elcomUkraine 2009 brilliantly passes crisis-test
Exhibitors praise quality of contacts and positive outlook for business
Germany with strong performance as Guest of Honour 2009
Premiere for France
“Satisfied” and even “very satisfied”, these were the exhibitors’ comments on this year’s elcomUkraine, the 13th International Power and Electrical Engineering, Energy Efficiency and Industrial Automation Trade Fair. The event took place at the KievExpoPlaza from April 6 to 9.
One of the main reasons: despite decreased exhibitor numbers of about one third to 283 exhibitors from 15 countries, some 10,411 trade visitors were registered, just about one fourth down compared to last year.
Also the exhibitors’ survey compiled by the organizers, the German trade fair specialists, fairtrade, and the Ukrainian leader in technology exhibitions, Euroindex, showed positive results, especially concerning the quality of the business contacts and the positive outlook on business.
As Guest of Honour 2009, Germany left a heavy footprint with an important presentation, sponsored by the German Ministry of Economics and Technology in cooperation with the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA) and supported by ZVEI - the German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association.
In addition to the official German pavilion featuring 15 German medium-sized leaders in electro-technology, the “German-Ukrainian Energy Efficiency Conference” was held on April 7. This conference had been organized by ZVEI – The German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association, the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Ukraine and the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations.
Here, renown speakers of ABB, Benning, Dehn + Söhne, GTZ, Interpont, KfW, MWM/Deutz, OBO Bettermann, Theben and Wago presented energy efficient technologies and solutions „made in Germany“ including examples of “best-practice”. Participants included more than 150 representatives of Ukrainian enterprises and institutions active in the field of energy efficiency.
“I am proud that Germany had been chosen as Guest of Honour of this year’s elcomUkraine by the trade fair organizers Euroindex and fairtrade”, outlined Andreas Bettermann, head of the official German delegation in his welcoming address. “In 2008, German exports of electro-technical products to Ukraine have reached 1 billion EUR, with strong growth rates in automation, energy technology, lighting technology, consumer electronics and electro-medical technology. Meanwhile also the imports of electro-technology from Ukraine to Germany have increased by 14 % up to more than 213 million EUR. elcomUkraine is the hub for the electro-technical industry in Ukraine and the leading event for this sector in the region.”
Other official national pavilions had been organised by France and Turkey. Whereas Germany and Turkey had renewed their participation, it was a premiere for France. The French pavilion and the B2B between French and Ukrainian business professionals had been organised by ubifrance, the French Agency for International Business Development, in cooperation with the French Embassy in Kiev.
As exports to Ukraine and neighbouring Eastern European countries will soon increase again, elcomUkraine - The International Power and Electrical Engineering, Energy Efficiency and Industrial Automation Trade Fair - becomes ever more important. It is here where decision makers from the industry, technology leaders and trade meet to network and to do business.
This year’s motto “Stay tuned with current business trends!” underlined the importance of elcomUkraine 09 as the most significant branch indicator of the electro-technology industry in Ukraine, especially in difficult times.
The financial and economical crisis has severely hit the Eastern European countries. On the medium and the long run, however, these markets are becoming ever more attractive.
With an amount of 196 TWH of electric power generation in 2007, Ukraine ranks 12th on a global scale. Because of aged technologies, the country suffers from a level of power consumption twice as high as in Germany, for instance. These facts already demonstrate the enormous potential of the Ukrainian market for suppliers of energy-efficient solutions and equipment.
