“These are of course very positive results; and we are particularly delighted to be able to report a further 7% increase in visitor numbers on top of the 27% increase we already had at the show in 2009,” says Nicola Hamann, Exhibition Director ICE Europe on behalf of the organisers Mack Brooks Exhibitions. “This year’s exhibition has therefore clearly made another step forward: it is firmly positioned as the leading international trade fair for the world-wide converting industry, with the new venue adding to the professional flair of the exhibition.”
“We are pleased to be able to report that ICE Europe 2011 was also more international than ever: 44% of the exhibitors and 47% of the visitors came from outside Germany. This is an increase of 4% in international visitors compared to last time, while the traditionally high percentage of foreign exhibitors remained stable,” explains Nicola Hamann.
Some 70% of the non-German visitors came from other EU countries and a further 20% from European countries outside the EU. The Far East, the Middle East and North America were also represented at ICE Europe 2011 with some 3% of visitors coming from each of these regions. The 2011 event welcomed considerably more visitors from Eastern Europe, Turkey and North America. Top ten visitor countries, after Germany and Italy, were Switzerland, Austria, France, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Turkey, Russia and Poland.
Major industry sectors represented by visitors were packaging, engineering, the paper industry, package printing, the chemical industry and textiles / nonwovens. The exhibition categories visitors were primarily interested in were coating and laminating, slitting/rewinding, accessories, control / test / measurement and materials.
A first analysis of the exhibitor survey shows that a vast majority of the participating companies were highly satisfied with the results of the exhibition as well as with the new venue. They praised the high quality of trade visitors and reported large numbers of business contacts. The new show grounds were well received for their excellent infrastructure and modern exhibition halls. Most of this year’s exhibitors had already indicated on site that they intended to exhibit again at the next exhibition. ICE Europe 2013 will take place from 19-21 March 2013 at the Munich Trade Fair Centre.
Next year, Mack Brooks Exhibitions will organise ICE Asia, from 23 -25 October 2012, in Shanghai, China; and the next ICE USA will take place from 9-11 April 2013 in Orlando, Florida.
Information on the ICE International Converting Exhibitions is available at www.ice-x.com