TiefbauLive 2007:
Civil engineering trade fair successful
VDBUM Service GmbH and exhibitors demonstrate how a good trade fair works.
Despite of a less than ideal scheduling and undesirable weather the civil engineering trade fair TiefbauLive was a marked success. The operator-oriented tool and machine trade fair was held in Hessian village of Schorndorf (Germany) from June 21st to 23rd this year. The fair organizers, VDBUM Service GmbH, were able to attract over 3000 visitors and approx. 60 exhibitors to the fair grounds. It was a thriving venue for industry insiders who regularly deploy and use building machinery.
"We've been waiting for a trade fair like this for a long time" truly summarizes both exhibitor and visitor opinion. Exhibitors could easily share this view with their visitors, who inevitably came with the necessary all-weather clothing. There were also parallels in exhibitor and visitor origins: in addition to a marked German presence the fair attracted representatives from the Netherlands, Switzerland and Austria. The fair location in the centre of Germany and the easy accessibility once again proved to be a clear advantage. Arrival, attendance and departure on one day were without any problems for most visitors.
Focus on the basics
This year fair had approx. 100,000 sqm of space for exhibition and demonstration purposes, a definite up over the 40,000 sqm in the exhibition's first year. On the grounds in Storndorf exhibitors excavated, loaded, bulldozed and recycled; sheet pile walls were jogged and mounted and holes were bored. The demonstrations even included the building of sections of asphalt road. To put it briefly: Exhibitors did everything to convince construction specialists that the value of the exhibited equipment and machines was to be found in the proper outfittings and under the hood. Glossy and fancy finishes played a minor role - if any at all - in this kind of thoroughly honest and down-to-earth demonstration.
The exhibitors were asked to restrict demonstrations at their stands to the basics. The spartan atmosphere was very pleasant as it left out the show or hype that had nothing to do with the exhibited equipment. The only shows permitted were the machines themselves and the demonstrations.
Services companies and subcontractors, who had their stands in the exhibition halls, were equally popular. Surely the changeable weather contributed its share to the halls' popularity. According to the exhibitors, a number of the exhibition's visitors called on them with specific questions or problems, which arose from working in the field and everyday experience.
Both the organizers and exhibitors were equally surprised by the considerable number of sales contracts finalized in the course of the fair.
Exciting and full of ideas
The original core of the building equipment operator fair was initiated by the German entrepreneur Jürgen Stehr. Today that fair has grown to become the "bread-and-butter" fair for the civil engineering sector. Thanks to the multifaceted efforts by the fair's organizer VDBUM Service GmbH the fair has developed from being a regional event that attracts supra-regional attention to a national fair with European ambitions.
"Every kind of earth-moving, underground engineering and road construction machinery and equipment available on the market was represented at the fair in Storndorf," sums up Udo Kiesewalter, Managing Director at VDBUM Service GmbH the fair's success. With a view to the rain-swept first day of the fair he adds that "those who came with sturdy footwear were naturally better off than those without. However, at a fair of this kind exhibitors and visitors knew how to help themselves, whenever there seemed to be no way forward." The asphalting work scheduled and demonstrated daily provided a certain improvement with the completion of each construction phase.
Support from all sectors
Insiders know: Those who associate working with construction machinery more with excitement than exertion - and that includes most construction machine operators - seek information at events, where construction machinery plays an essential role. And if there is an opportunity to learn about new equipment whilst it is being demonstrated, e. g. in Storndorf, you can expect a hearty exchange. Months ahead of the venue users discuss the pending TiefbauLive in Internet chat forums and communities as well as form carpools. The first pictures of the fair were posted on the Internet long before the fair ended.
The local press reported on a further aspect of the fair. They attracted a completely different target group to the fair on Saturday's family day. Every day local politicians came to the fair and never forgot to promise the organizers their support for future trade fair venues.
It should not go unmentioned that the specialized trade press contributed its part to the success of the event by publicizing it in all specialist trade publications.
VDBUM Service Gmbh had hoped to get a bit more support from the exhibitors by advertising the fair amongst their customers more intensively. However in view of the post-fair business they probably just forgot their resolution. There will be enough opportunity to our shoulders to the wheel next year.
TiefbauLive next year
The organizers regard the fact that the exhibitors observed the targets given and refrained from setting up expensive trade fair pavilions or their own catering areas as a particular bonus. It goes to prove that the large and highly competitive machinery firms see excellent opportunities in this pristine form of product presentation. It is VDBUM Service GmbH stated goal to present TiefbauLive (May 29th - May 31st, 2008) in the German state of Hesse again next year.
The general approval of next year's timetable was quite vocal at the exhibitors' dinner, which included roast suckling pig savoured to the sounds of a wind ensemble.
Despite a difficult weather the fair earned itself best marks. The success of the fair was underscored by the fact that most exhibitors have promised to return next year. In addition other companies have shown great interest in next year's venue and contacted the organizers. VDBUM is currently expecting the number of exhibitors to grow by 30 to 40 percent next year.