Good success for Sicam 2011

Some interesting considerations emerge from a more meticulous analysis of the data gathered in the last day of Sicam, the International exhibition of components, semi-finished products and accessories for the furniture Industry, held at Pordenone from 19^th to 22^nd October 2011.

 

The organisers can be extremely satisfied with the 17,500 operators who arrived at Pordenone; a decidedly “important” figure in this tough economic period. “If we consider that we recorded 18 thousand presences last year,” commented Carlo Giobbi, “the result of this edition that has just concluded is fantastic. Every day you just have to turn on the television or open a newspaper to be faced with alarming news items which impose a massive impact on purchasing and production. And yet, in a climate of fence-sitting and overall anxiety, our business event has succeeded in calling the entire furniture manufacturing community to Pordenone”.

 

This success was further confirmed by the ever higher percentage of visiting foreign operators. This year 27 percent of guests came from 89 different foreign countries. In first place we had Germany, undoubtedly the largest national contingent, not only in relation to exhibitors but also visitors. Then, in descending order, there was Russia, Slovenia, France, Spain, Great Britain, Poland, and Austria. There were significant arrivals from even more far-flung countries, with an excellent response from Brazil, China, and South Korea, just to mention some of the more distant countries of origin of some of the visitors. One slightly negative statistic saw the drop in numbers of operators visiting from North Africa and the Mediterranean basin in general, as the “Arab Spring” made its impact, with the exception of arrivals from Tunisia.

Once more in relation to visitors from abroad, we must highlight there were also excellent signs of interest for the Pordenone event from the United States.

 

Therefore, these results confirm the validity of the choices and strategies Sicam, the company that organises the event. The good results are even more indicative as they refer to an edition that was held the same year as Interzum, the undisputed event leader in the sector. So, Sicam is a consolidated occasion which is recognised by the market for what it represents, i.e., the sole point of reference in Italy where the world of furniture supply unfailingly meets up.

 

“I believe that part of Sicam’s success,” commented Carlo Giobbi, “is down to the clarity – if you will allow me to use this term – of our event. It is an event where we not only pay the most obsessive attention to the smallest detail so that the exhibitors and visitors can be perfectly at their ease and just think of their business, but that we want to maintain coherent, completely specialised, and focused on the product categories which are the natural basis of usage.

 

There were many confirmations for Sicam, starting from the collaboration with Fiera di Pordenone, an ideal trade fair zone for an event with an optimum size, thus enabling exhibitors and visitors to concentrate on the products, without unhelpful dispersion.

It is particularly efficient, also thanks to the new highway link road and the link-up with Venice airport via a free shuttle bus. The tight relationship of collaboration with the city and the police forces also enabled the event to have a minimum impact on the area, with an organisation of the access and exit roads to and from the trade fair area that showed the organisers dedication in this regard.

This chapter also includes the treasured free service offered in collaboration with Atap, the company that runs Pordenone’s public transport. Indeed, Sicam entry cards allowed everyone to use the public network without charge.

There was also satisfaction with the opportunity to enrich evenings in Pordenone by visiting the exhibition “Espressionismo”, one of the Italy’s most important cultural events of the year, which was easily reached thanks to a shuttle service offered by Sicam with the addition of the late opening especially for the furniture sector operators.

 

There were numerous confirmations of attendance collected by Sicam during the trade fair itself. In addition, multiple new requests were received from visiting operators who decided to return in 2012 as exhibitors once they had seen what goes on at Pordenone with their own eyes.

 

These data and considerations not only indicate a 2012 edition arriving in the wake of the success of the first three experiences, but also impose on the organisers to continue their commitment to maintain the same level of service which has created an internationally-recognised standard. The next date with Sicama is fixed for 17^th to 20^th October 2012.