INNOTRANS: Growing international participation helped drive a 19% growth in the number of trade visitors at this year's InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin. Well over half of the extra visitors came from abroad, with attendees from 30 more countries than at InnoTrans 2010.
'This year InnoTrans successfully represented itself as the world's leading rail transport trade fair and showcased an impressive number of products debuting on the global and European stage', said German federal transport minister, Peter Ramsauer. 'Rail markets have long since crossed national boundaries. In order to secure the industry's success an international exchange is of vital importance and InnoTrans is the ideal venue for that.'
InnoTrans is held every two years, and this was the ninth event. It attracted 126 110 trade visitors from 140 countries, with 2 515 companies from 49 countries exhibiting. The Career Point with its wall of job vacancies attracted much interest, while employers provided first hand information on recruitment.
Asian rolling stock manufacturers and sub-suppliers were present in force, highlighting their growing role in the global marketplace. The DB Suppliers' Forum and International Design Forum were well attended, and the InnoTrans Majlis was launched as a meeting place for the rail industry and visitors from the Middle East.
According to the organiser Messe Berlin, there were 104 world premieres. Deals which could total more than €1·8bn were concluded at the event, with the biggest being DB's framework agreement with Pesa for up to 470 diesel multiple-units potentially worth €1·2bn.
On the public open days, 19 081 visitors viewed the locomotives and rolling stock displayed on the outdoor tracks.
'InnoTrans is not a trade fair for placing orders in the traditional sense', said Ronald Pörner, General Manager of German rail industry association VDB. 'However, after holding many talks with decision-makers we are confident of good follow-up business.'
- The next InnoTrans will take place at Messe Berlin on September 23 to 26 2014.
- Add your photos of InnoTrans 2012 to the Flickr gallery.
- Read InnoTrans Daily, the newsletter produced for each day of InnoTrans.
