METSTRADE sets sail for success

At the time of going to press, RAI Amsterdam, organisers of the METSTRADE Show says it has already sold 92% of the floor space available for the 30th edition of the show. And its three dedicated pavilions for the superyacht, construction & materials and marina sectors are also growing exponentially.

“We already know that we will be welcoming well over 120 new exhibitors in November, following the trend of previous years,” commented Irene Dros, manager Maritime at RAI Amsterdam. “While the high booking figures – around 1,500 exhibitors from around the world – illustrates the incredible loyalty to the METSTRADE Show and what it means to the maritime industry as a whole, the number of new participants showcases how our brand is inspiring the next generation of companies too.”

Examples of first-time exhibitors come from across the maritime spectrum and include Airwave Marine and Velcron Oy at METSRADE, Neptune, Dornbracht, Viking Recruitment & Maritime Skills Academy in the SuperYacht Pavilion, Orsta Breakwater and VIS srl in the Marina & Yard Pavilion, and Toubois and Prodim in the Construction & Material Pavilion.

An all-new feature at the 30th edition will be the Electric & Hybrid Showcase, a custom-designed boulevard that will focus on ways to implement these innovative forms of propulsion in the boat building process. Meanwhile, the SuperYacht Pavilion (SYP), is almost fully booked. Even with the strict guidelines for participating in this dedicated area of the show, the upward trend of previous years is continuing in 2017, with only two stand locations left. The inspiring success of the US area at METSTRADE 2016 looks set to be repeated, while the German and Italian sections of the SYP will also be bigger.

Growing interest in composites

In a similar vein, only a few stands remain available in the Construction & Material Pavilion (CMP), which will be 10% larger than last year, the maximum capacity for its current location in the Elicium building. This area of the METSTRADE Show is clearly gaining more and more attention, including a growing interest in composites and alternatives for the traditional raw materials used in building boats. The Material Xperience On Tour, a comprehensive showcase of raw materials, will reinforce the prominent role of sustainability, and again be organised by Materia, the global platform for innovative materials.

After enjoying a successful move to Hall 5 last year, the Marina & Yard Pavilion (MYP) will benefit from a smart diagonal set-up with its own catering area. This arrangement offers the MYP the ability to grow further after its sell-out performance last year.

Having already expanded its floor space significantly last year, the METSTRADE Show will continue to grow in terms of both size and facilities at its jubilee edition. METSTRADE 2017 will also feature a fourth entrance to ensure a smooth visitor flow, both at the entrances and around the show floor.

With the DAME Design Award and Boat Builder Awards presentations, along with the Innovation Stage for companies who want to share their innovations returning to Hall 6 this year, the 15,000 expected visitors can expect to find the ideal blend of new and familiar features to enhance their business throughout the show. And there will also be a festive atmosphere with plenty of room given to celebrating 30 years of METSTRADE at various locations and times.

www.METSTRADE.com