With all the news about trade show cancellations… What will happen to MetalMadrid?
We are the event organizers, and IFEMA (Feria de Madrid) is the fairgrounds, which is open to the public. They are the ones who initially set the agenda. Regarding security plans, both IFEMA and Easyfairs are fully prepared for implementation. The dates are confirmed, and with the information we have now and what we can predict from our perspective, it will be possible to hold the event. Our event is marked on the calendar, and we have confirmed our participation to all exhibitors and all our visitors.
The marketing campaign is still underway; registration will open in the coming days. So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, we will hold the event on the indicated dates: September 30th and October 30th, for the benefit of our exhibitors, the industry, and our visitors.
Due to the uncertainty, many companies are limiting the travel of their employees. Are you considering a trade show more focused on local visitors?
At Easyfairs in general, at the group or global level, and in Spain specifically at MetalMadrid, we are very focused on the regional and local level. It’s a show with only 5 to 6% of foreign exhibitors, and the same applies to visitors, roughly between 6 and 7%. This means there aren’t great distances. Travel by car, train, or short flight, if they’re possible, wouldn’t be a problem at all. We’re not like other fairs that have 30, 40, 50, or 60 percent of their exhibitors internationally, so we’re well positioned in that sense.
Are you planning to hold any kind of virtual event, considering what could replace the fair?
I don’t think there’s anything that can replace that in-person meeting. In this country, it’s part of who we are on a human level, but we are launching webinars and seminars and have strengthened digital tools for our exhibitors. For example, in terms of virtual touchpoints, the pre-fair meetings we traditionally hold in the most important hubs in Spain—Barcelona, Madrid, and the Basque Country—are now being held digitally. We’re recording videos, sending out a pre-show with all the practical and operational details, and we’re also hosting our own webinars and those in conjunction with other companies. We’re complementing our offering, but that offering will be presented. We believe in in-person trade shows and that visitors want to see the machine in operation; they want to experience the product firsthand, and that’s very difficult to replace.
