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INTERVIEW THE EASYFAIRS ® MAINTENANCE TRADE SHOW <strong>EUROMAINTENANCE</strong> 2008 OFFERS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES TO TRADE SHOW The easyFairs ® MAINTENANCE trade show will exceptionally take place in Brussels Expo on 9-10 April 2008. Organised in combination with the European conference on industrial maintenance, Euromaintenance 2008, the trade show looks set to become a unique international platform for managers, decision makers, academics and other specialists in the area of industrial maintenance. Philippe Willegems, Country Manager Belgium and Helen Mortier, Sales & Event Manager of easyFairs explain why the 2008 edition offers such unique opportunities. n Philippe Willegems, Country Manager n Helen Mortier, Sales & Event Manager As already known within the sector, the EFNMS (European Federation of National Maintenance Societies) has decided to entrust the organisation of the 19th edition of Euromaintenance 2008 to Bemas, the Belgian maintenance association. The Euromaintenance conference is an ambitious threeday conference in the fi eld of production reliability and asset management, where international maintenance specialists will explore the latest trends and techniques in maintenance. For logistics support, Bemas called upon easyFairs, a rapidly growing trade show organiser that has both the expertise and the international structure - via its sales offi ces - to stage such a large-scale event. “With this synergetic cooperation we want to present the conference and the trade show as a unity to the outside world,” says Philippe Willegems, Country Manager Belgium of easyFairs, “and the large-scale approach has resulted in an event that is unique for Europe, offering both local and international companies a communication platform to present their services, products and systems to a professional audience. This international dimension is also the reason why the conference and the show Belgium: “easyFairs MAINTENANCE is not an image-driven trade show. Today’s exhibitors want to see results.” will exceptionally be organised at the Heysel in Brussels on 8, 9 and 10 April 2008. We take it this move will be a one-off operation, as Antwerp will remain our home base. The 2008 edition will therefore have a special character, featuring various foreign pavilions, such as Brazil, China, US and other foreign suppliers.” International dimension The question is, of course, whether the time is ripe for the organisation of a maintenance event on a European scale. Brussels, the ‘capital of Europe’, will host the event has a suffi cient international framework to ensure the accommodation of a large number of international visitors. On the other hand, the industry has become aware of the need for effi cient maintenance, and maintenance departments have become increasingly professionalised over the last two decades. Helen Mortier, Sales & Event Manager of easyFairs: “We are confi dent that the market will positively respond to Euromaintenance and the associated trade show. Belgium may be a small country, but the industrial maintenance sector has of easyFairs: “Our primary strength is our comprehensive programme which enables us to represent the entire maintenance sector. undergone a massive expansion in the past few years. This also implies that the show will not be focused exclusively on Belgian practices. A special pole of attraction will be the various foreign companies. Only in this way can we introduce interested visitors to European developments and market data related to maintenance management. This means that we have opted for an international and diverse programme. Drive maintenance, lubrication and sealing, control equipment maintenance, installation technique, contracting, diagnostic systems, measurement and control engineering, automation, mechanical engineering, maintenance management, tools, contract maintenance and industrial cleaning, MRO tools, maintenance software, building maintenance, subcontracting are just some of the elements of the extensive exhibition programme. Visitors who are looking for a specifi c application in their area of expertise will not be disappointed. And that is precisely what the organisers of the show had in mind, and in which, in our opinion, they have also succeeded. It is up to the exhibitors and the visitors to prove it”. Euromaintenance Journal, January 2008 39