UTECH Europe 2009 attendance far exceeds expectations

08-Apr-09

Despite the global economic downturn, the 10th UTECH Europe event, held in Maastricht (The Netherlands), from March 31 to April 2, was rated a success, with attendance far exceeding the expectations of all exhibitors. The event saw 140 total numbers of exhibitors with high quality visitor levels comprising of more than 2836 industry professionals from 86 different countries. Out of this, 400 visitors registered for the conference running parallel with the exhibition. The total figure mentioned does not include the more than 1500 passes distributed to exhibitors. The conference, with more than 60 presentations in a dozen sessions over the three days of the event, also saw smaller overall numbers but most sessions had solid attendances. Chemtura, a leading urethane pre-polymer supplier also found the UTECH Europe 2009 to be "surprisingly busy." Visitors to the company's stand, and the attendance at UTECH Europe this year generally, had "far and away exceeded expectations," given the current economic climate, said Mathew Hellstern of the company's US operations. Other companies echoing the same included Huntsman Polyurethanes, Dow Polyurethanes and Bayer MaterialScience and Wanhua Yantai. On the other hand, Honeywell's Fluorines business, which used event to launch its latest blowing agent systems, found lesser visitors than the last UTECH Europe in 2006. Meanwhile, for Taiwanese polyurethane machinery supplier Sunkist Chemical Machinery, UTECH Europe 2009 proved to be especially productive: the company sold a $300 000 foaming plant at the event, as well as 10 cutting machines, according to general manager Hwang Ber Fong