FANS OF shiny new machinery will be heading to Peterborough next week for what is now the UK’s biggest specialist machinery event – the LAMMA Show.

Being held at the East of England Showground, on January 17 and 18, farmers, contractors and other rural businesses will be able to quiz hundreds of manufacturers and suppliers of farm machinery, equipment and agricultural services, to better help them through these difficult times.

This is to be the last time that the Lincolnshire Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Association’s show will be held in its home country. Next year, it is moving into the Midlands, to the National Exhibition Centre, as it seeks to shelter itself from the weather and cater for expansion and will be held on January 8 and 9.

Last year, more than 850 exhibitors put on a show of equipment and expertise which attracted more than 40,000 visitors and, weather apart, there’s no reason to suggest this year will be any different.

Recognised as a true business show, it gives farmers and the machinery trade the opportunity to evaluate many machines side-by-side, both on what they can physically do and in cash terms.

It seems that Brexit – while it may be a chief talking point – has not deterred exhibitors from abroad taking stand space. Organisers said the event continued to grow in size and stature and most leading manufacturers, many of them from around the world, will be attending showing new tractors, combines, drills and cultivation equipment.

The event’s ethos of hosting smaller agricultural engineering and machinery companies from across the UK continues, giving visitors access to a vast array of innovative products.

The popular Workshop Area returns, offering supplies to suit simple repairs to sophisticated projects, as does The Dealers’ Den, with a range of second-hand kit and other sectors, including agronomy, business and farm management advice, also feature.

A new Farm Safety Zone, sponsored by leading health and safety consultancy, Safety Revolution, is being introduced to help highlight and reduce the incidence of accident on UK farms.

The zone will host a series of talks, with specialists from Safety Revolution and the wider industry, enabling visitors to access the most current health and safety information and specialist advice.

Professional development continues to feature strongly at LAMMA and visitors will be able to collect six BASIS and two NRoSO points on both days of the event. Also, for the first time at LAMMA, visitors will have the opportunity to collect points for the Dairy Pro training and development programme, with two points per day available for attending and extra points on certain exhibitor stands.

Visitors to LAMMA ’18 will be spoiled for choice when it comes to new machinery, with hundreds of machines on show, many making their UK debut. In the following pages we look at some of the highlights on top of those already carried in The Scottish Farmer in the run up to the event.

Fact file:

Times: LAMMA ’18 takes place on Wednesday, January 17 between 7.30am and 5pm and Thursday, January 18, between 7.30am and 4.30pm.

Venue: East of England Showground, Oundle Road, Alwalton, Peterborough, PE2 6XE.

Car parks: Parking and entrance to the show is free of charge. They open early and visitors arriving between 6.30am and 8am can enjoy an early bird breakfast.

Transport: A free shuttle bus service runs between Peterborough train station and the showground. This starts at 7am and runs until 5pm.

Planning ahead: A fully interactive map is available on the website prior to the event, and show goers can download the LAMMA app to plan their visit and find their way around the showground.

Visitors to LAMMA ’18 will be spoiled for choice when it comes to tractors and loaders with hundreds of machines on show, many making their UK debut.

Whether it’s a gargantuan tracked machine or a general-purpose workhorse, there will be something to suit every taste when the show returns on 17 and 18 January 2018 at the East of England Showground, Peterborough.