Messe München and the Italian Wine Association (UIV) have signed a cooperation agreement that will lead to the venue for Simei – the international exhibition for enological and bottling equipment – to alternative between Munich and Milan.
In future, the event will take place every four years in conjunction with Drinktec, the world’s leading trade fair. It will still retain its traditional two-year cycle, but from now on its venue will alternate between Italy and Munich. A cooperation agreement to this effect has been signed by the two organisations, pooling the shows’ respective strengths in a twin platform that has been described as “the world’s most important technology, trading and marketing showcase for the sector”.
The next Simei will take place this November in Milan before celebrating its Munich premier in September 2017 as an integrated part of Drinktec.
UIV president Domenico Zonin said: “This agreement is unique in the international trade fair business. The cooperation with Drinktec is the basis for the further development and internationalisation of Simei, as the leading trade fair for wine technology.”
UIV director general Francesco Pavanello added: “I am proud to see the attention and recognition shown to this joint project by such an important and international trade-fair company as Messe München. The most important components of this agreement in our view are: UIV retains the brand rights to Simei; Simei has high visibility at a trade fair as prestigious as Drinktec; and we have the possibility of further joint projects in the medium and long-term.”
Messe München managing director Reinhard Pfeiffer said: “I am very pleased that we have reached an agreement. Both trade fairs will benefit from it. The exhibitors at Drinktec, of which almost half also offer solutions for the wine industry, will have access to even more potential customers as a result of the integration of Simei. Vice versa, too, the international scope of Drinktec will benefit the Simei exhibitors. And not least, this agreement also strengthens the status of Munich as a top location for trade fairs.”
And Richard Clemens, managing director of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association (VDMA), the conceptual sponsor of Drinktec, said: “The technology already showcased at Drinktec for the wine industry will now be superbly supplemented by this cooperation with Simei. For Drinktec exhibitors there will be additional visitor potential from strong wine-growing countries – above all Italy. In addition, the cooperation also offers significant added value to visitors from emerging wine-growing countries, thanks to a more in-depth spectrum of products and services.”
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