02.07.2026

APEX & IRE to relocate?

The Apex and International Rental Exhibitions held last month in Maastricht, Netherlands, claim to have attracted a record number of visitors over the three days at the start of June.

The show organisers, including partners KHL, have stated that they are considering changes such as to its frequency, either moving back to a biannual event, or there was even some talk of running it annually, rather than on the current three year cycle.

It is also considering a possible move back to Amsterdam. The show began in Mastricht in 1996 and was held every two years until 2002, when it shifted to a three year cycle, after exhibitors pushed, for the 2004 event to move to 2005. Complaints about Maastricht as a venue also influenced a move to Amsterdam for 2014 and 2017, only to return to Maastricht for the 2020 event, which was sadly cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.

Other events held during this year's Apex included the European Rental Association’s annual convention, along with its awards dinner, as well as events organised by IPAF and the ERA aimed at promoting the participation of women in the access and rental industries.

KHL chief executive James King said: “It was an exciting and positive three days. There was so much going on, from the ERA convention to the awards celebration and the initiatives around women in the industry. We are looking at a shift to Amsterdam to make it easier for international visitors to attend and considering an increase in the shows’ frequency. Watch this space for announcements soon.”

Vertikal Comment

One can't help but feel a sense of Deja-Vu here. The show was moved onto a three year cycle in 2005 in order to avoid clashes with Bauma and Intermat years. When a few years later the organisers planned a return to the two year cycle, there was an outcry against such a move from exhibitors. The organisers listened, took note and retained the three year cycle.

The move to Amsterdam was also prompted by strong exhibitor feedback, but sadly proved less than ideal, being considerably more expensive, while the RAI exhibition centre was less than ideal for a relatively small show, which, at the time, needed more outside space than it could offer.

This year's event definitely seemed better attended than the 2023 event, with a busy middle day, although not all exhibitors were universally happy with footfall - but total exhibitor satisfaction is a rarity.

Over the years, the Apex organisers have been sensitive to strong exhibitor feedback and made some good calls, which have kept the show alive through some rough times. Hopefully, they will continue to do so, and we can look forward to an even stronger Apex in 2029- no matter where it is held.