Veteco 09: Record levels of business participation at the fair, based on the attendance of nearly 800 companies and almost 45,00
Veteco 08: The Spanish window, curtain wall and structural glass industry, one of the most competitive sectors in Europe, was granted the opportunity to demonstrate its strength and dynamic nature at this key event for the industry. Veteco '08. The high level of business participation, featuring almost 800 companies, not to mention the significant level of attendance on the part of professionals, who numbered almost 45,000 in total, once again reflected the favourable climate that exists within this sector, an industry that will focus on quality and renovation as its key strategies to side-step the crisis that is affecting the building industry as a whole. This trade event, which is organised by Ifema and represents a leading centre for business within the industry, took place between 6th and 9th May last in Madrid.
The fairground at Feria de Madrid once again provided the setting for this commercially successful eleventh edition of the International Window, Curtain Wall and Structural Glass Trade Show, Veteco '08, which set a new record regarding participation, effectively surpassing all expectations and confirming its role as the leading fair within this field in Europe. Thus, the fair exhibited the results of the R+D projects carried out by 784 represented companies and 562 direct exhibitors (the latter figure representing an increase of 5% compared to the year 2006 edition) within a net exhibition area measuring some 54,142 square metres, which represents a 23.32% increase compared to the last edition two years ago. Equally significant was the attendance of 72 foreign exhibitors from 18 different countries.
Veteco occupied half of the fairground at Ifema, which is to say, six of its twelve halls. In this respect, in order to cater for the strong demand for space on the part of the participating companies, the two new halls at the fairground, Halls 12 and 14, which have only recently entered into operation, were brought into play.
These participation figures anticipated the extraordinary visitor figures that were recorded at this edition. In effect, Veteco '08 welcomed some 43,617 professionals, which represented an increase of 17.14% compared to the year 2006.
. The Fair Boosts Its Image Abroad
One of the most outstanding aspects of this edition consisted of the fair’s strong international dimension. Specifically, the event welcomed some 4,481 foreign professionals from 83 different countries, including, according to the number of visitors, Portugal, Italy, Mexico, France, Brazil and Germany. Combined with the significant presence of foreign companies at the fair, these figures helped to consolidate Veteco's position within the world fair rankings.
With regard to Spanish professionals, Veteco welcomed visitors from all over Spain, with the largest numbers travelling to the fair from Madrid, followed by Andalusia, Valencia, Catalonia, Castile-La Mancha and Castile-Leon. The segments that aroused greatest interest among the visiting professionals included windows, glass, structural glass, fittings and accessories, machinery, ceilings and skylights. According to the type of activity they pursued, the largest groups of professionals at the fair were as follows: stockists, architects, carpenters, locksmiths, builders, manufacturers and decorators.
In short, Veteco ‘08 presented the profile of an industrythat has opted for renovation and improvements in terms of quality in order to maintain its competitive edge and its positioning as the second most important sector in the European ranking. Spain's industry acquired its second-placed ranking some time ago, based on its output figure of more than 12 million windows a year, which is to say, 10 per cent of total output throughout the European Union. For its part, Spain's production figure for light façades comes to nearly 2 million square metres a year. All of the experts consulted agree that the industry's future resides in the field of renovation, given that Spain is still way below the European average in this respect, which means that a significant niche in the market exists. We might also mention the application of the Spanish Building Law (LOE) and, in particular, its legislative regulation, the Technical Building Code (CTE).
. Analysis of the Industry.
The fair's general analysis of the industry was also enhanced by the staging of a Conference Programme within the framework of Veteco, this being one of the fair's main assets. The most outstanding event, on this occasion, was the Forum on High-Rise Architecture. At this conference, a number of experts within the field discussed various of the most emblematic high-rise buildings that have been designed and built by some of the most highly-renowned Spanish architects on the current scene: completed buildings or projects for buildings in Mexico, Italy, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, China and Holland. Within Spain itself, we might mention the four CTBA Towers in Madrid, the Forum Towers and the Tower in Plaza de Europa in L'Hospitalet, Barcelona, among others. This Forum featured a magisterial address by the prestigious architect, Dominique Perrault.
Furthermore, in line with the general theme of this edition of Veteco, the Conference Programme tackled the issue of applying the Technical Building Code (CTE) regulations within the window and light façade sector, as well as those relating to the EC Seal, an equally compulsory set of regulations that entails the fulfilment of a series of ideal requirements. These two sets of regulations will contribute to the drive to achieve an increasingly high-quality product, one of the main aspirations of the industry's manufacturers.
The meeting was organised by ASEFAVE, Spanish Association of Window and Light Façade Manufacturers, and AENOR, Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification.
. Recognition of Achievement within the Industry
Various business associations cooperate closely with Veteco. Thus, ASEFAVE organised the Veteco ASEFAVE Awards alongside Ifema and Veteco. Throughout their eight editions, these awards have proven to be an important incentive when it comes to boosting the standard of products within this field. The winners on this occasion included the following: in the Best Window Category, the building complex "114 Viviendas VPT" (Council housing) in the Madrid district of Fuenlabrada (First Prize); in the Best Light Façade Category, the "Arts Centre of La Coruña"; in the Best End-of-Degree Project Category, "Hotel in Cuatro Caminos" by Isabel Tarrío Alonso, from the Higher School of Architecture of the Polytechnic University of Madrid. The Award for Best Innovation went to the product known as "Guillotina", from the company, Vitrocsa Ibérica, from Alborada, Valencia.
For its part, AENOR once again presented its Certified Quality Stand within the framework of Veteco, taking advantage of its attendance at this edition to present its quality certificates to nearly fifty manufacturers within the window sector. These companies thus achieved recognition from this important body for the quality standards attained by their products.
Finally, in accordance with the considerable prestige that Veteco enjoys throughout the world, the Federation of European Window and Curtain Wall Manufacturer Associations (FAECF), which brings together the associations of 15 countries within the EU, accepted Ifema's invitation to celebrate its Fortieth Anniversary within the framework of the trade fair in Madrid.
The commercial and business success of Veteco '08 is reflected by the high level of satisfaction of its exhibitors and visitors. This success has encouraged the fair's organisers, Ifema, to begin preparing for next edition, the fair's twelfth. This new meeting with the window, curtain wall and structural glass industry will take place between 4th and 7th May 2010 at Feria de Madrid.
