The audience. IMHX brings together a very strong mix of professionals from warehousing, logistics, retail, manufacturing and transport, all in one place. For SHS Handling, that is a particularly good fit because those are exactly the sectors the business serves with its core product range and bespoke solutions. 

Over time, the role IMHX plays for SHS Handling has developed. Originally, it may have been seen more as a lead generation exercise, focused on getting visitors onto the stand and following up afterwards. Today, it is much broader than that. It is an opportunity to reconnect with existing customers, build relationships with new prospects, launch products, showcase innovation and get a clear sense of what is happening across the industry. 

For SHS Handling, it is also an important moment to reinforce what the brand stands for and to remind visitors that the company’s value lies in designing, supplying and maintaining solutions, not simply selling equipment. 

The launch of the company’s cage mover was a major highlight. Having it on the stand for the first time gave SHS Handling the chance to demonstrate the product live to a highly relevant audience, and Tom says it had exactly the impact the team had hoped for. 

It immediately caught people’s attention and drew in visitors who might otherwise have walked past. The live presence of the product on the stand created curiosity, started conversations and helped SHS Handling stand out in a busy exhibition environment. For the business, it was a strong example of why IMHX works so well as a platform for product launches. 

IMHX has played an important role in increasing awareness of the SHS Handling brand. The 2025 event came after a structured rebrand, so the show provided an ideal opportunity to present the refreshed business to the market. 

The response was encouraging. Visitors commented on the updated brand and the impression that SHS Handling was moving forward and raising its profile. Beyond visibility, the exhibition has also delivered commercial value. Some conversations that began at IMHX have gone on to become long-term customer relationships and significant projects. 

A key point, is that exhibitions like IMHX should not be judged only on immediate orders. Not every conversation turns into business the following week. In many cases, the real value lies in longer-term opportunities that develop over months and sometimes even more than a year after the event. 

The event aligns closely with our target market. Typical contacts include: 

- Warehouse managers 
- Transport managers 
- Health and safety professionals 
- Operations teams 
- Procurement teams 

For us, transport managers are particularly important because of the company’s focus on equipment used in vehicle-based operations, including sack trucks and manual or electric pallet trucks that work alongside tail lifts. 

Health and safety professionals are another key audience, especially when SHS Handling is demonstrating solutions like the cage mover. This was a genuine eye-opener for many visitors, as it physically showed there is a safer way to move roll cages and tackle common handling challenges. 

IMHX is a very effective relationship-building environment. Existing customers often come to the stand, which helps strengthen relationships that are already in place. It also gives them an opportunity to meet people from SHS Handling outside the usual account management structure, which broadens the relationship and reduces reliance on a single point of contact. 

At the same time, the show creates a more relaxed atmosphere for new conversations. Compared with formal meetings in a boardroom, discussions on the stand can be more open and natural, which often helps both sides explore opportunities more easily. 

That balance of strengthening established relationships while starting new ones is one of the reasons IMHX continues to be valuable for the business. 

IMHX stands out as the key event in the calendar. It’s the one exhibition the company earmarks every two years as a show it cannot afford to miss. 

What makes it different is the concentration of relevant sectors and decision-makers under one roof. At IMHX, SHS Handling can meet a wide range of contacts in a short period of time, from transport managers and operational teams to directors and senior leaders from major retailers and other large organisations. That combination of relevance, scale and quality makes it the strongest networking opportunity for the business. 

It reflects the value the business sees in the event. From launching innovations and increasing brand visibility to strengthening customer relationships and generating long-term opportunities, IMHX has become much more than a lead generation platform for the company. 

It is a place where the right audience, the right conversations and the right opportunities come together. That is why, with 2027 already in the diary, SHS Handling sees IMHX as an essential part of its growth strategy. 

Tom’s reflections underline a theme that many exhibitors will recognise: the real strength of IMHX lies not just in footfall, but in relevance. For SHS Handling, it offers access to the people who matter, the chance to demonstrate innovation in a live environment, and the space to build relationships that continue long after the show closes. 

With SHS Handling already confirmed for IMHX 2027, visitors can expect to see a business that continues to innovate, invest in its brand and use the show as a platform for meaningful industry engagement.