Over 90% of the floor-space available at FERROFORMA has already been taken, with 350 exhibitors from 25 countries having confirmed their participation in the event.  The registration of foreign firms is already greater than in 2013, with firms from Germany, Denmark, Slovenia, France, Hungary, India, Ireland, Portugal, the UK, Russia, Sweden and Turkey, among other countries. The new strategic format of the event and the upturn in the economy and in industrial output have provided a firm foundation for the reactivation of trade.

With the reinforcement that this context gives, the campaign to attract visitors to FERROFORMA is also garnering good results.  Hardware distributors and industrial suppliers from 29 countries have confirmed their attendance, including representatives of Colombia, Mexico and Peru in Latin America, Germany, Austria, France, Portugal, the UK and Switzerland in Europe, Arab countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and also the USA and Canada.  The commercial team are also concluding deals for the attendance of purchasers from firms in a further 21 countries. 

On the domestic front the main groups of purchasers, cooperatives and DIY superstores will all be attending FERROFORMA, having cooperated actively on promotional campaigns in recent months:  ADEFEC XXI, ADFB, AFM, ASEMACO, ASIDE, BIGMAT, BRICOGROUP, BRICOKING, BRICOMART, BRICORAMA, CECOFERSA, COANFE, COFEDAS, COFERDROZA, COINFER, COMAFE,COARCO, FEASGA, FERBRIC, FERRISERVI, GREMI DE COMERCIANTS DE FERRETERIA DE CATALUNYA, GRUPO CERRAJERO, GRUPO GCI, GRUPO GESIN, LAS RIAS, LEROY MERLIN, NCC, NEXO 05, PROFER, PYMETAL, QF+, SYNERGAS, UCAF, UCES and UNIFERSA.
B2B MEETINGS AT THE HEART OF THE PROGRAMME

For the first time, FERROFORMA is to offer a programme of private B2B meetings between exhibitors and foreign purchasers and VIP visitors. The B2B format has proved highly profitable and effective, thanks to painstaking preliminary work carried out in compiling and cross-referencing data, inviting major purchasers and selectively programming meetings.  These meetings are scheduled to tale place in Hall 1 on the mornings of May 26-28.

At the draft programme stage the seminars planned include “The future of sales” (concerned with digital marketing), “Best practices in e-commerce”, a presentation on “Safety in explosive environments and cases of falling objects and tools” plus “Locksmith’s day”.  FERROFORMA participants may also attend the seminars on Additive Manufacturing organised at the Subcontratación trade-show, which will analyse issues such as the development of large-scale components and the presentation of technologies in this field.

There will also be a Special Areas section for demonstrations and live activities in the Home area, where the exhibitors will have mock-ups of a garden, a bathroom, a bedroom and a kitchen. The Inventors’ Club will also once again be showing off the latest innovations in hardware and DIY in a showroom where they will be seeking partners with whom to launch their products on the market. In 2013 this gave rise to some interesting results.  

Finally, FERROFORMA has once again convened its Innovation & Design Contest to find the most innovative product in the categories of hardware, DIY and industrial supplies, and the best exhibitor.  The deadline for registration as candidates is April 19. 

SYNERGIES BETWEEN SECTORS: A KEY DISTINGUISHING FEATURE

The fact that FERROFORMA is to be held concurrently with four more trade shows devoted to industrial products, technologies and services creates synergies between sectors that are one of its key distinguishing features.  The sum of FERROFORMA, SUBCONTRATACIÓN, PUMPS&VALVES, MAINTENANCE and FITMAQ will create new opportunities at many levels and will enable participants to contact new customers, identify needs in new markets and interact with leading players in the world of industry. 

The presence of trade-level product users from major industries - one of the key strategic factors at FERROFORMA for this year – is guaranteed: the firms that have already confirmed that they will be sending representatives to the event include Acciona Agua, Air Liquide, Alstom, Babcock Wanson, Bahía de Bizkaia Gas y Electricidad, Bosch Rexroth, Bridgestone Hispania, BSH Electrodomésticos, Cie Automotive, Degremont, Enagas, Fagor Arrasate, Ferrovial Servicios, Gas Natural Fenosa, Gestamp, Iberdrola, Idom, ITP, Lloyd's Register, Nervacero, Nissan, Nuclenor Renault, Petronor, Praxair, RENFE Fabricación y Mantenimiento, Repsol, Sandvik, Sener, Siemens, Tamoin, Tubacex and Tubos Reunidos at the Pumps&Valves and Maintenance events.

For its part the list of leading firms signed up for the Subcontratación fair includes ABB, Acerinox, AciturriMetallicParts, ADIF - Administrador de Infraestructuras Ferroviarias, Aena, Aernnova Aerospace, Airbus, Arcelor Mittal, Astilleros Balenciaga, Astilleros Zamakona, Bimbo, Bombardier Transportation Spain, CAF - Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, Danobat, S.Coop., Fagor, FCC, Gamesa, Gerdau Europa, Grifols, Grupo TTT, Hipermercados E.Leclerc, Indra, Ingeteam, Mercedes-Benz España-Daimler Chrysler, Metro Bilbao, Michelín, Navantia-Sistemas, Ona Electro Erosión, Patentes Talgo, Petróleos del Norte, PSA Peugeot Citroen – Research & Advanced Engineering, Smac Aerospace, Valeo Powertrain Electrical Systems and Zodiac Aerotechnic Aircraft Systems.

The exhibitors at these events are sure to be of interest also to those taking part in FERROFORMA.  The main company profiles include subcontracting firms, workshops and SMEs working in machining, moulds, workpiece processing, casting and surface treatment, all of which are users of the products on show at FERROFORMA. 

Dept. of Communication, 20.04.15