On October 1-4 the Bilbao Exhibition Centre is to host the Industry & Technology Summit [“Cumbre Industrial y Tecnológica”], a major business forum that has been revamped this year to make it even more dynamic and international. The sub-events dealing with subcontracting, automation and equipment, foundry supplies and surface treatment are to be joined at this edition of the event by new initiatives such as the European Subcontracting Brokerage Event, AEROTRENDS and further opportunities for direct contact between trade specialists. The first edition of the FITMAQ International Fair of Bargain and Used Machinery is to be held at the same time.
With more than three months to go before the doors open and the promotional campaign still in full swing a total of 361 firms, 28% of them from outside Spain, have already confirmed their participation. On the international front, firms from France, Germany, Portugal and Italy will be particularly well represented, though there will also be products on show from other markets such as Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, Egypt, the USA, Finland, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Poland, the UK, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan and Tunisia.
THREE NAMES COVERING THE FULL PRODUCTION PROCESS
The Summit is to feature three sub-events that link the key sectors of the manufacturing process. Subcontratación [“Subcontracting”] accounts for 76% of the exhibitors, Automatización [“Automation”] for 12% and Trasmet (which brings together equipment and supplies for the foundry, forging and surface treatment industries) for a further 12%.
The breakdown of activities of participating firms is as follows: 17% work in component machining, 10% in casting, 10% in hear treatment and surface cladding, 10% in specialist subcontracting products, 9% in metal shaping, 7% in specialist subcontracting services, 3% in encoding, marking and identification, 3% in moulds, models, dies and die-moulding and 2% in robots and handling equipment. The remaining 29% represent a broad range of other activities.
Their customers include mainly the automotive (25%), aeronautics & aerospace (17%), railway (14%), machine-tool (13%), wind & solar power (11%), domestic appliance (9%) and shipping (5%) industries.
GROUP PARTICIPATION
Numerous sectoral associations, chambers of commerce and clusters are working to promote the Summit with a view to offering their SMEs the chance to take part in groups and thus take advantage of the opportunity to make new business contacts, learn about new markets and expand their customer portfolios offered by the event. For instance support has been provided by AERA (Aragon Aerospace Cluster), Hegan (Basque Aerospace Cluster), The Madrid Aeronautics & Space Cluster, CAAR (Aragon Automotive Cluster), AIAS (Association of Surface Finishing Firms), FEAF (Spanish Federation of Foundry Associations), Fundigex (Spanish Association of Foundry product Exporters), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Bilbao, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Álava, the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Shipping of Gipuzkoa, the High Council of Spanish Chambers of Commerce, the Employers’ Association of Ibi, the Municipal Council of La Carolina (Jaén), the Helice Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce of Vigo and, from outside Spain, ANEMM (Portuguese Association of Metallurgical & Electromechanical Firms), CEFAMOL (National Association of Moulding Firms of Portugal), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Seine-et-mar (France), Aerospace Valley (Midi Pyrénées and Aquitaine) and the Aerospace Clustering Association from Turkey.
In the private sector, there are also stand-pout initiatives from firms which are creating forums for group participation with a view to offering a broader overall range of manufacturing processes.
CONNECTION BETWEEN DIFFERENT WORK AREAS
The Industry & Technology Summit offers a wide range of technical seminars and high-ranking meetings to foster forums for debate and knowledge-sharing. Along the same lines as the previous edition of the event, lectures will take place in an “open theatre” within the exhibition hall, thus providing closer links between the different work areas.
The focus on Germany will examine the economic potential for business links with the country, with presentations focusing on machinery and equipment, mobility and the steel industry. In the field of aeronautics, AEROTRENDS is to present “Success stories from the sector in a global market”, with round tables on value chains for key, world-wide customers and discussions on issues such as R&D co-operation projects, quality, the environment, insurance and funding.
The focus on Germany will examine the economic potential for business links with the country, with presentations focusing on machinery and equipment, mobility and the steel industry. In the field of aeronautics, AEROTRENDS is to present “Success stories from the sector in a global market”, with round tables on value chains for key, world-wide customers and discussions on issues such as R&D co-operation projects, quality, the environment, insurance and funding.
FIRMS REACT POSITIVELY TO FITMAQ
The marketing campaign for FITMAQ has obtained a highly positive reaction from firms, which see the event in October as an opportunity to showcase their used and bargain machinery to foreign purchasers, and to offer personalised technical advice.
To date Cecamasa, Corzo, Delteco, Ferrotall, Iberomeca, Ipar Máquinas, Lauko, Mafri, Maq. Barriuso, Maq. Colás, Maquinaria Greco, Maq. Donosti, Maq. Márquez, National Machinery Exchange, NC Service, Ona Electroerosión, Rastro Máquinas, Redima, SG Maquinaria, Vallcal and Vendemail are among the suppliers that have confirmed their attendance. This ensures that there will be a wide range of international products on offer.
The campaign to attract visitors is being conducted intensively in Spain and further afield, with direct promotional trips to Colombia, Peru and Ecuador and specialist agents working in Morocco and Portugal.
[info] www.bilbaoexhibitioncentre.com [/info]