MIDEST, the world's leading industrial subcontracting show, will be held for the 42nd time from 6th to 9th November at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre. New developments in 2012 include the launch of two new Villages at the show, Composite Materials and Industrial IT, and a focus on the automobile sector. Internationally, the spotlight will be on Piedmont as 'Region of the Year' and, for the first time, UNIDO (the United Nations Industrial Development Organization) will be staging an international conference for its network of Subcontracting and Partnership Exchanges. The show will also be pursuing its international visitor promotion efforts by staging its business meeting platform organized by b2fair and through an increased presence of community networks.
The automobile industry continues to be the leading customer sector for subcontractors. This is a statement of fact that MIDEST tries to reflect. In 2011, over 53% of exhibitors stated that they worked for this strategic sector. It will have escaped nobody that the automobile industry is in turmoil and nowhere more so than in Europe, where demand is constantly falling, whilst the manufacturers relocate more and more of their production to more dynamic markets. It therefore also seems fitting use the show to review the latest economic and technical developments and to add a few touches of colour to the black picture that currently prevails through lectures and round tables involving the sector's major players.
Another new development, which is also a first, is that in 2012 MIDEST is focusing on a region rather than a country. The region in question is Piedmont. Over recent shows Piedmont has substantially increased its presence, whilst Italian visitors form the second largest contingent of international visitors after those from Belgium, accounting for over 10% of such visitors in 2011. Piedmont will have a special pavilion, one part of which will be given over to institutions presenting the region's industry and subcontracting and the other made up of the stands of its manufacturers and subcontractors. A lecture and round table programme will also focus on their know-how, their strengths and their prospects. Finally, Piedmont's subcontractors will also take part in the b2fair - Business to Fairs business meetings.
Furthermore, two new Villages - Composite Materials and Industrial IT - are being added to the ten existing Trade Villages that have been launched at MIDEST over recent years. The international reach of the event is also being reinforced by the presence for the first time of a national pavilion for South Africa and by the staging of an international conference for the network of Subcontracting and Partnership Exchanges (SPXs) of UNIDO, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
This year, in addition to the business meetings, b2fair - Business to Fairs will also be setting up a TV operation that will feature major manufacturers and subcontractors to be found along the aisles of the show. These new developments come on top of the numerous events such as the MIDEST Awards launched over recent years that are now enjoying increasing success.
