Annual report 2001 - GL events

3
Information regarding Générale Location’s activity,
recent development and future prospects
32 33
3-1
General presentation of the activity :
Europe’s leading provider in enginering and logistics for
the organization of shows and events, Générale
Location operates in the market of communication by
event.
This business is part of a particular sector of the market
of communication, which is divided into two sectors :
● Shows and exhibitions,
● Events.
The first sector regroups on one hand fair type events
dedicated to the general public and on the other hand
numerous trade shows which aim at getting together
players of a specific economic sector : building, hotel,
textile, food industries, etc.. on a regular basis.
Events of the second sector are centered on a specific
happening which gathers economic players of various
horizons around a single theme during a limited time
period. These events are mostly sportive, cultural,
institutional (anniversary celebrations, national holidays,…),
politcal events (G7, Summits of the Heads of State), or
corporate events (launching of a new product, seminars, …).
The main economic players can be divided into four
categories as follows :
Organizers
Corporations :
Exhibitors at shows
Sponsors (at events)
Venue management
Service providers
Générale Location provides both services and venues for rent.
3-2
Development history :
1978 – 1984
Creation by Olivier Ginon and three partners (Gilles
Gouedard-Comte, Jacques Danger and Olivier Roux) of a
service company in Lyon set up as a limited liability
company and under the name of POLYGONE SERVICES.
First installation of a computer show in the Part-Dieu
shopping center in Lyon.
Signatures of major national contracts, particularly with
exhibition centers and trade groups (Infora, Europack,
Première Vision).