BCPC 2008 Cancelled
12 August 2008 The event typically featured hundreds of exhibitors and attracted thousands of attendees from around the globe, first to Brighton, England, and more recently, to Glasgow, Scotland. For many in the industry, BCPC was the agrochemicals market’s premier meeting place and trade show, an annual rite of late autumn.
But this has all changed. An August 7 e-mail stated the following: “BCPC has been forced to cancel its annual Congress. The move follows a particularly disappointing commercial uptake for both exhibition space and hospitality facilities which show no signs of recovery.”
The note went on to say that the Congress has become a loss-making activity for BCPC in recent years as industry consolidation has reduced the number of potential exhibitors and delegates that could attend the meeting. “In particular, BCPC has been unable to recoup the large losses it incurred following the 2001 Brighton Congress, which, coming shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, suffered very low attendance from overseas delegates.”
A day after this initial e-mail, a more personal note from Dr. Colin Ruscoe, chairman and exhibitions Director for BCPC Ltd., appeared. “I can only extend my apologies that you have put effort into the event that has been wasted,” wrote Ruscoe. “You will be receiving further communications from BCPC in the next few days which will give you more information.” At presstime, these further communications had not arrived and attempts to reach BCPC’s offices by FCI staff were unsuccessful.
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