CPT International 02/2019

“Germany is a trade fair country with a high
level of quality. GIFA is high quality because
all foundry decision-makers attend!“
It‘s always about products: GIFA-President
Heinz Nelissen, Managing Director of
Vesuvius, in the local company in Borken
“A veritable explosion
of innovations”
Heinz Nelissen is expecting a “veritable explosion of innovations” at the trade-fair
quartet of GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST (GMTN, also known as the
Bright World of Metals). The President of GIFA and NEWCAST explains in an interview
what makes the trade fair so enormously valuable for exhibitors and visitors, and how
the sector can attract new talent.
Photo: BDG/Vogt
Let’s start with what is, in effect, a
never-ending topical subject: what is
your view about Brexit?
One has to say that the elemental anxiety
that economic life as we know it
will collapse completely is long past.
This will evidently not happen. How
Brexit is developing, however, is
annoying because it is simply unnerving.
One would have wished to have
had a concrete and dependable date.
The twenty-ninth of March has passed
– and now? I hope for a reasonable
settlement and the prevention of
customs duties.
Big plans: Heinz Nelissen (middle) shows CPT editors Robert Piterek (left) and Martin Vogt,
what is planned for the trade fair quartet.
At least GIFA has a concrete date at
the end of June. What can you tell us
about it?
GIFA and NEWCAST seamlessly pick up
from their successful predecessors in
2015. Both trade fairs are superbly
booked up; the world market leaders
are represented, as are the SMEs. Overall,
at all four trade fairs of the quartet,
the Bright World of Metals will
again break the threshold of 2,000
exhibitors: more than 2,100 companies
are expected from all over the world.
The international range of visitors is
correspondingly large: we expect – not
least thanks to our extensive marketing
measures – about 78,000 visitors
from Europe and overseas.
The economy is deteriorating. Could it
affect this year’s GIFA?
The exhibitors have largely completed
their planning for the trade fair, the
stands have been firmly booked, and
the innovations intended for GIFA have
been developed and made suitable for
trade fair presentation in collaboration
with the customers. We come from two
years of excellent production figures,
from a clear boom phase. We had several
thriving years in the non-ferrous
and iron foundries. Now we face a
Photos: Martin Scheidtmann, BDG/Vogt
CASTING PLANT & TECHNOLOGY 2/2019 35