News

Gold star year for fairs in Emilia-Romagna

RiminiFiera

Bologna, January 30, 2008 - 2007 was a memorable year for fairs in Emilia-Romagna, the fair organizations reported, in presenting their strategies for 2008.

There will be some major changes. BolognaFiere , with consolidated revenues of 126.7 million euro (+ 6.8% over 2006) and GOM at 27.4 million euro (+ 4.7%) has a program of internationalization ranging from expansion of the fairgrounds to strengthening the domestic market, in line with the production specialization of the enterprises but without neglecting its service business, that now accounts for 20% of the turnover.

“Our events did very well, with a number of outstanding performers like Cosmoprof, Saie, Marca, Cersaie and Autopromotec” said the managing director, Michele Porcelli . With seven new events including four abroad, “that places us in the lead with the organization of a third of the Italian fair events in Asia, the U.S., Russia and Turkey. And our presence in China is growing: we now organize eight events there annually”. The fact that BolognaFiere is the leading Italian fair operator in China is confirmed by the opening of its new headquarters in Shanghai , where Fiere Rimini and Fiere Parma will also be based, as well as a number of tour operators from the Emilia-Romagna region.

The launch of the integrated Saie System program will consolidate its leadership in the field of building and architecture, while the fairgrounds in Bologna will expand to 200,000 square meters with the construction of a new building, completed by the plan for investment of 230 million raised by autofinancing. All this to make room for the 80 events scheduled for this year.

In view of its integration with BolognaFiere, 2007 was a record year as regards incoming events for RiminiFiera , which organized 1,231 business meetings involving 415 Italian companies and 173 foreign buyers from 29 countries. Revenues were excellent at 50.7 million euro (+ 5% over 2005) and GOM at 16.2 million euro, and the organization announced two important operations: the joint venture with PadovaFiere to launch the event Spazio and the acquisition of Exico, a company with a strong background in fair activity, starting with the organization of Country Life in Modena.
Construction got under way on the new Palacongressi in Rimini ¿ where the cornerstone was laid on September 27. It will have 38,000 square meters for up to 9,300 stands, a service area with restaurants, refreshment centers, and vast parking facilities.
Services were also at the highest level, with environmental certification UNI EN ISO 14001:2004, including the new version of the corporate website, the guide to the area for the promotion of trade fairs, provincial events, tourist attractions and commercial activities in the area.

The best results for PiacenzaExpo, which organized 16 events last year, and hosted another 14, were due to the success of Expolaser, the only event in Italy on laser applications for industry, that attracted large numbers of exhibitors and professional visitors. Among the events open to the public, the most successful were Seminat, Apimell and Naturalmente, steadily growing in interest with 23,000 visitors. The two buildings are entirely cabled and occupy 10,000 and 3,000 sq.m. respectively, with a total capacity of 200 exhibitors. The highlight for 2008 will be Geofluid, the international event devoted to the world of drilling and pipelines for the conveyance of fluids underground. Every year it adds new specializations and interesting new technology.

Fiere di Parma has very close ties with PiacenzaExpo. It specializes in international events that export Italian brands in the food sector everywhere in the world, particularly Russia, India and China. “This will be a year to remember - says the director, Raul Barbieri - for the agreement with Fiere di Parma harmonizing our two fair schedules. We have also defined a strategic and operational integration between the Tomatoworld event in Piacenza and the Cibus Tec event in Parma, whereby Tomatoworld becomes part of Cibus Tec in the odd-numbered years, in a context of completing the business chain and enhancing international visibility”. In the even-numbered years, starting in 2008, Tomatoworld will add a number of interesting international workshops.

Among the other spheres of cooperation is the creation of a new fair, open to the public, Ex.El., devoted to electronics, that will be organized in partnership between the two fairs and will be held twice a year, starting in 2008, in February and October in Parma.

For 2007 the turnover is estimated at 25 million euro, and this should grow, in the future, in view of the major investments to be made: benefits will arrive from the new highway parallel to the A1 that will soon connect the Autosole exit at Parma with the fairgrounds. The grounds themselves will also be improved in 2008 with the addition of air conditioning in two buildings.

The Fiere di Reggio Emilia organization reported 30,000 visitors in 2007 with profits for 250,000 euro on a turnover estimated in over 3,800,000 euro. Much of this was due to its international swine market fair, which is decisive in improving the results of this organization in odd-numbered years, but also to the variety of events scheduled. “This year we organized 18 events and hosted another 10 - explains the president Valter Franceschini - it was an important schedule in which EcoCasa made its debut last year”. The latest event organized by Fiere di Reggio attracted about 1000 professional experts, scholars and entrepreneurs from all over Italy, and its 80 exhibitors were visited by 13,000 people interested in concepts like renewable energy sources and the quality of habitation. EcoCasa is the first and, at least for the time being, the only event specialized in this sector in Emilia-Romagna: “We were so satisfied with its success that we decided to expand the area for the second edition that will be held from February 28 to March 2, 2008 (from 8,000 to 12,000 meters) and add an extra day (from three to four)”.

Confirming the organization's success were the other events organized directly by the Reggio fairgrounds: Esterno Casa (3 buildings for 18,000 square meters) and the flagship Casa & Tavola (at its 20th edition) brought highly satisfactory results. The last fair for the year was Immagina, the market show of modern and contemporary art: 12,000 square meters in 2007 and plans to expand the section reserved for the art academies for emerging young artists.

Fiera di Forlì ended the year with 25 events involving about 3,000 exhibitor enterprises and 200,000 visitors. Considering also the 35 conferences and other entertainment and sports events linked to the Palafiera management, it comes to a turnover of two and a half million euro. Heading the Fair starting this year is the president Giorgio Lombardi, who has scheduled key events like the international Fieravicola and the Old Time Show, an exhibition of vintage cars and motorcycles, as well as Romagna Antiquariato and Sapeur, the market fair of fine food and wines and typical local craftsmanship, and two appointments with the Great Electronics Fair and the Contemporary Art market fair of modern art.