The first CERAMITEC took place 30 years before in 1979 and since then the fair has been held every three years. The event was launched at that time as the ceramics sector was growing consistently and the engineering industry in Europe was going from strength to strength. It is now established as one of the leading events in the industry in Europe. This year's event is the 11th International Trade Fair for Machinery, Equipment, Plants, Processes and Raw Materials for Ceramics and Powder Metallurgy.
Is CERAMITEC a fair which focuses mainly on European manufacturers or is it relevant to all manufacturers worldwide?
CERAMITEC provides the most comprehensive portfolio of products and services in all the relevant segments in the ceramics industry: from raw materials and heavy clay, fine ceramics, refractory ware and technical ceramics through to powder metallurgy. This makes it a highly attractive market place for manufacturers from all over the world to come and do business. The fact that 50% of both exhibitors and visitors come from abroad is certainly a factor, but so too is the presence of all the key players relevant to the industry.
Overall the number of exhibitors who have registered so far is comparable with the same period three years ago, which proves that even in the current global economic crisis exhibitors acknowledge CERAMITEC as a leading international trade fair.
How do your exhibitors rate CERAMITEC in this difficult situation?
CERAMITEC in Munich has been one of the leading fairs for machinery, equipment, plants, processes and raw materials for ceramics and powder metallurgy for many years. It is a centre of excellence and a forum for innovation for all sectors in the ceramics industry and has a first-class range of products. All the important international ceramics markets are present here—there is no better forum under one roof for reaching the global ceramics industry.
Without a doubt this also applies to this year's event, both because all the companies important to the sector will be there and also because CERAMITEC has always been the fair where all the important decision-makers can be found in one place in such a short period of time. And with regard to the economic crisis, CERAMITEC 2009 is concerned with finding ways to solve it rather than what caused it and how it is developing. The fair is looking to the future.
CERAMITEC is recording a good level of registrations. What measures did the organisers of CERAMITEC take to achieve this result?
In times when cost must be reduced, companies naturally reflect on which trade fairs are the most useful and efficient for them to take part in. Messe München International has a big advantage here with its global network, which supports both exhibitors and visitors in preparing for the fair. We also advertise CERAMITEC through both classic advertising means and by holding presentations and press conferences worldwide, for example at Ceramics China, in South America, Iran, Turkey, Central and Eastern Europe and Great Britain, to name but a few locations.
What has Messe München planned for CERAMITEC 2009?
As well as the comprehensive product range, this year's CERAMITEC will of course also be complemented by an extensive supporting programme. The forum will be situated in Hall A5, and the events held there are free of charge. In addition to the 'classic sectors', we are placing particular emphasis this year on technical ceramics and powder metallurgy, which will also be represented at the CERAMITEC FORUM on 21 October with the 'Technical Ceramics and Powder Metallurgy Day.' This will feature specialist lectures and interesting panel discussions.
There are also some other new features. Germany's tile and brick industry, Bundesverband der deutschen Ziegelindustrie, is organising the annual conference of European tile and brick manufacturers in Munich, and for the first time the conference is running in parallel with CERAMITEC. And linking in with this will be the 'Heavy Clay Day' on 22 October. Another first in the CERAMITEC programme is 'India Day' on 23 October.
An additional important discussion topic at this year's event is 'Energy and Cost-Efficiency', which is a recurrent theme throughout CERAMITEC. The German Ceramics Society, Deutsche Keramische Gesellschaft, will be dealing with this subject on 20 October as part of the supporting programme. In addition, Germany's engineering federation, the Verband Deutscher Maschinen-und Anlagenbau e.V. (VDMA), is organising the special exhibition 'Energy and Cost-Efficiency,' As well catering for exhibitors and visitors, the VDMA is keeping the next generation in mind with its 'ThinkIng' initiative.
