With a 15 per cent increase in visitors on the first day alone to the MEDTEC UK exhibition, industry's overwhelming interest in medical device manufacturing and technologies clearly set the tone for success at the 2009 Advanced Manufacturing UK (AMUK) series of focused high-technology manufacturing exhibitions.
AMUK 2009 incorporated these co-located manufacturing–focused events: MEDTEC UK medical device manufacturing; Mtec Sensors, Measurement & Instrumentation; Machine Building & Automation; VTX Vision Technology Exhibition; 3C Contamination Control & Cleanroom Products; Practical Vacuum & Surfacts UK; and the new Green Manufacturing Zone and Conference.
* [See also the MachineBuilding.net preview of the Machine Building & Automation exhibition - Ed.]
According to Canon Communications, the event organiser, it was evident that trade shows are continuing to attract the all-important decision-makers.
Event Director Mark Temple-Smith comments: "Our registrations reveal that 'team attendance' by companies is waning, but that those who hold the purse strings did attend and were definitely here to do business, with many exhibitors reporting a high level of serious enquiries.
"The fact that exhibitors cannot afford to miss such face-to-face business opportunities is evident by the high rate (70 per cent) of re-bookings for next year's show."
Exhibitors across the show floor supported his views.
Medilink West Midlands' CEO, Tony Davis, said: "We were overwhelmed by the response to My M-Link's business opportunity service, and the standing-room-only at our presentation was proof of the increased interest in this marketplace."
Basan commented that it had "an excellent quality of visitors," Kuka reported a "very good show, even including enquiries from the aerospace sector," and ABB said "we have seen the right quality of people."
Panasonic was "very pleased – we have seen a regular stream of people and obtained some good leads; also, our seminar presentation was well received and people were coming to the stand afterwards seeking more information."
Likewise, National Instruments reported a lot of interest, and Festo's Nigel Dawson said: "This is our most successful show in recent years; we exceeded our overall target of enquiries on the first day!"
Stemmer's Mark Williamson reported "a lot of interest" and Clearview Systems' Alan Anderson said: "It has been very upbeat – exhibiting here has certainly been the right thing to do."
AMUK was well received by the thousands who visited the Birmingham NEC, and it was obvious that the complimentary education streams were pitched correctly, with all the seats taken in many of the presentations throughout the MEDTEC UK, Mtec, 3C, Machine Building & Automation, and Practical Vacuum & Surfacts theatres.
The top-of-bill MEDTEC UK Conference was, as usual, a great success – and feedback from delegates to the inaugural Green Manufacturing Zone & Conference showed how environmental issues are now a priority.
As Mark Temple-Smith confirms: "Companies of every size and across all manufacturing spectra are hungry for information, demonstrations and discussions about technologies, techniques and products that will improve their processes – and bottom lines. Our job as exhibition organisers is to satisfy that hunger – every year."
Next year's shows will be held on 27/28 April 2010. Visit www.advancedmanufacturinguk.com for details.
