• Some 1,500 participants at oils+fats 
• International trade visitors from 58 countries 
• Atmosphere at the fair is outstanding  

The second edition of oils+fats, the International Trade Fair for the Production and Processing of Oils and Fats made from Renewable Resources, was a complete success: With a total of some 1,500 participants (1,200 visitors, and 273 representatives of exhibiting companies) from 58 countries, it was more international than ever. The countries with the largest number of visitors were Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Poland, the United States, Turkey and France, in that order.

Patrick Walczak, Sales Director at Harburg Freudenberger-Maschinenbau GmbH, summed up the results of this year's fair as follows: "We have come a great deal closer to our goal of becoming a central trade fair for our industry in Europe."

70 leading companies from 15 countries used this platform to present the entire range of manufacturing and processing solutions and technologies for oils and fats made from renewable resources. The extensive range of exhibits – from auxiliary materials, plants and machinery to quality control and logistics – face high demand both in Germany and abroad. As in the past, this year's oils+fats generated a great deal of interest among an international audience, as evidenced by an additional increase in the share of foreign exhibitors (approximately 40 percent). The large percentage of international visitors and exhibitors was particularly clear in a survey conducted by the independent opinion-research institute "forschungplus". 86 percent of all exhibitors gave the fair a rating of good to excellent for the international mix of its visitors. And 87 percent of all oils+fats visitors felt that the international character of the exhibitors was good to excellent.

According to Norbert Bargmann, Managing Director of Munich International Trade Fairs, "We are very satisfied with this year's oils+fats. The large share of foreign exhibitors and visitors demonstrates that, despite the noticeable decline in international economic conditions, oils+fats is still considered the gathering for the oils and fats industry."

That fact has also been corroborated by the industry's leading exhibitors: According to Alexander Scholl, Division Manager, Edible Oils Industry at Siemens AG, "This small but important exhibition has a highly qualified international audience. Our special automation solutions and energy-saving concepts met with the desired response."

Lorenzo Petruzzi, Commercial Director at Andreotti Impianti s.p.a., added, "Certainly the best exhibition this year among the ones in the field of oils+fats (…)"

A comment by Prof. Dr. Eltar Ablametovich Smailov, Director, Doctor of Agriculture, Education of Osh Technology University Kirgisistan, reflects the visitors' point of view: "oils+fats is an outstanding trade fair. I found several partners and received some useful information at the fair."

The program of related events at oils+fats 2008 also met with a great deal of interest. One of the fair's visitor highlights was a panel discussion about "Oils and fats made from renewable resources and the conflicting priorities of food vs. energy," the title of which was Plenty for everyone – Fact or fiction?"

The many trade associations representing the oils and fats industry that demonstrated unanimous support for oils+fats were also satisfied with the results of this year's fair. Dr. Frank Amoneit, Managing Director of Euro Fed Lipid, said "Euro Fed Lipid is extremely pleased and satisfied with the way that "our" trade fair oils+fats is developing and growing. Besides allowing us to meet with our members and partners, we also made several valuable contacts that have helped us to further improve our scientific activities."

Norbert Bargmann summarized the three-day exhibition as follows: "All in all, Munich International Trade Fairs created a solid foundation by establishing this successful trade fair. The exhibitors' comments in particular have motivated us to step up our marketing activities in an effort to realize our common goal of expanding oils+fats to make it a leading international trade fair for the oils and fats industry.
 
Additional information about oils+fats is available at www.oils-and-fats.com.

4P/skr
 
 
oils+fats 2008
oils+fats is being held at the M,O,C, Events Centre in Munich from 18 to 20 November 2008. It is the only international trade fair that focuses on the production and processing of oils and fats from renewable resources. It covers everything from raw and auxiliary materials to processing, quality assurance, packaging and logistics, informing visitors about the latest trends and technological developments. That makes oils+fats the most important industry gathering for experts and decision-makers in the oils and fats industry.
 
 
Messe München International (MMI)
Messe München International (MMI, Munich Trade Fairs International Group) is one of the world´s leading trade-fair companies. It organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries. Each year over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part in the events in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America. With six subsidiaries abroad – in Europe and in Asia – and with 66 foreign representatives serving 89 countries, MMI has a truly global network.
 
 
 
Contact, M,O,C, Munich:
Bettina Albrecht, Exhibition Manager
Tel.: (+49 89) 323 53 189, Fax: (+49 89) 323 53 119
E-mail: bettina.albrecht@messe-muenchen.de, Internet: www.oils-and-fats.com
 
Press contact:
Sonja Kreitmeier, Exhibition PR
Tel.: (+49 89) 949 20714, Fax: (+49 89) 949 97 20714
E-mail: sonja.kreitmeier@messe-muenchen.de, Internet: www.oils-and-fats.com