202 exhibitors enthral 5,736 trade visitors / Iranian business world appreciates ‘Made in Germany’


The AMB Iran 2017 has surpassed all expectations. 5,736 trade visitors (2016: 2,027) mingled with 202 exhibitors (2016: 111) at the joint event by Messe Stuttgart and the German Machine Tool Builders’ Association (VDW) from 23 – 26 May 2017 at the Shahr-e-Aftab Exhibition Centre in Tehran.
Ulrich Kromer, President of Messe Stuttgart, is delighted: “The 2017 AMB Iran was a huge success for all concerned. The stands were thronged with visitors every day and a palpable atmosphere of confidence prevailed in the hall.” Dr. Schäfer, VDW Managing Director summarises: “The crowds of visitors at the joint German stand and intensive discussions with visitors bodes very well for the near future. The popularity of the forum programme also reflects the lively interest in our technologies.”
 
The exhibitors came from 17 countries (2016: 12) to renew existing customer contacts and tap into new customer groups in Iran. The presence of 42 Iranian exhibitors shows that the AMB Iran is also a very good platform for the domestic market. Germany topped the participation figures with 88 exhibitors, followed by Iran (42), Italy (27), China (12), Switzerland (7), France (5) and Spain (4).
 
Very high quality of trade visitors
 
The quality of trade visitors was very impressive, many exhibitors reported very well informed visitors and specific inquiries. 86 percent of visitors were from industry, mainly the automotive sector (23 %), component suppliers (14 %), general mechanical engineering (11 %) and tool construction and mouldmaking (11 %). 30 percent of trade fair visitors came from further afield than 300 km, from industry centres like Isfahan or Tabriz. A clear indication that the AMB Iran has attracted nationwide attention.
 
The main reasons for visitors attending the fair included gathering information about current technologies in the machine tool, automation, measurement engineering sectors and to close business deals. Visitors spent an average of 4.1 hours at the trade fair with 96 percent involved in buying decisions. 95 percent of visitors aim to visit the AMB Iran again and 94 percent are confident that the trade fair will become even more important.
 
Very good reception for Automation Iran dedicated area
 
The Automation Iran dedicated area confirmed the relevance of this topic in Iranian industry. 21% of visitors said that they had come specially for information about automation.
 
Ali Tadayonei, Managing Director of Azarbijan Machine Tools confirms this: “The focus on machine tools is undoubtedly the reason for the fair’s success. This attracted the right visitors who came to our stand with a specific purpose in mind.”
 
Iranian partners impressed by AMB Iran
The AMB Iran was opened by the Iranian Minister of Industry, Mining and Trade Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh as the first non-governmental trade fair; a clear signal of the event’s importance for the Iranian economy.
Strategic partner IDRO (Industrial Development & Renovation Organization of Iran) is also impressed with the AMB Iran. Fardad Daliri, Vice-President Investment Development, reports: “The AMB Iran is an important trade fair and machine tools and automation are particularly interesting for Iran’s highly diversified industry. I took part in promising meetings and discussions; we have high hopes of cooperation between international companies and Iran, and I can see major opportunities especially in the automotive, energy, power station and rail sectors.”
Younes Akbarpour Paydar from the Tabriz Auto parts and Machine Manufacturers Association (TAMMA) emphasises the good conditions for investment in Iran: “We must redouble our efforts in the upcoming years to close the gap of the past 15 years. So the time is ripe for active engagement in Iran. We are well situated with good connections to Asia and Europe; we have a well trained workforce, lower wage rates than in the EU, and a strong local market.”
The next AMB Iran will be held from 26 – 29 June 2018.