Hillhead 2016: Quarrying + Construction + Recycling

28 – 30 June 2016, Hillhead Quarry, Buxton, Derbyshire

Hillhead is the largest free-to-attend exhibition of its kind in the world today. Internationally-renowned, the three day event showcases the latest products, services and equipment for the quarrying, construction and recycling industries, while also providing visitors with a valuable opportunity to view specialist plant first hand, via four live demonstration areas.

Formed in 1982 by Nottingham-based QMJ Publishing Ltd, the biennial exhibition will this year welcome more than 17,000 attendees and 450 exhibiting companies from Great Britain and beyond. In 2014, overseas visitors from 87 countries accounted for 8% of all attendees – a statistic that speaks volumes of Hillhead’s growing worldwide appeal.

Central to this appeal is the event’s innovative use of the iconic Hillhead Quarry landscape. Spanning an approximate 140,000sq m, this vast expanse of land allows exhibitors to put their products to the test in a live quarry environment.

This year, representatives from Hyundai, JCB, Sandvik, Terex Group and Volvo will be on-hand to demonstrate their expertise, while the exhibition’s indoor pavilions will offer a range of ancillary equipment including computer software, health and safety gear, and security systems. This winning combination of working demonstrations and static displays is strenuously supervised by the event’s organiser in accordance with the latest quarry regulations.

Each of the exhibition’s four demonstration zones has its own unique focus. While the Quarry Face plays host to hydraulic breakers and large wheel loaders, Rock Processing takes place in the aptly named Crusher Alley, where tracked and skid mounted crushers, screens, and scalping grids are showcased.

Sited towards Hillhead Quarry’s southern boundary, the Recycling Area will exhibit a variety of shredding, screening and washing equipment, while the Registration Area – created specifically for Hillhead 2014 – returns for 2016 and provides additional rock processing and recycling space.

The preparation necessary for an event of this size and scale is considerable however. To produce the 10,000 tonnes of raw material required for demonstrations, the Quarry Face has been comprehensively drilled and blasted. Elsewhere, three concrete bunkers have been constructed within the Recycling Area to accommodate the large volumes of imported material intended for processing.

The showground has also been extended for 2016 by a further 2,000sq m. In total, 16,000 tonnes of material was excavated to allow for this extension to the exhibition site. Show Director Richard Bradbury explains: “We are delighted to be able to accommodate some of the extra demand for stand space in the new area. Two access points have been created to maximize visitor flow – one opposite the far end of the JCB stand and the other coming off the aisle populated by the Invest Northern Ireland stands.”

Hillhead 2016 is exciting prospect then. To date, visitor interest has proven extremely high and prospective attendees are now being advised to pre-register for their free tickets to avoid delays.

Hillhead 2016 will take place from 28 – 30 June 2016 at Hillhead Quarry, near Buxton, Derbyshire. To learn more about the event or register your interest, please visit the Hillhead 2016 website.

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