ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION CONFIRMS THE SUCCESS FORMULA OF MAINTENANCE 2017

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1 ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION CONFIRMS THE SUCCESS FORMULA OF MAINTENANCE 2017 Perfect platform to sow and then reap business afterwards Antwerp, 9th January 2017 Over the years, Maintenance has grown to become the ultimate Belgian event for all those concerned with maintenance. A round table discussion organised by Easyfairs in the run-up to the trade fair has made clear that Maintenance 2017 has quite a strategic value for the exhibitors. This fair is the perfect platform to strengthen the ties with customers and to attract new prospects. At the same time, vendors get a clear view of what is going on in the world of maintenance, the participants stated unanimously. For this round table discussion, Easyfairs invited some players who have been established names on Maintenance s exhibition floor for years. Eventually, five companies were willing to share their views on the event, and on the sector in general. The fact that they all offer other products and services added extra zing to the discussion. Nevertheless, the five vendors agreed that organizer Easyfairs really fills a need with Maintenance. Gerald Hofs, Manager Marketing & Communication at Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services: The maintenance sector is huge and consists of an enormous amount of partial aspects. Because the sector is not very tangible and defined, the use of maintenance is underestimated still too often. An event like Maintenance attracts not only maintenance technicians but also decision-makers. That is the strength of this fair: experience experts find what they are looking for, but managers too discover that maintenance can indeed bring added value to their business. Bart De Moor, Marketing & Sales Representative at ARG EMEA: Many managers indeed still consider maintenance as a cost that also disrupts production. That misperception is mainly caused by the fact that managers have little affinity for technology. It is now our job to show that maintenance is the oxygen for an efficient and continuous production. Just as the human body, a production facility cannot function without this oxygen.

2 Martin Smit, Business Development Manager at Rimses (the maintenance software from Real Dolmen) adds: We live in a throwaway society. That means that maintenance may seem outdated. However, in the long run, efficient maintenance can play a crucial role in each production facility s survival strategy. As a provider, it is essential for us to point out to companies the added value of our products and services. An industry-focused trade fair such as Maintenance is the perfect opportunity. We meet a large number of potential interested parties within a very short time and it does not cost us all that much. Not mainly for direct sale The fact that Maintenance attracts over five thousand visitors each year is without doubt the main reason why the exhibitors reserve their space at the fair again and again. Direct sale is not always the main objective here. Gerald Hofs: You get two days to have conversations with many people who are interested in your products and services. Of course, it should not be assumed that a lot of direct sales will be generated during the event. Maintenance is rather a platform that yields results in the longer term. Meeting existing customers in a warm and informal setting is also considered an important asset by the interlocutors. Kenny Viskens, Area Sales Manager at REM-B: Our customer base has over 2,000 companies, while REM-B only has three commercial forces. Thanks to this trade fair, we have the opportunity to speak with many more customers than we could visit. The best way to present yourself as a business It goes without saying that the exhibitors are hoping for new leads. And again, they are confident that Maintenance 2017 will offer them this opportunity. Wim De Vrieze, Business Unit Manager at Actemium: Maintenance does not focus on one particular industry. That is very interesting. At this fair, visitors can discover all kinds of things. This always leads to many new contacts passing by. Of course, as an exhibitor, you must seize the opportunity to present your company and launch novelties. In the recent years, we have been strongly focussing on supporting software tools: from the automation of machines and processes to MES and to business analytics. In combination with our specific maintenance solutions, we are able to help each customer to make their production facility more efficient and reliable. It must be said that Belgian companies are facing major challenges: technological change, sustainability, increasing competition, aging staff which may lead to loss of crucial knowledge, etc. Only a few know what tools are available to deal with all this and how Actemium can help with that. Maintenance 2017 provides a very good platform to explain and demonstrate solutions.

3 Gerald Hofs: Thanks to the diverse range of visitor profiles, Maintenance allows us to do some crossselling. Some know us as a scaffolding company, others know us as an insulation company. During Maintenance, we can highlight all our services at the same time. That always translates into interesting leads. Bart De Moor: Industry 4.0 being the central theme is an extra incentive to participate again. This year, we will launch an innovation that will not go unnoticed. Easyfairs also gives the necessary publicity to these novelties. Last year, we ranked second at the Innovations Awards, which gave us quite some positive media attention. This is how this trade fair also generates indirect business. Media campaigns and side programme That brings us to that other added value of Maintenance: the media attention for Easyfairs through targeted campaigns. The extensive side programme is also welcomed with quite some enthusiasm by the exhibitors. Gerald Hofs: A trade fair should stay top of mind and Easyfairs ensures this by launching initiatives that create added value for both exhibitors and visitors every year. Kenny Viskens: I can only agree. The media campaigns and the side programme ensure that Maintenance is in the spotlight and therefore attracts new faces every time. The way Easyfairs organizes its trade fairs is a win-win for all parties. Wide target audience Which profiles are the exhibitors expecting at Maintenance 2017? Decision-makers, engineers and maintenance people from the (petro)chemical and manufacturing sector in general are high on almost everyone s wish list. Kenny Viskens also finds it a plus that Easyfairs media campaign is also directed to the public sector. Bridges, locks, etc. all need hydraulics. Officials need to know what is going on in terms of maintenance, what are the novelties and possible services. That way, they can prepare tenders that are to the point and realistic. Bart De Moor, in turn, hopes that, in addition to customers and prospects, students and recent graduates will pass by. A lot is going on in the world of maintenance and the manufacturing industry in general. If we want to continue to respond to the needs of our customers, we must innovate constantly. That is why we are now looking for IoT managers, students who specialize in big data and predictive analysis, etc. Maintenance seems the perfect platform for that, since those who are working in this field will undoubtedly pay a visit to the trade fair to see what is going on in the sector.

4 Business opportunities through networking Many exhibitors do not see Maintenance 2017 merely as a marketing tool. They find in the event also a perfect forum for networking and closing partnerships. Bart De Moor: In order to expand our services, we need efficient tools. So we are always looking for innovative products. Maintenance is for us an interesting source of information because the epiphany of the sector is united on one exhibition floor. Martin Smit agrees: Personally, I find it particularly interesting to take a walk through the trade fair and to enter into conversations with other exhibitors. That way, you forge informal connections that may later result in interesting collaborations. In the heart of where it all happens Antwerp as the location of Maintenance is the icing on the cake for the interlocutors. Gerald Hofs: The greatest cluster of (petro)chemical companies lies in the Port of Antwerp. And that happens to be one of our main target groups. Martin Smit: Since our headquarters are located in Kontich, it is normal that our customers are mainly established around Antwerp. Wim De Vrieze: Apart from the large cluster of companies around Antwerp, also many Dutch people visit the fair. Kenny Viskens: This is an event that takes place in the heart of our business, both in terms of location and in terms of themes. I dare even say that staying away from Maintenance 2017 would have an adverse impact on our business. Gerald Hofs agrees: This trade fair is the ultimate event for the maintenance industry. However, also the location plays an important role in our decision to participate, just because our headquarters and many of our customers are located in Antwerp.

5 The participants in the round table discussion Real Dolmen is a Belgian listed company that provides IT products and services. It offers strategic, tactical as well as operational solutions. With Rimses, Real Dolmen developed an efficient software tool for maintenance activities. REM-B HYDRAULICS is a service company that specifically focuses on hydraulic systems. Repairs, components, spare parts, services, projects and training are all part of the service. The company has fifty employees and exports to over thirty countries. Allied Reliabilty Groep EMEA NV, based in Heverlee s research park, positions itself as market leader in Global Asset Integrity Management solutions. This company helps its customers all over the world to produce more and to produce more efficiently at a lower (maintenance) cost. Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services is an industrial service provider specializing in scaffolding, rope access, elevated work platforms, insulation, tracing and fireproofing. From its headquarters in America, this company operates in 30 countries. The Belgian subsidiary employs about a hundred people. Actemium, brand of VINCI Energies, has built a strong reputation in consulting, study, realization and support of industrial processes and equipment by implementing software, robotics, electricity and mechanics. In Belgium, the company has about 900 employees, spread across seven branches.