CV SHOW 2011: Astrum on track for show

Specialist exhibitors at the 2011 CV Show include the County Durham firm Astrum, whose products include tracks for military vehicles such as tanks. The company also makes components for commercial use and one of its main products at the show will be twist locks to secure containers to trucks and on-board ships.

As such, the main market for Astrum is not individual hauliers, but vehicle manufacturers. Astrum's direct customers are more likely to be other exhibitors than those visiting the Birmingham show, which runs at the NEC from 12-14 April.

But that doesn't mean that the firm is not interested in hauliers' reactions, says sales manager Steve Dowson. "We like to show people our products because a haulier might then specify one of our locks when they next buy a vehicle," he says.

Astrum also makes the teeth for diggers made by Caterpillar.

Astrum missed last year's show but had previously attended for 10 years, so this year will be a welcome return for the firm, which employs 300 staff at its Stanhope headquarters.

"It will be good to get back to the next show," says Dowson.