The
10th edition of the International Foundry Fair FOND-EX 2004
will also be the first foundry trade fair after EU enlargement
with 10 new states entering the EU. The establishment of a community
of 25 states with 400 million inhabitants is another important
milestone in the creation of the single European market.
Practically, all Czech and Slovak foundries have already experienced
the difficult competitive environment in the EU. We have known
for several years that to be successful on demanding markets
means to produce castings to the requested quality, to supply
within the requested deadlines, and in most cases the lead-times
are really tight, at competitive prices. The way is clear -
technical development, investments and efficient production
management. FOND-EX is one of milestones on the way to solving
this never-ending direction of development of foundries and
pattern shops.
The conception of the
FOND-EX trade fair is based on three pillars.
The first one are deliveries
for foundries and pattern shops, the traditional subject of
the FOND-EX fairs from its start in 1972. Companies
supplying equipment, machinery, instruments, technologies,
materials, tools and services to foundries and pattern shops
have an opportunity to offer their products at FOND-EX, thus
helping to solve the problem of their competitiveness. Besides
the traditional professional public from the Czech Republic
and Slovakia, the trade fair becomes more and more the meeting
point of foreign specialists. An extensive promotional campaign
is conducted among foundry professionals in Poland, Hungary,
Slovenia, Rumania, Bulgaria and also in Belarus, Russia, and
Ukraine. The FOND-EX management from the joint-stock company
Veletrhy Brno even organises bus trips for professionals from
these countries. With respect to the occupation of the exhibition
area, suppliers for foundries and pattern shops occupied 50
% of the exhibition area at FOND-EX 2002. In order to support
suppliers and inform foundries and pattern shops, the Foundry
Association publishes a catalogue, both printed and in the
electronic format.
The second pillar are
deliveries of castings and patterns for the engineering and
building industry. The competitive pressure on prices
forces the final engineering producers and builders to search
for new possible deliveries of castings and patterns. Quality
must be respected, delivery terms shortened and prices must
be lower compared to the current status. However, the price
reduction compared to the current manufacturers must reflect
the rate of the new manufacturer's risk (quality, reliability)
and transport costs.
Several years' recession
of the engineering production in the current EU states has
provoked the necessity to establish new operations and to
search for castings in the Central and Eastern European countries.
Since mid-2003, we have been noticing the influx of new casting
operations both in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia and
it seems this trend will be preserved. Higher prices can be
expected only with new manufacturing entities.
FOND-EX would like to help the Czech foundries and pattern
shops in their search for new business contacts. Since 1992,
we have been purposefully focusing FOND-EX on casting and
pattern customers. In 2002, already 40 % of the exhibition
area was occupied by foundries and pattern shops. In 2004,
the tradition of the proven representative exhibition of castings
and patterns will continue.
The trade fair administration of Veletrhy
Brno, a.s. in liaison with the Foundry Association has been
conducting an extensive promotional campaign focused on casting
buyers in Europe. Innumerable contacts of Veletrhy Brno, Messe
Düsseldorf, CZECH TRADE and business sections of the
Czech representative offices abroad and foreign representative
offices in the Czech Republic are used. In order to support
the promotion of foundries and pattern shops abroad, the Foundry
Association publishes a Catalogue of Foundries, Pattern Shops
and Business Organisations not only in Czech but also in English
and in German.
The third pillar is
the scientific-technical programme for the professional and
general public. Accompanying programmes, information
events and consulting services have become an integral part
of FOND-EX. The Foundry Association will provide information
service on products and suppliers and counselling in the area
of environmental issues, equipment and technologies at its
stand.
Once again, the Union of Foundries and Forges
of Slovakia will present itself at the FOND-EX trade fair
with a representative stand where visitors will have the opportunity
to learn about the condition and possibilities of the Slovak
foundry industry.
Other foundry associations and societies
from the Eastern and Central Europe, with whom negotiations
are conducted at the moment, will participate in the trade
fair. The presence of Polish founders has already been arranged.
The accompanying
programme is richer and more extensive year by year; we indicate
only the major events:
17 May 2004 - DISA DAY - a promotional and presentation seminar
of DISA and SAVELLI
19 May 2004 - International Economic Conference, organised
by the Czech Foundry Society and the Foundry Association of
the Czech Republic
20 May 2004 - Meeting of publishers of foundry-related magazines.
This is organised by the editorial staff of the Slévárenství
(Foundry Industry) magazine.
20 - 21 May 2004 - MEGI session - organised by the Union of
Foundries and Forges of Slovakia
In addition, there will be meetings of the
Board of Directors of the Foundry Association of the Czech
Republic and of the Board of the Czech Foundry Society as
well as a general meeting of the Czech Foundry Society.
FOND EX 2004 is a trade fair where Czech and Slovak foundries
and pattern shops will draw new inspiration and will surely
find new business opportunities and new business contacts.
For information on the trade fair
and exhibitors see www.bvv.cz/fondex.
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