Fastener Fair Stuttgart: The ‘must attend’ event
15 December 2016
Fastener Fair Stuttgart has established itself as the leading event in the fastener and fixing industry – bringing together the international market every two years for three days of intense business.
With the seventh edition of the show scheduled for 28th – 30th March 2017, we spoke to Liljana Goszdziewski, show director of Fastener Fair Stuttgart – on behalf of organisers Mack Brooks Exhibitions, to get an insight into what visitors can expect during the show.
Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2015 was a record breaking event. How will Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2017 raise the bar further?
“Fastener Fair Stuttgart has indeed strongly grown, in particular over the past three events. Of course the increase in floor space and in exhibitor as well as visitor numbers, reflect the economic situation of the industry sector, which has been continuously picking up after the worldwide financial crisis in 2008. But as the organisers of Fastener Fair Stuttgart we have also implemented some organisational improvements since we acquired the exhibition. We have in particular invested in targeted worldwide marketing and PR campaigns to make fastener and fixing specialists aware about this fantastic trade event. For us it is important to focus on the clear profile of the show that is primarily aimed at manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors and suppliers – with a target audience of distributors, suppliers, engineers and other industry professionals who source and trade fasteners and fixings. To deliver a highly valuable event for exhibitors and visitors is, therefore, more important to us than to set targets for record numbers.”
What is the breakdown of exhibitors at the show and do you feel this is a true representation of the industry?
“Half a year ahead of the show we have already registered some 750 exhibitors for Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2017. Major exhibitor countries from Europe have already booked around 79% of stand space at the show. The main countries are Germany, Italy, Turkey, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands and France; with Germany being the biggest exhibitor country. Asian companies, once again, come mainly from China, Taiwan and India.”
With so many exhibitors and only three days of the show, how would you suggest visitors ensure they get the most from their visit?
“We offer a series of valuable tools to plan the visit to Fastener Fair Stuttgart, such as the comprehensive Show Preview and a regularly updated exhibitor list including key information about the exhibitors. One of the most useful tools is our Exhibitor & Product Search, which offers visitors the option to create their personalised Exhibitor List and corresponding floor plan by selecting the product categories they are interested in. With time being a major factor for every business person, nowadays most of the visitors arrange meetings before they travel to Stuttgart and thus use the time at the show in the most efficient way.
Online registration at a reduced price will be available in the run-up to the show to save money and time at the entrance. A big advantage of Fastener Fair Stuttgart is its excellent infrastructure. The exhibition centre is well connected and easy to reach by car and public transport. The international airport is only a five minute walk from the exhibition centre.”
The show has previously taken place in Halls 4, 6 and 8. Why was the decision made to move to Halls 1, 3 and 5 on the opposite side of the exhibition centre?
“In the last couple of years Fastener Fair Stuttgart has grown significantly and there was no more stand space available in Halls 4, 6 and 8. Therefore, it was a strategic decision to move to Halls 1, 3 and 5 in order to grow the exhibition further and offer more stand space to exhibitors who would like to take part in the show.
The new layout of the exhibition offers a further advantage with regards to a more efficient visit to the show. Halls 1, 3 and 5 are even closer together than the halls we used in previous years. Although the show will probably, once again, be bigger than the previous event, the coming exhibition has a more compact layout with Hall 1 being directly located at the entrance area and a close connection to Halls 3 and 5.”
With so many different exhibitions now in the industry calendar why should visitors attend Fastener Fair Stuttgart?
“Fastener Fair Stuttgart has established itself as the number one event for the fastener and fixing industry. All key players in the sector as well as major suppliers, distributors and engineers participate at this event. With its location in one of Europe’s key hubs for industry production, such as the engineering industry and the automotive industry and its suppliers, the exhibition serves as a barometer for major trends. Of course there is a wide choice of industry events for the fastener and fixing industry, which is positive as it reflects the importance of the sector. But if someone only wants to visit one event to meet the entire industry in one place, it’s definitely Fastener Fair Stuttgart they must attend.”
Do you think that exhibitions still have a role to play in markets, with demands on businesses becoming greater and time ‘out of the office’ at a premium?
“The growing success of an exhibition such as Fastener Fair Stuttgart shows exhibitions haven’t lost their attraction despite the growth of the internet and time constraints. The reason for this is pretty clear. Especially in an industry sector that is mainly based on trading, face-to-face contact between people and the need to build trustworthy relationships and international networks is crucial. As a leading industry event bringing some 800 exhibitors and more than 10,000 visitors together, Fastener Fair Stuttgart offers a key platform for direct business contacts on a global scale.”
For those companies interested, is there still an opportunity to exhibit at Fastener Fair Stuttgart?
“Although we currently have more floor space booked than for the previous event, the new hall layout offers the possibility for additional floor space. Companies interested in exhibiting at Fastener Fair Stuttgart 2017 can, therefore, still contact us for a stand offer. However, we recommend to reserve quickly, as we have a continued high demand for stand space.”