Attractive layout, high motivation, ambitious targets
Mitteldeutsche Hartstein-Industrie AG (MHI) is again to provide suitable space at Europe‘s largest basalt quarry at Homberg/Nieder-Ofleiden for the steinexpo 2014 industrial fair. In parallel to signature of the agreement, steinexpo organiser Geoplan GmbH had already started detailed preparatory work at the beginning of the year. Motivated by the successful events of the past, the organising and planning team has again set itself extremely ambitious targets, in order not only to inform but also arouse the enthusiasm of the experts at the 9th steinexpo (3 to 6 September 2014).
Some 39 100 visitors scrutinised the products, services and impressive demonstrations by the 210 exhibitors with their around 340 brands at the 8th steinexpo in 2011 (Fig. 1). Technical experts, in particular, make use of the active demonstrations of machines and systems for both potential and immediate investment decisions. The 2011 exhibitors rated the high proportion of expert visitors (92.8 %), which permitted intensive technical interchange, as a particularly positive feature of this fair. The more international character of the visitor structure (21.8 %) was also singled out for praise.
The watchword, again, is now „Get going!“ for the steinexpo 2014. The decisive exhibitors have indeed long ago agreed to participate, but (practically) every steinexpo option also involves new advance planning, since the 2014 sites at this operational quarry in some cases differ greatly from those selected in 2011. A net total of some 50 000 m2 of exhibition space is available for this bustling ninth forum of the mineral resources and building materials industry (Fig. 2). As exhibition chief Dr. Friedhelm Rese notes, „We agreed dates for visits to the quarry with interested exhibitors from June 2013 onward, in order to define the potentials for promotionally optimum site allocations. This opportunity is, of course, available as a special fair-management service to all interested exhibitors, in order provide all manufacturers, traders, suppliers and service-providers throughout the chain of mineral-resources recovery, preparation, beneficiation and building-materials recycling with an ideal platform for practically orientated publicity“.
Those exhibitors highlighting their technical solutions and/or services in one of the two large exhibition pavilions will have less need for on-the-spot siting decisions. The products and services of the indoor exhibitors are an extremely important supplementary component of the steinexpo, their significance being underlined by the locating of the marquee pavilions at the focal point of the indoor fair. Every exhibitor can therefore now be sure of appropriate positioning.
The Construction Equipment and Building Material Machinery Association of the German Engineering Association (VDMA) is again the technical ideas partner for the steinexpo 2014. The Federal Mineral Resources Association (MIRO) is also actively contributing to the conception, publicising and implementation of the demonstration fair; the same is also true of the Association of the German Construction Industry, Environment and Mechanical Technology (VDBUM), which represents technology users from the most diverse range of industries. At international level, the steinexpo benefits from the equitable involvement of the European Aggregates Association (UEPG) which, from its base in Brussels, represents the common interests of some 32 000 mineral resources companies throughout Europe. Numerous media partnerships with leading technical journals at both national and international level also assure a high level of awareness among technical specialists.
The organisers, partners and exhibitors are now working together on again making the 9th steinexpo, to be held from 3 to 6 September 2014, the central meeting-place of specialists from all sectors of the European mineral-resources and building materials industry and users of mass building materials. Exhibition documentation is available now at //www.steinexpo.de" target="_blank" >www.steinexpo.de:www.steinexpo.de, and can also be obtained directly from GEOPLAN GMBH (see information box).
