The 6th International Suppliers Fair Closes with Record Results

With 729 exhibitors from 24 nations, Europe’s leading trade fair for the supplier industry presented itself on an unprecedented scale and also displayed another increase in its number of visitors, this year welcoming 48,000 guests. The fact that more than 20 percent of the trade visitors to the IZB now travel to the event from outside of Germany underlines the increasing internationality of the industry gathering. Many of the guests visiting from outside of Europe had travelled to Wolfsburg from the partner countries of the IZB 2010, the USA and Canada. Both exhibitors at and visitors to the trade fair expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the IZB and praised the outstanding networking opportunities available at the showcase event.

Alongside the industry’s market leaders such as Denso, Aisin, Magna, TRW and Bosch, an abundance of small and medium-sized companies also exhibited their innovations in Wolfsburg. The fact that every tenth exhibitor came from the Wolfsburg region yet again underlined the importance of the business location for the automotive industry.

The trend towards more sustainable mobility in the USA and Canada, the partner countries of the IZB 2010, led to an active interest in bilateral transatlantic co-operations at the event. While German suppliers boasting expertise in the field of 'green mobility' explored their opportunities and prospects in the North American automotive market, North American companies expressed the need for innovative technology transfers. In addition, many of the total of 110 American and Canadian exhibitors at the IZB made the most of the networking opportunities provided by the event for an entry into the European market.

The diverse and high-quality programme of events accompanying the IZB, which contained over a dozen top-class congresses, conferences and forums, was kicked off by the Electromobility Forum. The US-Canadian Automotive Congress, which had already been fully booked for a long time, provided a constructive contribution towards the participants’ understanding of the opportunities, prospects and framework conditions of the North American automotive market and particularly catered to the interest of German supplier companies in transatlantic business relationships. Under the slogan “Competent Companies Looking for Young Talent” the IZB Job Fair made an important contribution towards encouraging dialogue between companies, universities and students. More than 1600 prospective automotive specialists visited the exhibitors to find out about career opportunities.

“The IZB reflected the improved mood within the supplier industry. This could be seen both in the exhibition halls and in the accompanying programme of events, which attracted large numbers of participants”, stated Julius von Ingelheim, Spokesman of the Board of Wolfsburg AG, in his summary of events at the end of the 6th International Suppliers Fair in Wolfsburg, Germany.