The Leading Trade Fair for the Automotive Supplier Industry Enjoys a Record Number of Participants

Wolfsburg, Germany, 5th October 2010. On Tuesday evening, the piazza in the Group Forum in the Autostadt formed the stylish setting for the celebration of the ceremonial opening of the 6th International Suppliers Fair (IZB) in Wolfsburg. With 727 exhibitors from 24 countries, the leading exhibition of the automotive supplier industry in Europe is showcasing itself on a larger scale than ever before from 6th to 8th October. "We are relying on innovative, effective and reliable suppliers in order to achieve the ambitious goal of becoming the leading ecological and economic automotive manufacturer by 2018", stated the Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, Prof. Dr rer. nat. Martin Winterkorn, in his welcome speech. He underlined the special role of the North American market in the growth strategies of the Volkswagen Group. The USA and Canada are the partner countries of this year’s IZB, organised by the Wolfsburg AG, which was opened by the patrons Francisco J. Garcia Sanz, a Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, and Prof. Rolf Schnellecke, Mayor of the city of Wolfsburg.

With 727 exhibitors from 24 countries, including a multitude of market leaders such as Continental AG, DENSO Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Magna International Europe AG and TRW, and an exhibition area now covering 35,000 square metres, the trade fair again showed a significant increase in terms of size and numbers. The participation of 110 supplier companies from the USA and Canada, the partner countries of the IZB, alone, which are exhibiting on a area of 2500 square metres in Wolfsburg, underlines the international reputation of the trade fair as an essential meeting place for the automotive industry and its significance as the gateway to the European market. In light of the increasing interest in sustainable mobility and 'German engineering' in the North American automotive market, the IZB additionally provides the best conditions for the development of mutual transatlantic partnerships.

The Future of Mobility Forms the Focus of the Trade Fair

The future issues of 'sustainable mobility' and 'electromobility' play a special role both at the IZB and at the specialist accompanying events, particularly against the background of emerging changes in power train technology and of a North American automotive market that is undergoing major changes. This market forms a focus of the diverse programme of events accompanying the IZB, which boast top-class speakers from the automotive industry.

"The IZB is an important marketplace for information and communication and simultaneously forms a platform for the professional exchange of knowledge and experience between experts and provides innovative ideas for new solutions", declared Prof. Dr-Ing. Bernd Wilhelm, the Special IZB Representative of Volkswagen AG, during the ceremonial opening of the 6th International Suppliers Fair 2010 which took place in the Group Forum of the Autostadt in Wolfsburg and was attended by 1,600 high-ranking representatives from the worlds of business and politics. He underlined the special role of German suppliers and OEMs who, despite the economic and financial crisis, committed themselves to increasing the budget for research and development by about four percent in 2009 and investing about 21 billion Euros in R&D. “By doing this, they have made an important contribution to ensuring the future of our country as an automotive nation”, added Wilhelm.

Dialogue between Business and Science

Hans-Joachim Otto, the Parliamentary State Secretary to the German Federal Minister for Economics and Technology, emphasised the necessity of the dialogue between the worlds of industry, science and politics on the journey towards future-oriented and sustainable mobility and, on behalf of the German Federal Government, wished the IZB every success.

The Mayor of Wolfsburg, Prof. Rolf Schnellecke, who is also a patron of the IZB, was pleased to welcome “representatives from one of the most important global economic markets, namely the partner countries of the USA and Canada, as guests to the IZB. As home to the largest European automotive group, we are here in Wolfsburg particularly pleased to have won both countries as partner countries to the IZB.” In her welcome speech, the Minister of Economic Development and Trade for the Canadian province of Ontario, Sandra Pupatello, underlined the importance of the International Suppliers Fair as a transatlantic communication platform.

Over the next three days of the IZB, the organiser is expecting to welcome over 40,000 trade visitors from all over the world.