RWM 2017
Three-day showcase exhibition for the recycling and waste-management industry promises to be bigger and more collaborative than ever before
Taking place at the NEC, Birmingham, from 12–14 September, RWM 2017 – run in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM) – is the UK’s premier event for resources efficiency and waste-management solutions. The show attracts more than 450 exhibitors and 11,000 visitors from the UK and abroad, championing innovation by promoting new products and services, collaboration and quality networking opportunities.
RWM seeks to a build an evolving community for a resource-efficient future by connecting innovators and influencers with businesses, public sector bodies, governments and non-profit organizations to deliver solutions that are productive and profitable, as well as providing health, safety and environmental benefits.
According to the organizers, this year’s expanded RWM 2017 exhibition will be bigger, better and more collaborative than previous shows. Importantly, the event will be ‘tailor-made’ for policymakers from central and local government.
‘The UK public sector represents the single largest market in the country and its decision-makers negotiate with a wide range of overlapping industries and suppliers, from waste-management to energy procurement and everything in-between,’ said Nicola Meadows, RWM event director.
‘As such, it is crucial for policy-makers to be up to date with the opportunities and commercial issues affecting local and central government. As we move towards a circular economy model – which sees materials form part of a complex cycle of re-use rather than a linear ‘produce-consume-dispose’ model – supply chains are becoming increasingly interconnected.’
She continued: ‘Bringing together decision-makers and innovators from the energy, water, recycling, renewables and waste-management communities, RWM 2017 offers a unique opportunity to connect with overlapping supply chains, share knowledge and explore new opportunities.’
This year’s exhibition will feature six dedicated zones, including two new areas: Supply & Demand, where visitors can network, learn and gain business opportunities in the UK energy and water markets; and Data, Tech & Services, which covers smart, practical software solutions and current/future logistical challenges, with a focus on quality data and supporting services.
For those interested in learning more about anaerobic digestion, biomass and other renewable sources, the Energy from Waste zone will showcase one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic sectors in waste-management. It will provide a key information hub and bring visitors up to speed with the innovative equipment and services on offer that deliver sustainable, all-year-round sources of energy.
In the Handling & Logistics zone, innovations in the transportation of commercial and construction waste will be highlighted, while the Machinery & Equipment zone will display the latest technologies in the shredding, sorting and compacting of material.
Innovation, once again, will be at the heart of the Recyclers & Reprocessors zone, where visitors will be able to see the latest systems and environmental and financial benefits of converting waste into new materials.
As well as the six dedicated zones, there will also be an Innovation Hub (in the pavilion) where exhibitors and start-up businesses will showcase the latest, most innovative ideas in the market.
This will be the first time that RWM will combine with the Energy Event, Renewables Event and Water Event, which have until now only run alongside the exhibition. ‘Combining the four events is not only a huge step for the exhibition, but also a reflection of the way the sectors are beginning to overlap and merge,’ said Ms Meadows.
The event organizers hope the move will bring together more facilities managers, environmental consultants and sustainability professionals from these sectors, who may not normally have time to go to separate shows, but can benefit from the overlapping opportunities for networking and new partnerships that RWM offers.
The new-look RWM 2017 will also have a number of visitor discovery trails, identifying key exhibitors for audiences looking for a specific service, or a more organized experience.
For example, visitors can navigate the exhibition by exploring the Energy Solutions trail – specially created for those looking for energy suppliers and seeking the latest technology.
Elsewhere, the Water Marketplace trail guides visitors to water suppliers and management services, while the Local Authority Solutions trail highlights all the exhibitors and content relevant to those responsible for waste-management and resource efficiency.
Ms Meadows commented: ‘These visitor discovery trails are simple, time-saving tools that can help ensure every moment spent at the show counts – maximizing the potential for commercial gain.’
Daily seminar sessions, running in each event zone throughout the show, will give waste, sustainability and resource professionals a chance to share knowledge and ideas, and the opportunity to create new business contacts.
Seminars will be held in six bespoke, free-to-attend theatres designed to inform, motivate and problem solve across the resource and utilities supply chain.
Keynote speakers confirmed at the event include: Rt Hon Greg Hands MP, Minister of State for Trade and Investment; Marcus Gover, chief executive of the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP); Roy Hathaway, European policy advisor at the Environmental Services Association; and Chris Murphy, deputy chief executive of CIWM.
As well as the keynote speakers, senior representatives from the private and public sectors will share the stage and take part in panel debates across the theatres.
Among those taking part will be: Andrew Lever, policy and innovation director for The Carbon Trust; Stephen Roscoe, technical director at Carbon8; Karl Walter Scheel, inbound material manager for CEMEX; David Palmer-Jones, CEO of Suez Recycling and Recovery UK; and Dr Andy Lewry, a principal technical consultant for BREEAM.
This year’s RWM will also undergo a fresh new rebrand to accompany the changes, which come under the organizer’s ‘One Planet Living’ mission.
Ms Meadows concluded: ‘Our One Planet Living mission is about the better management and supply of the world’s resources. We understand that energy and water supply, and waste management, are as distinct and important as ever to our visitors and exhibitors. With this in mind, we are bringing key players closer together, so they can share, learn and grow together for a more efficient and more effective outcome.’
