“Following the success of the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf with its sensible and effective hygiene rules – compliments to our fellow organisers there! – we are more than confident that we, too, will be able to make a resounding success of METAV 2020 reloaded,” says Dr Wilfried Schäfer, Executive Director of the METAV organiser VDW (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) in Frankfurt am Main. The event has had to be postponed from March 2020 to March 2021 due to the corona pandemic. It will now take place from 23 to 26 March in Halls 5, 6 and 7a.
“The halls are fully booked because METAV 2020 reloaded represents the first major machining trade fair in Germany for over a year. The exhibitors are eagerly awaiting this opportunity to reconnect in person with their customers,” Schäfer continues. The fact that METAV 2020 reloaded is mainly aimed at the German market considerably raises the event’s prospects of success. “90 per cent of the visitors at the last event were from Germany,” says Schäfer. “As we saw with the Caravan Salon, visitors will be able to plan with confidence and can accurately assess the situation in Düsseldorf – and they won’t have to worry about international travel warnings.”
More than 400 METAV 2020 exhibitors from 25 countries have remained loyal to the event and have already decided to attend in 2021. They will, however, have to make use of different halls at the Düsseldorf exhibition centre to the ones originally planned. “The great advantage of this is that we can now completely restructure the fair to ensure that our hygiene and infection protection system meets all the official requirements,” says Martin Göbel, Head of Trade Fairs at the VDW. The system is based on the Protection Concept of Messe Düsseldorf, which was successfully tested at the Caravan Salon. This involves the exclusive sale of online tickets, which avoids waiting times at the counters and any need to handle cash. In addition, visitor numbers will be carefully controlled throughout the event. An upper limit is defined for each day. The halls themselves feature wider aisles and a guiding system similar to that used in road traffic. This will ensure that minimum distances can be maintained. The air in the halls is regularly exchanged, thereby guaranteeing fresh air at all times. There will also be a large number of other safety stipulations concerning the wearing of face coverings, behaviour in the restaurant, entering and leaving the trade fair, and much else besides. “We are convinced that this system will allow us to offer visitors, exhibitors and employees the best possible protection,” says Göbel.
Daniel Setka, Head of Marketing at J.G. Weisser Söhne GmbH in St. Georgen, is looking forward to METAV 2020 reloaded: “So many trade fairs have had to be cancelled due to the corona pandemic. This makes us all the more excited by the prospect of reconnecting with our customers and other interested parties in person. It’s time for the trade fairs to resume their roles as sources of inspiration and meeting platforms. METAV offers a fantastic basis for presenting our products and solutions to a broad range of specialist trade visitors. The METAV visitors and the discussions held at the event are always of the highest calibre.”
Christian Thiele, Head of Communications at Paul Horn GmbH in Tübingen, shares the optimism: “The first trade fairs and events to have been held since the start of the corona pandemic have shown that it is once again possible to hold successful face-to-face events – with an effective set of hygiene rules and reasonable restrictions. The best solutions are always arrived at in face-to-face meetings – and this is exactly where trade fairs will continue to score highly in the future. It’s also why we’re so delighted by the positive signals we’re receiving from customers intending to come to Düsseldorf. I am convinced that METAV 2020 reloaded will offer a safe and responsible platform where visitors and exhibitors alike can discuss business and achieve the best possible results together.”
The METAV 2020 reloaded supporting programme will address topics such as digitalisation, automation, start-ups and umati-based interface communication. Upcoming trends that are currently still in the pipeline will also be discussed.
METAV Web Sessions as preparation for the trade fair
In the run-up to METAV 2020 reloaded, the VDW will be holding monthly “Theme Days” in the form of the METAV Web Sessions. The Software Theme Days on 6 and 7 October will be the first in the series. The Theme Days offer METAV exhibitors an ideal showcase for their products and solutions in the run-up to the March event and for arousing the curiosity of trade visitors. The METAV Web Sessions will also give visitors, for their part, an opportunity to prepare their time at the trade fair in a much more targeted manner. They can air their specific questions and problems in advance in the chat sessions, before discussing them in person at the trade fair.
Background METAV 2020 reloaded in Düsseldorf
METAV 2020 – 21st International Trade Fair for Metalworking Technologies has had to be postponed by one year due to the corona pandemic. METAV 2020 reloaded will take place from 23 to 26 March 2021. It displays the full spectrum of manufacturing technology. The focus is on machine tools, manufacturing systems, precision tools, automated material flows, computer technology, industrial electronics and accessories. Added to this are new topics such as Moulding, Medical, Additive Manufacturing and Quality. They are firmly established in so-called Areas in the METAV exhibition programme, each with its own nomenclature. The target group of METAV visitors includes all branches of industry that process metals, in particular mechanical and plant engineering, the automotive and supply industry, the aerospace sector, the electrical industry, energy and medical technology, tool and mould making as well as metalworking and trades.
