19 booked out exhibition halls, about 150,000 square metres of leased display area and more than 123,000 visitors from 90 nations. This is the result of the past trade fair week

19 booked out exhibition halls, about 150,000 square metres of leased display area and more than 123,000 visitors from 90 nations. This is the result of the past trade fair week. During the five days of the three technology trade fairs, METAV, International Trade Fair for Manufacturing Technology and Automation, wire, International Wire and Cable Trade Fair, and Tube, International Tube Trade Fair, approximately 3,000 exhibitors showed what the sectors had to offer in the way of innovations.

From 31 March through 04 April, METAV attracted more than 51,000 trade visitors from 41 countries. Thus it surpassed the results of the previous event. According to the visitor survey, 7 percent of visitors to the international wire and Tube trade fairs are also benefiting from the synchronicity of the events. They gather additional information about the offers the 842 METAV exhibitors presented on 54,000 m2 display area.

“Over the course of the week, the visitor numbers increased steadily. The exhibitors expect that business will continue to develop favourably during the current year because of their exposure at METAV. Thus METAV again confirms its position as most important business platform for the metal processing industry," sums up Dr. Detlev Elsinghorst, Chairman of the METAV committee.

The industry‘s willingness to invest was never before that high. This was also proven by the orders received by the tool machine engineering sector since the start of the current year. According to the METAV visitor survey, 37 percent of METAV clients arrived in Düsseldorf with definite intentions to make investments. Their priority was on tool machines.

“When it comes to placing orders, the high level of utilization of the production capacities plays a major role,“ Elsinghorst is convinced. “Investors want to place their orders early in order to remain able to deliver to their own customers, despite long delivery terms.” About one fifth of the visitors arrived with concrete investment plans and placed orders already during the event, or was intent on doing so; nearly 60 percent reported that they were planning to place orders after the trade fair.

The visitor structure at METAV 2008 has remained stable to a large extent. Approximately one tenth of the trade fair visitors came from abroad, and of these, four fifths hailed form Europe. The strongest contingents came from the Netherlands, Spain, Austria, Italy, as well as Denmark and Turkey. About 20 percent of the foreign visitors arrived at METAV in Düsseldorf from overseas, mainly from the USA and Brazil. More than 60 percent of trade visitors were industry insiders, mainly from the mechanical engineering, automotive and supplier industries, as well as from the sector of iron and steel production.

METAV presented the entire spectrum of manufacturing technology and automation. Focus areas were tool machines, manufacturing systems, precision tools, automated material flow, computer technology, industrial electronics and accessories.

Many METAV exhibitors took advantage of the chance to present their high-tech products and innovations showcased at EMO Hanover during the previous year to new target groups. New target groups because a good three quarters of METAV visitors reported that they had not had an opportunity to attend EMO. METAV has a remarkable quota of returning visitors. However, 40 percent were first-time visitors.

METAV visitors were particularly interested in the offers relating to exciting tool machines, precision tools, CAD systems as well as measuring and control technology.

In the visitor survey, more than 93 percent of visitors reported to have achieved their goals for their trade fair visit. 95 percent assessed this year’s event as very good or good.

METAV focuses on intelligent production technology

In alignment with the visitor groups at METAV, an important topic was „intelligent production technology for high-wage countries”. Only sophisticated production strategies allows these countries to keep their production costs at competitive levels. METAV exhibitors offer their customers solutions to conquer these challenges.

METAV 2010

The date for the next METAV in 2010 has not been set yet. The organisers of the three trade fairs, Messe Düsseldorf for wire and Tube, and the VDW (Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken, German Tool Machine Plant Association) for METAV, will analyse the results of the exhibitor and visitor surveys during the coming weeks and then schedule the new date.

Detailed statements by various exhibitors at METAV 2008 are available online in video format at http://www.metav.de/.

Further information