In Retrospect: 58^th SEPAWA Congress 2011

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The Right Mix of Technical Expertise and Communication

Fulda, October 2011. The SEPAWA/EDC Congress, held in Fulda from 12-14th October 2011, yet again recorded a further burst of growth this year. With 173 exhibition stands, the exhibition attained a new magnitude of size. Over 1,780 visitors from 42 countries used the extensive offerings in the three-day event to combine sales pitches, scientific discussion and information about the latest products.

The excellent opportunities offered by the new Fulda exhibition site gave the SEPAWA/EDC Congress an additional boost. This is shown by the numbers of exhibitors and visitors, which have risen to new heights. The exhibition stands for 2012 are already completely booked up, which is why organizers are once again increasing the size of the exhibition by adding at least an additional five stands. “As a meeting point, the trade fair is multifaceted, but still manageable. The organizers have once again managed to turn this major industry venue with a successful communications mix, into a fantastic atmosphere,” said Horst Waltenberger, Managing Director of IMPAG GmbH, describing what’s special about the exhibition. His summary: “SEPAWA is fun”.

The variety of offerings is something that visitors have always especially appreciated. The latest research and development was extensively presented in 100 presentations in parallel sessions. What proved popular, due of its practical nature, was the Forum for Innovations, which provided the opportunity of becoming familiar with current product innovations.

Junior scientists impressed with outstanding achievements, with the GDCh experts group and SEPAWA presenting them with a total of eight sponsorship awards.

The hall was filled to the last seat during Professor Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker’s keynote speech. With his penetrating talk on "Megatrend Resource Productivity” he struck a nerve with many in the audience, who gave him several standing ovations. His theses were still being discussed that evening at the event’s after-party. 320 guests took up the invitation to the evening event, which in its casual format provided ample opportunities for conversation and making new contacts. Michael Holzschneider, GB-Chemie, confirmed: “With its familial flair and expert authority, SEPAWA sets itself distinctly apart from other trade fairs and this is why it will also play a significant role for us in the future.”

So, welcome to the next SEPAWA/EDC Congress in Fulda on 23-25th October 2012, this time being held from Tuesday to Thursday.