When Asansör Istanbul 2013 closed its doors after four hectic days, the results confirmed its position as arguably the most important trade exhibition for the global lift industry. Some 26,638 professional visitors from 72 countries visited Asansör Istanbul 2013 to view and compare the latest innovations in lift technology, components and services on display from 390 companies. With visitor numbers and exhibit space both increasing by an impressive 10% over the previous edition, Asansör Istanbul 2013 highlighted the continued strong demand for lift installations in Turkey and the wider Eurasian, Middle East and North African regions.
Organised by IFO İstanbul Fair Organization and supported by the Turkish Elevator and Escalator Industries Association (AYSAD), Asansör Istanbul 2013 took place in Istanbul from 4-7 April and was 13th edition of this successful series. In addition to the core lift and elevator products, new trends were also to the fore at this year’s event which saw innovations in safety and security, in-building access solutions for the handicapped, in-lift visual communication applications and more focus on design where technology meets aesthetics. Feedback from the visitors confirmed the high value they place on being able to view and compare this wide cross-section of product and services.
The lift industry is a major business sector for the Turkish economy with its annual exports of US$500 million and the employment opportunities it creates for thousands of people. In 2012 the industry completed eighteen (18) thousand lift installations which puts Turkey as the most active installation market in Europe. With robust macro-economic growth forecast for the foreseeable future and a construction sector which caters to both the increasing domestic demand whilst also expanding its export activities, the outlook for Asansör Istanbul looks very positive.
With the results comprehensively exceeding all expectations, Selahattin Durak, Chairman of IFO said, “It was an honour to host such an international gathering of lift industry buyers and suppliers here in Istanbul and reflects our belief that Turkey is not only an exciting market in its own right, but is now widely recognised as a regional hub. Plans are already underway to grow the international participation at 14thAsansör Istanbul which will take place in April 2015.”
IFO are confident that the 2015 edition will surpass the record number of manufacturers and suppliers exhibiting this year which attracted 390 companies from 27 countries including Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, United States of America, India, Lebanon and China as well as Turkey.
Europe Follows Turkish Lift Companies and the Fair with Admiration…
This year for the first time,the European Lift Association (ELA) General Assembly meeting took place in Istanbul to coincide with Asansör Istanbul 2013. ELA President Philippe Lamalle was a VIP guest at the event and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony which highlighted the emergence of Turkey and Asansör Istanbul onto the world stage. Lamalle said that Turkish lift companies should be proud of themselves and he saw the Turkish economy as a major factor in helping pull Europe’s lift sector out of recession as a result of the slump in the continent’s construction industry.
Self-Protecting Lifts Featured at the Fair for the First Time
Incorporated as a parallel event of the Asansör Istanbul exhibition, the design competition had the theme “Anti-Vandal Lifts” where the technological solutions competed against the intentional misuse that is a common phenomenon in the world. The competition was organized by IFO and AYSAD and supported by ETMK, the winning projects were featured at the fair for the first time.
Conferences and seminars set future agenda for lift industry
Asansör Istanbul is much more than a display of new products and technologies and where new business is generated; it is also a source of information and education to the sector through its associated conferences and seminars. Within the scope of the conference programme Ebru Gemici from VDMA shared “Statistics in Lifts and Escalators” whereas Jean Luc Detavernier and Luc Rivet. discussed “SNEL Practices in Europe” in the session moderated by AYSAD Communication Board Chairman SelçukDikmen. Wolfgand Adldinger, the chairman of components committee at ELA, presentation was about “EN 81 + A3 practices in Germany”. The session “Annual Lift Controls” attracted a large audience with the currentstate of the industrydiscussed and evaluated. In the conference moderated by AYSAD President Sefa Targıt, Republic of Turkey Science, Industry and Technology Ministry Head of Sectors Department Zühtü Bakır, Halim Akışı representing Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects Chamber of Engineers and Architects, İlknur Kılıç from Turkish Standards Institute, Erman Balcı from SZUTEST, Aziz Bilge from OTIS and Fuat Durdağ from ERSAN Lift company shared their know-how and experience with the audience.