Exhibitions, trade fairs and shows remain important venues for getting one’s name promoted in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. While nearly every country in the region stages an event related to manufacturing technology, a few of them offer you the best return on your participation investment.

You should consider the following 2012-2013 top venues (names are linked to show pages when possible):

MACH-TECH, May 28–30, 2013 - Budapest, Hungary
12th International Trade Exhibition of Machine Manufacturing and Welding Technology
The only engineering show in Hungary which includes exhibiting machine tools and tools, useful in the case of activities in Hungary.

http://www.mach-tech.hu/?nyelf=1

Metalloobrabotka, May 27–31, 2013 - Moscow, Russia
14th International Exhibition for Equipment, Instruments and Tools for Metalworking Industry
By far the most important specialised show in Russia – this is the Russian IMTS. In 2012 AMT operated an information stand at the event, while 15 AMT Members were exhibiting their products, among 970 exhibitors in total.

Other good although regional shows take place in Kazan (Tatarstan), Krasnoyarsk (Siberia), St. Petersburg (North West), Yekaterinburg (Ural Mountains Region). Also worth mentioning are attempts to stage competing shows in Moscow, mainly in October, with the varying degree of success. Those considering other CIS countries should have in mind shows in neighboring countries - Belarus (Minsk) and Ukraine (Kiev).

http://www.metobr-expo.ru/en/

MACH-TOOL, June 4–7, 2013 - Poznan, Poland
MACH-TOOL Machines and Tools Exhibition, part of 91st ITM POLAND Technology Fair which also includes welding. In 2012 it hosted over 900 exhibitors for manufacturing technology alone. The show competes with Brno in Czech Republic for the No.1 spot in Central Europe. In 2012 eight AMT Members had their equipment on display in Poznan.

http//www.machtool.mtp.pl/en/

MSV, October 7–11, 2013 - Brno, Czech Republic
55th International Engineering Fair 
In 2012 it hosted about 1500 exhibitors, with some 1/3 accounted for manufacturing technology. The Fair competes with Poznan in Poland for the No.1 show spot in Central Europe.

http://www.bvv.cz/en/msv/msv-2013/

TOOLEX, October 1–3, 2013 - Exposilesia nr Katowice, Poland
6th International Machine Tools, Tools and Processing Technology Fair
A new show, fast gaining a reputation as clearly specialized and well located. In 2011 AMT visited the show and now recommends it as a more industry focused competition to traditional Mach Tool in Poznan. In 2011 some 380 companies had their products exhibited.

http://www.exposilesia.pl/toolex/0/0/uk/

TIB, October 5–9, 2013 - Bucharest, Romania
39th Bucharest International Technical Fair
The only engineering show in Romania to include exhibiting machine tools and tools, useful in the case of activities in Romania.

http://www.tib.ro/

WELDEX MOSCOW, October 22–25, 2012 - Moscow, Russia
13th international specialized exhibition of welding materials, equipment and technology
The most established show for welding equipment and materials in Russia.

http://www.weldex.ru/home/default.aspx?lang=en-GB

AMT has now been monitoring the Turkish market as well, a nicely developing market on the fringes in Europe. In terms of shows we observe some competition there, as in Istanbul alone one can find three shows devoted to manufacturing technology. In 2012 there was an opportunity to have a full overview for two shows.

MAKTEK EURASIA & TATEF MEKATRONIK, were held in October 2012 - Istanbul, Turkey, at the same time in different locations. MAKTEK, organized for the first time, was using the traditional Tuyap Expo center, TATEF moved to a well-located newly opened CNR Expo Center. MAKTEK, supported by the distributors organisation, was a success, in as much it has become the show for exporters to Turkey and some 600 foreign suppliers promoted their products during this, 18 AMT Members among them, with good crowds coming every day. And this show should most likely be considered by AMT Members in the future. TATEF, on the other hand, supported by two manufacturers associations, has inadvertently become the show for Turkish manufacturers, with a rather limited participation of foreign exhibitors. In 2012 TATEF was much smaller and less effective than MAKTEK. 

MAKTEK EURASIA has now been planned in Istanbul for October 14-19, 2014, see
http://www.maktekfuari.com/home.aspx or http://www.facebook.com/maktekavrasya/info.

TATEF MEKATRONIK now is also planned for October 2014. No spefific date has been fixed yet. Follow http://www.tatef.com/.

For more information or to discuss which shows best fit your company and goals, please contact Hubert Sawicki at hsawicki@AMTonline.eu.