Working for Xylexpo 2014

“It’s not easy to carry on a strong exhibition project capable of attracting exhibitors and visitors. Especially in an economic period like the one that has characterized also our industry in recent years. But we are working even harder to make the next Xylexpo a concrete event, a reliable mirror of the market where all actors - from big industrial groups to small and medium businesses - can express their skills and potential, offering a uniquely exhaustive review to visitors".

This is the message launched by Dario Corbetta, deputy general manager at Acimall, at the first press conferences – during Holz in Baasel and Sicam in Pordenone – introducing Xylexpo 2014, the biennial international exhibition of woodworking technology and furniture industry supplies to be held from Tuesday 13 to Saturday 17 May next year, at the Milan exhibition center Fieramilano-Rho.

The meetings illustrated the roadmap leading to the event of next May to the industry press, starting from a set of economic remarks. “The industry is certainly not having its best season”, Corbetta said. “The wood and woodworking technology business cannot be safe from the general economic trends we all know. In 2012, business was basically stable on a global scale, though with big differences between each market. Despite some definitely “worrying” situations – I am referring to Italy and Spain – there is more liveliness in other world regions. First of all the United States, a destination market where, despite the latest news, our industry has recorded significant growth signals".

“Unfortunately, the early months of this year – Corbetta added – do not support more optimism: according to our analysis of available figures, there is a clearly negative trend. German export in the January-June period decreased by a bit less than 15 percent compared to the same period of 2012; while Italy lost 8 percent approximately. Such signals should not generate alarm, however they suggest to closely monitor the situation".

Just like two years ago, the “German May” did not bring clear signs of a trend reversal, especially for technology, so once again we are facing a season with alternate periods of greater optimism and entire weeks with very few incoming orders. Again, we hope that the “Italian May” will be the context when we finally see a long awaited change of direction.

Activities for next Xylexpo fit into this context, whereby the upcoming edition – like past ones– will use "pragmatism" as its strongest keyword.

Just a quick look at 2012 figures, when Milan welcomed 515 exhibitors (175 from abroad) on an exhibition area of 31 thousand square meter net; and 43 thousand visitors, 47 percent from abroad.

Booth allocation is starting soon: halls 1-3 will be dedicated to panel technology, the traditional “core” of Xylexpo. Solid wood processing will be staged in hall 2, while hall 4 will display everything that fits into the definition of “first operation”. On the whole, a 40 thousand square meter area, with one third covered by international exhibitors.

“For several months now – said Dario Corbetta, marketing manager of Xylexpo – we have been working to spread the message that our exhibition will be the ideal place to meet the widest offer, to compare solutions and to understand what the global technology industry can provide.

A strong message we are delivering to new and consolidated exhibitors first, but that we will start to spread also among visitors in a couple of weeks; visitors have always been a valuable resource for our exhibition, boasting very high rates of international attendance, around 50 percent”.

A major step is the launch of the new website www.xylepxo.com, with enhanced functionality to help visitors and exhibitors find all useful information even more easily. Strong online presence is also supported by dedicated Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels.

The show – the only one supported by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development and Eumabois, the European federation gathering thirteen national industry associations – will invite delegations of importers and operators from all over the world, with massive promotion supported by a partnership with the Ministry and Ice, the Italian foreign trade agency.

Xylexpo has already been introduced at several international events in 2013, including Fimma Brasil in Bento Goncalves, Ligna in Hanover, Fitecma in Buenos Aires, Awfs in Las Vegas, Fmc in Shanghai, Lisderevmash in Kiev, Woodworking in Minsk, Vietnamwood in Ho Chi Minh City and Wood Processing Machinery in Istanbul, Holz in Basel and Sicam in Pordenone.

In the last months of the year, the roadshow will continue with Wms in Toronto (24-26 October) and Woodex in Moscow (26-29 November), then in 2014 with Expopromueble in Mexico City (22-25 January) and Indiawood (21-25 February) in Bangalore.

Source: Xylexpo

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