56
MIDEST stays on track
For the second year in a row Will Lowry visited the industrial subcontracting exhibition MIDEST,
4th – 7th November, to see how fastener companies fared at such a diverse show, and
for the second year in a row there was a train strike.
Happily for the exhibitors the strike only south entrance from which both train
took place on Thursday 6th November, and did and shuttle bus visitors arrived. In fact,
not affect the other days. The organisers did from the top of the steps down to the
set up a shuttle bus operation serving various exhibition floor, the stands of several
locations including Roissy-Charles de Gaulle fastener companies could be seen including
airport and Paris Gare du Nord, but the lack of Böllhoff, Joseph Dresselhaus, Avdel, Titanox,
signage on the buses made it a trip into the Profil Verbindungtechnik and several more.
unknown, with the bus driver even leaving Even though the ‘Industrial Fastener’
French speaking visitors confused as to section had been given a good location the
whether it was the correct bus for the amount of ‘Industrial Fastener’ exhibitors had
exhibition. fallen from 87 to 76 when compared to 2007.
A sigh of relief was audible when the One reason for the drop in exhibitors could
shuttle bus finally turned up at the Paris-Nord be the current economic climate and Eric
Villepinte Exhibition Centre, where MIDEST was Morin, from Mecanindus, was one such
once again being held. This year it had been exhibitor that questioned whether to do the
moved into Hall 6, but the exhibition still show. “Mecanindus has always done MIDEST
covered 60,000m
2
as in previous years. and as a company we decided that in the
At the time of writing the visitor numbers current climate it was important that we
hadn’t been published. We will report the exhibited, to show other competitors and our
figures in the January news pages. The exhibitor customers that Mecanindus was still active in
numbers, however, had been released and they the market and making contacts.” He went
showed that there had only been a slight on to add, “This had proved to be the right
change in the amount of exhibitors at MIDEST decision because as well as meeting up
compared to 2007, with the figures being down with current customers we have also made
from 1,805 to 1,748. For the second year in a several good contacts.”
row the amount of foreign countries that Another exhibitor who was happy with the
exhibited fell to 29 countries compared to 33 in show was Pascal Frackowiak, project
2007 and 38 in 2006. There was, however, a development manager at Bonioni.
slight rise in the amount of international “Although it has been quieter then
exhibitors, from 679 in 2007 to 687. previous years, it has still been a good
The most notable increase in international show. In fact we received one particular
exhibitors was from Spanish companies, with contact that on its own could make the
the amount exhibiting rising by 45% from 88 whole show worthwhile.”
in 2007 to 128 this year. This also meant that From walking the aisles of the ‘Industrial
Spanish companies were the largest presence Fastener’ section it was clear to see that the
at the show after French companies. The majority of stands were busy throughout the
amount of Italian companies at the show also day and the general consensus of the show
increased, this time by 21% to 103, compared was that it had been better then most
to 85 in 2007. As well as increases in certain exhibitors had expected under the current
international exhibitors there were also some climate. Although most thought it was still
decreases, the most notable ones being China quieter then last year, even though last year
and India with a drop in exhibitors of 37% and saw a train strike over three of the exhibition
35% respectively. days.
Similar to previous years MIDEST featured Even with the apparent downturn in
official pavilions which allow companies from visitors, it is clear to see that MIDEST is an
the same countries to exhibit in a specific important exhibition for the French fastener
area. This meant that even though there was market and as most of the exhibitors
a dedicated ‘Industrial Fastener’ section there commented it is not the quantity, but the
was still some fastener companies placed quality of the visitors that matters.
around the hall, such as Cetin Civata, who was MIDEST 2009 will return on 17th
included in the Turkish Pavilion and Marer Srl November to 20th November, once again at
and P.Tre who were included in the Italian the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre.
Pavilion. This magazine will be keeping the date it
The actual ‘Industrial Fastener’ section had plans to attend a secret, just in case one of the
been given a good location in front of the French train driver unions are reading.
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