INNOFORM 2020 trade fair summary
On 3-5 March 2020, the Bydgoszcz Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre hosted the fourth edition of INNOFORM®, the only event of this kind in the tools and processing industry. This year's edition is sure to go down in history as the first and last industrial trade show to be held in Poland in 2020 before the country was put on epidemic alert.
Industry guests at INNOFORM®
This year, the event attracted 2627 guests; 285 companies showcased their portfolio. Despite the lower turnout caused by the SARS-Cov-2 epidemic, the trade show can be chalked up as a success. "On the opening day of INNOFORM®, there were still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Poland, but many of our foreign guests had decided to stay at home all the same. We are glad to say, however, that those who did show up were a strong group of potential business-minded clients for our exhibitors", says Beata Łoś, Project Manager. Despite the situation, some companies acquired a record number of new contacts. "This is our second time at INNOFORM®. This year, despite the coronavirus crisis, we have set a new record in terms of newly forged contacts. We knew some of the exhibitors quite well, but there are others we have never heard about even though they come from the same district. I believe it's worth coming to such trade shows, to meet up and talk. There is no substitute for direct contact. The trade show gives us an opportunity to ask about many important details that will affect our cooperation later on. It's also a chance to cement existing relations with our clients", summed up Bartłomiej Metler from LENSO Sp. z o.o.
Direct relations worth their price in gold
"Before INNOFORM®, we have never exhibited at a trade show in Poland. We decided to come here because there are many companies that we see as our potential clients in Bydgoszcz and its surroundings. I believe we took the right decision. We have held some very practical talks and I hope some of these will lead to future cooperation.", said Marcin Drozd, Regional Sales Director, XYZ MACHINE TOOLS. His words were echoed by Sebastian Raczkowski, Store Manager, CBT Polska Sp. z o.o: "This is now our third time at INNOFORM®. Last year's edition was very fruitful for our business. We forged many new contacts that we continue to work with to this day. This year, our booth was also visited by people with very concrete questions. The trade show is growing and I am sure we will exhibit here next year as well". The opportunity to build direct relations with clients was also appreciated by Robert Markiewicz, co-owner of NEW TECHNOLOGY Sp. z o.o. Bydgoszcz: "This is already our fourth time at INNOFORM®. We are from Bydgoszcz and form part of the Bydgoszcz Industrial Cluster. I think it would be a shame to have an event of this kind in your hometown and not take part. Bydgoszcz really needs an event like this. There are no random visitors here. Our guests are all industry colleagues who come to ask specific questions. This, I think, is the main asset of INNOFORM®"
An interesting agenda
The trade show was accompanied by two conferences: "ECO-POLYMERS Circular Economy in Polymer Processing" (organizer: Bydgoszcz Industrial Cluster) and "3D Printing in the Tools and Processing Industry" (organizer: CADXPERT). Over the three days of the trade show, visitors could see a special exhibition entitled "ECO-POLYMERS: The Second Life of Plastics", which showcased recycled products put back into use, as well as different items made from biodegradable materials. The trade show also featured another edition of the Cooperative Exchange, including more than 80 bilateral meetings with over 50 participants, all looking for or offering manufacturing tools and services. The scientific sector was also well represented and showcased new technologies and industrial software, as well as support and consulting solutions. Many topics under discussion concerned the current issues of environmental protection and recycling in the processing industry.
Skilled workers propel the industry
Exhibitors looking for staff were invited to check out the Career Zone, a place where entrepreneurs could post job ads and reach out to highly skilled candidates. As usual, the third day of the trade show was hailed as the Education Day: young people from various technical schools in the region were invited to take part in a guided tour to learn about the latest solutions in the tools industry, talk to potential future employers, find out about their expectations and discover job opportunities.