Rapid take-up of space shows “right place, right time” of new trade fair

A new trade fair for tool, pattern and mould making, which has seen a rapid uptake of floor space by exhibitors, is happening in “the right place, at the right time”, according to its organisers.

Speaking at a press event ahead of the new Moulding Expo show, to be held in Stuttgart from 5-8 May this year, Ulrich Kromer von Baerle, President of Messe Stuttgart, said some 557 exhibitors were already registered for the inaugural event.

"The figures show that Moulding Expo is developing in the right place at the right time", Kromer von Baerle told delegates. "The registered companies have put their trust in us and, in doing so, responded the to question as to whether the market actually needs another trade fair for tool, pattern and mould making.”

Kromer von Baerle said that to this end, the fair would act as both an interface for small and medium sized exhibitors to reach new customers, as well as an opportunity to keep up with the pace of technological developments was crucial in sustaining the quality of manufactured tools, moulds or patterns.

Moulding Expo will feature a full range of technology - from dies for injection moulding and casting, and stamping and forming tools through to the latest developments in model making and prototype construction or additive manufacturing processes.

At the time of the press conference, the three allocated exhibition halls, 4, 6 and 8, had a confirmed 557 exhibitors and organisers said that they expected the available floor area – totalling 31,500 square metres – to be fully sold out by the beginning of May. "And what I am particularly pleased about", continued Kromer von Baerle, "is that about a third of all registrations come from the core area of industry, i.e. toolmakers or pattern and mould makers."

Kromer von Baerle said that Stuttgart was the “ideal site” for a new tool, pattern and mould making event, due to the nature of the industries in the area, however, he also said that the event would appeal to a wider, more international market. According to the figures, over 20 percent of registered companies come from abroad, the largest share filled by Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, France and the USA.

“Here in Stuttgart, we are in a motorcar cluster and moreover in one of the largest consumer goods markets in Europe. For this reason, there is a high density of tool, pattern and mould making companies in the south of Germany,” he explained. “However, its market goes well beyond state boundaries – in many cases into other European countries, too, and beyond.”

Messe Stuttgart says that partnering with the four major industry organisations; the German Tool and Mould Makers Association (VDWF); the Federal Association of Model and Mouldmaking (MF); the German Engineering Association (VDMA); and the German Machine Tool Builders' Association (VDW); is key to helping shape the Moulding Expo trade fair, helping achieve its vision of an event that is “from industry, for industry”.

When asked about visitor marketing and numbers, Kromer von Baerle said that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, but that the organisers were confident that together a “high quality” conference programme, as well as locating in close proximity to related events being held concurrently at the Stuttgart Messe, namely the ‘KSS’ and ‘Control’ trade fairs, would both encourage visitors and enrich their experience.

“We prepared this framework programme and many other special aspects during content-related discussions with the industry associations", explained Kromer von Baerle. "We are therefore working all the more intensively to ensure that the event primarily attracts plastics processors and sheet metal forming and punching companies from all states - i.e. those firms that the companies ultimately receive their orders from. That's because success will only be attained if exhibitors and visitors are satisfied in equal measure."

The Moulding Expo 2015 is taking place from 5th to 8th May 2015 at the Stuttgart trade fair site. It will be open from Tuesday to Thursday from 9am to 6pm, on Friday from 9am to 5pm.

Further information can be found at www.moulding-expo.de