With 51,545 qualified visitors, therefore in line with the number of attendees in the 2007 edition, SIMEI (International Enological and Bottling Equipment Exhibition) and ENOVITIS (International Vine and Olive Growing Technics Exhibition) have once again proven to be effective and strategically important for the Italian and international production chain. In particular, ENOVITIS has even increased its own visitors by some percentage points, thanks to the collective visits coming from different Italian regions, such as Veneto, Piedmont, Abruzzi, Lombardy, Tuscany and Trentino.
The number of foreign visitors was also stable, reaching 9,575, but the total of foreign delegates has positively grown (+80% over the 2007 edition), thanks to the intensive promotion activity carried out by the organization secretariat of the exhibitions, in co-operation with ICE and Promos (the special Agency of the Milan Chamber of Commerce for international activities). The delegations have come from: Czech Republic, Georgia, Slovak, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia (Krasnodar area), Kazakhstan, South Africa, USA, Canada, Chile, Vietnam, Israel, Turkey, India, Brazil and Argentina.

These results are even more significant taking into account that the two trade shows have taken place in a difficult year, made heavier by the critical urgencies of a suffering global economic situation. The outcome also testifies the liveliness of the Italian and foreign entrepreneurial tissue, which never neglects keeping up to date on the last innovations in view of a recovery.

Even the number of the Italian and foreign journalists has grown by 50%, as a confirmation of the interest arisen by the event – held at Fiera Milano in Rho from last 24 to 28 November -, considered as a showcase of the technological innovation in the field of machines, equipment and products for enology, bottling, vine- and olive-growing and also as a moment dedicated to an insight into subjects, which are topical and strategic for the whole production chain, through an intensive conference activity.

“Simei has surely held up well” – declares Marzio Dal Cin, President of Anformape – and if numerically we are in line with 2007, from the point of view of quality and of the interest shown by visitors, this edition has been particularly significant. I know companies that have clinched contracts during the show; whereas, for other companies, it has been an occasion to consolidate already existing relationships, but also to create new ones, especially with foreign operators. Besides well-known operators, there were also many new ones. A winning and appreciated idea was the opposed positioning of the 4 pavilions of SIMEI (not in-line like in the past), for a more rational display of the product ranges – from production to bottling”.

“Despite the not very optimistic forecasts and the closeness with other foreign exhibitions – says Cesare Bianco, President of the Technical Committee of SIMEI – the attendance of visitors has kept in line with 2007 and this has been a success, as there should have been reasons to suppose a downturn. Currently, there is surely a tendency to dedicate fewer days to an exhibition, in order to reduce costs, but important occasions cannot be missed. Trade operators were very qualified and the product overview on show was up to the technological requests of visitors and actually, especially in the periods of crisis, they all try their best to propose an even more interesting offering”.

“From our observatory, – says Vanni Ferrari, President of the Technical Committee of ENOVITIS – this year, the attendance has been larger than in the other editions. The strength of ENOVITIS lies in its high specialization and its capacity to attract qualified and interesting customers, to be a real sector trade show. The presence of foreign visitors has been good and interesting. We must go on working in this direction to make this event a more and more unmissable international reference point for all the trade operators of the vine-growing and wine-making chain”.