Important developments at ITTES

The International Truck, Trailer & Equipment Show (ITTES) in Melbourne is growing to become to the largest display of heavy vehicles ever staged in Australia, with a huge range of fleet-owned vehicles and vocational trucks on show next May.

According to Show Director Simon Coburn, the event is rapidly taking shape, with widespread support from the transport and logistics industry, as well as leading industry associations like the ATA, VTA, NatRoads, ALC and ARTSA.

"The next Melbourne Truck Show will be a lot different to what you’ve come to know in the past," he said. "We have already announced that we added two additional shows to the mix, Waste Management in Action and Roads & Civil Works Expo.

"Now it’s time to reveal that we will treat our audience to the largest array of working trucks in the history of Australian transport. We will move away from the classic showroom feel and introduce more of a hands-on atmosphere, with outdoor test tracks and ample moving displays so you can experience what our industry truly is all about."

Coburn said the working truck focus would add "immense value" to the show, delivering more customer touch points across the three-day event and marketing opportunities that a traditional event wouldn’t be able to provide.

He explained that with support from the Victorian transport and logistics industry, the show would showcase real-life working trucks in full livery to demonstrate the importance of the trucking industry for the local economy and the Australian nation at large.

"Trucks are the true workhorses driving our economy, and that’s the message the Melbourne Truck Show will get across on our behalf," commented VTA CEO, Peter Anderson, who will host the Association’s Freight Outlook Seminar as part of the next ITTES.

"It’s paramount for the success of our industry that events like ITTES create public awareness and make the work we do accessible and understandable for everyone. Showing real life working trucks is the best way to achieve that goal. In that sense, ITTES is an important building block for the success of Australian trucking as a whole."

With Melbourne cementing its position as the freight industry capital of Australia, Anderson added the city deserved a large-scale trucking event that will represent Australian ingenuity on a global scale. "People come to a truck show to see trucks that are designed to work, and we will make sure they get to experience just that – real, working equipment that is out there supporting our economy day in, day out."

Show Director Coburn said he felt "genuinely excited" about the new concept taking shape and the feedback he received. "We’ve always been strong on a business level, now we’re adding some muscle to mix, too," he said. "It’s the ultimate display of Australian trucking, from boardroom to bitumen."

Also part of the event will be a large-scale Invitational Show & Shine contest to further celebrate Australia’s love of everything trucking. "The 2016 Show & Shine will be largest event of that kind ever held in Australia, with huge cash prizes to be won and equipment on show that has never been seen before."

Coburn concluded, "The Melbourne Truck Show is an Australian institution, and the next edition will make that clearer than ever. With real life, fully branded trucks, additional expositions, a strong career focus and the Show & Shine, we have created what will no doubt be the most exciting trucking event Melbourne has ever seen."