BITEC, 19-22 November 2009

Over the past 23 years, Metalex has grown into ASEAN’s largest exhibition and conference devoted to machine tools and metalworking technologies, and a must-attend show for international companies looking to expand their business into this part of the world.

Among UK engineering companies looking to move into the region, for instance, Metalex is well regarded as offering plenty of business and networking opportunities, according to Karen Finegold, Executive Director of the Engineering Industries Association, organiser of the UK Pavilion for the past 7 years.

“It is a very diverse show for machine tools and attracts many companies from within the region, offering poten-tial in Thailand’s large manufacturing sector and neighboring countries.” Ms. Finegold also uses Metalex to network with Thai and regional businesses in order to gain useful contacts for her association members.

The size and quality of the show, together with its long-standing reputation as a market leader in Asia, means Metalex is easy to sell for organiser Reed Tradex. Particularly with assistance from parent company Reed Exhi-bitions’ 63 offices around the world to promote the event.

Among the many streams to promote Metalex 2009, Reed Tradex organised road shows to China, Singapore and Vietnam, visiting key associations and arranging press conferences to reach the right industries and metal-working players. As a result the show attracted trade missions from 17 countries and 11 international exhibition pavilions. Representing its strong regional influence, Japan had two pavilions – one organised by JETRO for companies from Japan, and a JAMTAT pavilion of Japanese companies present in Thailand.

Germany’s Baden-Wurttemberg state had its own pavilion for the 3rd year, with 16 exhibitors – all small and medium enterprises looming for agents and representative s in SoutheastAsia as well as supply opportunities, according to Christina Ruffert, the state’s Executive Manager, International Business Cooperation ASEAN.

“We wanted to attend a show in Southeast Asia for our machinery industry. Metalex is the biggest with the most visitors from the region.”

To assist her exhibitors, Ms Ruffert employed a Bangkok consultant to contact companies in Thailand for match-making opportunities during the show. This resulted in 116 appointments, which the consultant has to follow up to firm up business opportunities. Such is Baden-Wurttemberg’s success at Metalex that the Federal Govern-ment plans to have a German pavilion in 2010.

Reed Tradex also offers its own business matchmaking service, as well as pre-show factory visits for trade delegations, fast track service at the airport, and many other incentives, including Extra Night, Extra Smile privi-leges in conjunction with the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau.

Augmenting the exhibition were 500 conference and seminar tracks. “The seminar program is very important,” explains Ms. Nichapa. “We use our international contacts with key associations to invite the best speakers with interesting, new topics. New is very important in this industry – the latest trends, latest machinery and technology with live demonstrations. Such a program is a big plus for our trade visitors.”

To provide a measure of the show’s success, each one is professionally audited. A total of 62,510 industry pro-fessionals attended Metalex 2009, compared to 62,796 in 2008, as well as 2,700 exhibitors.

Metalex 2010 will be held from 24-27 November 2010 at BITEC under the theme of “Machining Business to its Best”.