METS outgrowing its venue

AMSTERDAM – The Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS), a trade exhibition of marine equipment and accessories for pleasure craft and small commercial craft that took place November 16-18, has had the most successful year in its history, with 940 exhibitors and 15,147 visitors, reported Amsterdam RAI, the organizer of METS, in a statement today.

As a result, METS has become too large for its present home and therefore will be moved to the larger Europa complex of Amsterdam RAI in 2005. As a result, an extra 8,000 square meters will be available. This will not only provide more opportunities for new exhibitors and more space for existing exhibitors but also allow new activities to be organized, according to Amsterdam RAI. METS 2005 will be held November 15-17. .

As last year’s show had 914 exhibitors, this year’s figure of 940 exhibitors represents a growth rate of almost 3 percent, organizers stated.

As the 2003 METS was held at the same time as Europort, the number of visitors this year was slightly lower than last year (15,147 in 2004 compared with 16,155 in 2003), reported organizers. In comparison with 2002 (the edition without Europort), however, the number of visitors has grown by over 16 percent, from 12,985 in 2002 to 15,147 this year.

‘The continuing growth and enthusiastic comments about the show which I have heard in the exhibition halls in recent days give us every confidence in the future of METS,” said Ids Boersma, International Exhibitions director of Amsterdam RAI. “The move to the larger exhibition halls will be quite exciting for everyone. But it is also essential and I am convinced that we will be able to lay on an even better event for the industry.”

The immediate reactions of the exhibitors and visitors to the show were extremely positive, according to Amsterdam RAI.

‘The people come in waves,” observed Bob Selig, CEO of Davis Instruments, “but at the end of the day, we see whom we need to see. Certainly we’ve seen all our big customers and met many new ones, too. I always walk out feeling really good after this show.”

Stainless steel nautical component manufacturer SCM from Italy has been an exhibitor at METS from the very start.

“This is definitely an international show,” according to the company’s sales manager, Umberto Giunta. “We were recently at IBEX and found that only boat builders from the U.S. came to the show. Here I’ve talked to people from Australia, the U.S. and Asia.”

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