Aquaculture UK has grown rapidly in recent years and has become established as the must-attend event for the sector. The last edition of the biennial show, held in Aviemore, Scotland, in May 2018, had over 2,400 visitors and 190 exhibitors. The upcoming edition, to be held on 19-21 May 2020 at Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort in Scotland, is expected to draw over 3,000 attendees and 200 exhibitors.
The event complements Diversified Communications’ industry leading, international event and publishing portfolio, which already includes Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global, Seafood Expo North America/Seafood Processing North America, Seafood Expo Asia and SeafoodSource.
Commenting on the news, Diversified UK’s MD Carsten Holm says: “It’s great to be welcoming Aquaculture UK to Diversified Communications. We have been watching the growing success of the event and believe that its focus and subject matter complements our, already substantial, international presence in the sector extremely well. We also feel that the sense of community, customer focus, long-term vision and attention to detail, is very similar to how we approach our events.
“I also have a personal interest, having spent my early years working on Fishing News and Fish Farming International, so I really look forward to getting involved again. We have a great team here, who are looking forward to getting to know the sector, so it already feels like a perfect fit for our business and is an important development for Diversified’s UK division.”
James Banfield, managing director of 5M, agrees: “Aquaculture UK’s success reflects the increasing importance and rapid growth of our industry, not just in the UK but internationally. We have tried to make sure the show matches the enthusiasm and innovation of our sector and that we continue to provide a forum for our industry’s vision, investment and focus.
“We are delighted to hand over the reins to Diversified Communications. They share our culture, work ethos and ways of doing things and have a deep understanding of the sector. I am confident that the new management can provide the support and structure needed to continue to grow Aquaculture UK in the years to come. It feels like the perfect home for the event, and a natural development that will ensure the show continues to fulfil its potential and role as the leading forum for the UK’s aquaculture industry. This is a really exciting development and is great news for the event.”
Including recent acquisitions and a series of new launches, Diversified Communications UK continues to strengthen its position as one of the most successful tradeshow organisers in the UK. It now employs over 120 staff and has more than doubled in size over the past three years.
To ensure continuity for exhibitors and visitors, the 5M team will remain involved and work with Diversified UK through the 2020 edition of Aquaculture UK and the Aquaculture Awards, taking place on 19-21 May at the Macdonald Resort, in Aviemore, Scotland.
