In an interview with AVPro Middle East, Mike Blackman, managing director, ISE 2012, comments on the accelerated growth rate of the 2012 edition with larger stands and more exhibitors. “Compared with our 2011 event, we are occupying one additional hall of our Amsterdam RAI venue, and our total exhibition space will be over 31,000 square metres so surpassing […]
In an interview with AVPro Middle East, Mike Blackman, managing director, ISE 2012, comments on the accelerated growth rate of the 2012 edition with larger stands and more exhibitors.
“Compared with our 2011 event, we are occupying one additional hall of our Amsterdam RAI venue, and our total exhibition space will be over 31,000 square metres so surpassing the 30,000 mark for the first time. This represents a 15% increase on 2011, when we grew 11%. So, if anything, our growth rate has actually accelerated.
“Some of this growth is the result of existing exhibitors enlarging their stands, while the rest is down to the arrival of new exhibitors, of which we are hosting over 100, plus a few companies most notably Sony who are returning to the show after being absent for a year or two.
‘The fact that we are still growing speaks volumes about ISE, but it is also a testament to the robustness and resilience of our industry. Professional AV weathered the financial storm of 2008-9 so well because our industrys products and services actually help businesses to save money and become more efficient. When an enterprise whether state-owned or private invests in a well-designed AV system, it can generally
“This is truer than ever today, and at ISE 2012 we will see even more compelling evidence that AV is no longer a luxury it is a neccessity that companies and organisations simply cannot afford to do without.”
Commenting on the mix of exhibitors and unique aspects to the 2012 edition of the show, Blackman commented: “One of the things that makes ISE unique is its mix of commercial and residential AV technologies. Our exhibitor base is tilted slightly in favour of commercial but, nonetheless,
the ‘Residential Solutions’ area of ISE 2012 will be our largest ever, and additionally there are many companies particularly in the fields of projection and display, signal management, audio and multimedia control that cross over between the two segments. The same is true of our visitors, over 60% of whom are active in both residential and commercial markets.
“North America, Europe and the Far East provide the majority of our exhibitors. We continue to see an increase in the percentage of Chinese manufacturers, as we have seen at every show for the past three or four years, but this is not so significant as to dramatically alter the balance of the event. This year we also have plenty of new exhibitors from Europe, particularly in professional audio and digital signage, while we continue to attract North American companies who are entering the European market for the first time, and for whom ISE is the perfect place to meet new distribution partners.
“As for additions, many of our most important innovations for 2012 are taking place away from the show floor. We are delighted that our two association owners, InfoComm International and CEDIA, are hosting a combined Education Zone at ISE for the first time. This will make it more convenient for attendees to participate in the sessions of their choice, while also giving the educational component of ISE a higher profile generally.
“On the eve of the show (Monday 30 January), CEDIA and InfoComm will also be co-hosting an opening reception at the RAI to which all attendees are cordially invited. This will be preceded at 18:00 by the first-ever ISE keynote address to be delivered by Gerhard Schulz of Ingram Micro. Gerhard is a really inspirational speaker and his Blueprint for Business Growth in the Digital Age will, we believe, resonate with every visitor to ISE, regardless of their background.
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