a simple tool that helps minimise production and maintenance costs and time for pouring," said CombiForm managing director Mr Carlen. "We have had lots of leads and the reaction from visitors was very good."

Armcon Cemen-Tech had an indoor and an outdoor booth this year, and both were very busy with more than 200 quality enquiries taken. "The indoor booth was busy when the weather caught out visitors and the outdoor booth was busy when the weather brightened up," said managing director Robert Armstrong. On display, and new for SED 2003, was the Armcon Cemen-Tech ACCU-PRINTER, which produces an accurate read-out of batch weights delivered. "Visitors, both new and existing customers, thought this was brilliant," added Armstrong.

Newly established Derby Cement was keen to tell everyone about the firm. "After the acquisition of Blue Circle by Lafarge and Rugby by RMC, the UK cement market is dominated by three large multinational companies. With Lafarge and RMC both having cement and readymix concrete, there is a need for an independent robust forth market player," said Chris Holl, Derby Cement operations director.

Operating from Harwich in Essex, the company expects to have two more sites operational by the end of this year. It has a 99% on-time delivery service record and claims it gives users the benefit of national low cement prices without compromising quality or service. "We have invested time and resources to ensure that the supply chain is robust enough to service the technical and operational needs of cement users," added Holl. The company received six very strong leads in the first two days.

Master Concrete has added 10 Reimer mini volumetric concrete mixers to its fleet and these should be in service by next month. Managing director Laurie Clark said: "The addition of the mini Reimer volumetric mixers gives us better access to the expanding retail concrete market from our eight UK centres. If the introduction of the smaller concrete mixers is as successful as we believe, a further 15 will be added to our fleet later in the year.

"Site access is critical in the retail concrete market and with our mini volumetric trucks we can take advantage of new opportunities and increase our already substantial market share. This is something our competitors can't do; for once in this business size really does matter," he said.

A new product on the PWM (Sales) stand was the CRO 650 Orbital floor grinder that has just been contracted by Ultrablast to do all the European Grand Prix pit garages. "The Orbital will take a fairly uneven floor and leave it looking like marble. It has a double-action grinder so it cancels out all the ring marks you would usually get and instead leaves a perfect, smooth finish," said PWM director Paul Welburn. He reported that orders had been taken at the show and good contacts were made.

Warrington-based BRC Special Products was awarded BBA certification for its new Finnish-built product Deltabeam on the first day of the show. Deltabeam is a composite beam system. It is a cellular welded box section with integral support ledges and punched webs that act compositely within the floor zone as a support beam to flat slab construction.

In the demonstration area, Terminator put its Terminator 2000 machine through its paces giving visitors an idea of how easily it can remove ceramic tiles, epoxy coatings, paints, latex and adhesive residues. Also giving demonstrations was Permaban, showing Permasteel, the latest development in its "leave-in-place" formwork. Permasteel comes in four heights for slab depths ranging from 50mm to 300mm, and while it can be effectively used on the ground, Permaban showed how it can be used as a metal deck levelling guide.

Beton Machinery Sales, sole UK and Eire agents for a number of companies, was exhibiting a new range of small counterflow mixers manufactured by Haarup especially for the small precast concrete producer. Starting with a capacity of 300/200 litres, the mixer can be supplied as a stand-alone unit with or without a skip hoist, or it can be incorporated into a simple batching and mixing plant.

"This product has caused a lot of interest among the smaller operators as it is within their price range," said Beton managing director Michael Heaton.

The last word goes to the man behind the show, Daniel West, show director of the Concrete Show: "I've had an excellent reaction from exhibitors, with most already booked up for next year's show. The demo programme proved a huge success, with those exhibitors not involved this year wanting to be part of it next year." n