IRE well timed to support rental's recovery

The International Rental Exhibition (IRE) is set to go ahead in 2021, from 15 to 17 June, with the large majority of exhibitors having retained their stands.

68 companies have confirmed their participation in the show, which was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The organisers of the exhibition, I.P.I and KHL Group, have suggested that the exhibition will provide an opportunity for the international rental community to reunite after the crisis.

“IRE in June 2021 will be well-timed to help the rental industry as it recovers from what has been an exceptional crisis”, said James King, Managing Director of KHL Group.

He added, “The show will offer the industry a great opportunity to re-group, share pandemic experiences, and discuss fleet investment plans as the market rebounds.”

IRE will take place as Europe’s rental industry recovers from the worst impact of the health crisis.

The latest forecasts from the European Rental Association (ERA) – which will hold its annual convention in Maastricht during IRE, as well as the European Rental Awards – indicate that the market will bounce back in 2021. Germany’s rental sector is forecast to grow by 5.7% in 2021 and strong recoveries are expected in the UK (+4.6%), Italy (+7.1%), France (+8.4%) and Spain (+5.2%).

The suppliers exhibiting at IRE provide a wide range of rental products and services, from compact equipment, gensets and lighting towers to rental software, compaction machines and compressors.

Visitors will also have free access to the adjoining APEX exhibition – the showcase for aerial platforms.

The event, which will be held at the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre (MECC), the Netherlands, was originally scheduled for June 2020 and was then postponed to September 2020. The depth of the covid-19 crisis meant that the event was further postponed to June 2021.