EPMT
As the doors close on the 2013 edition of the EPHJ-EPMT-SMT Trade Fair, the organisers assess the event as a great success. “There was a warm atmosphere despite the increase in numbers of both exhibitors and visitors. This shows that each exhibitor felt at home at our Trade Fair, which for us is essential,” said Olivier Saenger and André Colard, the Trade Fair’s co-founders.
With a total of 18,259 entries, a 26% increase compared to the last edition, the Trade Fair has further consolidated its reputation in Switzerland and abroad, and has given additional visibility to the subcontracting industry. “Our presence at Palexpo Geneva, one of Europe’s renowned exhibition centres, coupled with the backing of our economic and political partners, has enabled us to put this key sector of the Swiss economy even more firmly in the spotlight. Every measure was taken to help our exhibitors capitalise on business opportunities, which increased this year thanks to the even higher quality of our visitors,” stated André Colard, co-founder of the Trade Fair.
Interactions were further facilitated through a range of daily roundtables and talks, which brought exhibitors and visitors together in a setting highly propitious to discussion. Under the themes of training, creativity and synergies, specialists from a variety of backgrounds came together to focus on the challenges currently facing the profession. “Training and the next generation of workers in the subcontracting industry are vital topics for us, and we organised this survey, which has garnered
substantial attention in the media, in the hope that the issue of training will now be addressed in a fully informed manner,” explains André Colard.
The second edition of the Exhibitors’ Grand Prix was awarded to Philippe Crevoisier, CEO of Crevoisier SA, a company based in the Jura region and specializing in robotics and high-precision machines. The company, hailed by its peers and by the selection committee for its innovative spirit and contribution to the industry’s reputation, also distinguished itself by launching several new products, including a world first, the POLIcapture robot, which carries out polishing without programming. Close behind came MPS from Bienne and Masset SA from the canton of Vaud, which also won awards for their know-how and originality.
The next edition of EPHJ-EPMT-SMT will take place from 17 to 20 June 2014. Most of the 2013 exhibitors have already confirmed their attendance in 2014. This is great news for the organizers, whose goal has always been to support this dynamic, rapidly-growing sector.
