Critical limit reached
The security trade show in Zurich-Oerlikon is struggling with declining exhibitor and visitor numbers. What's next for the platform?
Heinz Salzgeber, Exhibition Manager, Exhibit& More AG speaks of a mixed balance after the four-day Safety event. Exhibit & More has already communicated in advance of the event that some large companies will not participate. Salzgeber attributes the declining numbers, among other things, to takeovers and mergers in recent years; in addition, certain companies have simply disappeared from the security market. All this has had a negative impact on the event. However, the exhibition manager also emphasized that the company was aware that it would have to change something in the future.
Many new exhibitors
Around 40 new exhibitors from a total of 143 companies (2013: 224 / 2015: 194) is an extremely good result. Salzgeber explains that these new exhibitors also included companies that had not participated in 2015, for example, but had participated in previous years. Nevertheless, an estimated 25 to 30 companies actually exhibited their products and services at the security fair for the first time.
Quality still good, but ...
A first statement of the associations and also of the exhibitors shows that the quality of the platform with the many decision makers among the visitors can still be described as very good. Nevertheless, he had to make a "but", because a critical limit had been reached. Therefore, urgent action is required.
Ask Heinz Salzgeber about a 2019 safety trade show and he clearly states, "The date is set, it's week 46."
Exhibit & More will release detailed safety 2017 attendance figures and a survey result on Tuesday.
