CastForge celebrated an impressive debut at the Stuttgart trade fair center. 153 exhibitors from 18 countries (international exhibitors, 61 percent) presented their comprehensive product portfolio at the trade fair for castings and forgings with processing. The exhibitors were impressed with the strong response of around 3,700 visitors and conducted excellent and in-depth discussions.
During the three days of the trade fair, the Oskar Lapp Hall (Hall 6) on the Stuttgart trade fair grounds was the new meeting place for the industry of castings and forgings in the D-A-CH region. The exhibiting companies were delighted that with CastForge they now have their own platform for the first time on which they can showcase the entire value-added chain extending from cast or forging blanks and machining through to final components.
“Here at CastForge, visitors have the opportunity to obtain precise information about their product requirements and issues,” said Gunnar Mey, department director of Industrial Solutions at Messe Stuttgart, in the opening press conference. “With the clear commitment to the industry we managed to develop a convincing concept and close a gap in the trade fair landscape.”
For numerous buyer companies from mechanical engineering and plant construction, drive technology, commercial vehicle, as well as pump and compressor manufacture, CastForge offered a unique platform when it comes to researching high-quality, ready-to-install castings and forgings. Similar to the exhibitors, there was also high international interest among the visitors in the premiere in Stuttgart. The visitors came from 32 countries (21 percent international visitors) besides Germany — mainly from Italy, Switzerland, Austria and France to the trade fair grounds. 32 percent of the visitors were involved in procurement, 13 percent in general/corporate/operational management and another 12 percent in manufacturing/production/quality assurance. More than 80 percent expressed a specific intention to invest or purchase. Overall, 70 percent of the visitors summed up that CastForge offered the right portfolio with its unique focus on castings and forgings and their processing and want to attend the trade fair again.
The exhibitors, who were at the first CastForge, were also impressed with the event. Martina Deul, sales assistant, Dirostahl – Karl Diederichs KG, said, “We are very surprised at the support that CastForge received. We are pleased with the high number of visitors that came to us with direct project requests and inquiries. In the run-up to the event we didn’t really expect that these projects would be so detailed, hence why we are pleasantly surprised! Messe Stuttgart also provided us with plenty of useful information during the preparation stage. We are very satisfied with the collaboration and the organization and feel in good hands here in Stuttgart. You can visit us again at the same location at the next CastForge!”
The concept of Messe Stuttgart not only convinced manufacturers from the castings and forgings industry, but also associations who were present with stands in Stuttgart. Josef Hlavinka, managing director of the Association of Foundries of the Czech Republic, said, “We are very happy with how the trade fair went. Our ten exhibiting members confirmed that they received very positive feedback and could talk to the visitors about specific, future projects. The location of Stuttgart as a venue is ideal because a large number of companies from the automotive and engineering field are located here.”
Together with the industry, Messe Stuttgart is now further developing the concept. Besides the issue of the correct frequency and date, this also includes the future accompanying program and appropriate parallel events. There is no doubt that CastForge will be a permanent feature in the portfolio of Messe Stuttgart. After all, around 80 percent of visitors consider trade fairs very important when researching suitable suppliers and over two thirds regularly look for new business partners.
As a trade fair, CastForge focuses on castings and forgings with processing. International exhibitors present their products to a wide range of visitors from the fields of mechanical engineering and plant construction, automotive and drive technology, construction machinery, pumps and hydraulic engineering as well as the supply industry.
MORE INFORMATION www.castforge.de
