News

Wojciech Ryttel - Marketing Director at PPH Maxpol Ltd.

Monday, 19 October, 2015 Food From Poland 23/2015
The schedule of international fair events in the food sector organized by Maxpol is very impressive. Which of the fair locations were the most popular among Polish exhibitors in the first 6 months this year?

The most popular directions among Polish exhibitors in the first half of this year were: ISM in Cologne – i.e. the biggest confectionery fair in the world, IFE in London – the biggest food and packaging trade fair in Great Britain, SIAL in Shanghai, and increasingly popular among Polish exhibitors the annual fair of PLMA in Amsterdam – this is a private label manufacturer fair.

Other fairs are yet to come in 2015. Which of them would you recommend to potential exhibitors?

Of course the most important event will be the ANUGA fair in Cologne which is so popular that the exhibition space is sold out one year ahead, before its commencement. There is still a vast demand for this fair and the waiting queue is long. Another popular one and enjoying a great deal of interest is the fair in Dubai – Sweet and Snack Middle East, which takes place from 27 until 29 October this year. This fair is expanding every year and the number of exhibitors – companies producing sweets – are constantly growing. This year many Polish exhibitors plan to take part in it. Apart from this – still this year we invite you to: MENOPE Natura and Organic Product Expo in Dubai, World Food in Kazakhstan and PLMA Chicago – in November, and PLMA Shanghai, Sial Middle East in Abu Dhabi and a new fair in our schedule – MAFEX in Casablanca – in December.

What fair events have you prepared for the food industry in 2016? Will there be any new directions?

Apart from well know fairs, such as ISM in Cologne, Prodexpo in Moscow, Biofach in Nuremberg, SIAL in Canada, Food and Drink EXPO in Birmingham, Sial China, Sial Paris - we invite you to many other fairs as per the presented fair schedule, available on our web-site and in the Hurt & Detal monthly magazine. Please visit our web-site – www.maxpol-targi.com.pl – where you can find more information on fairs organised by our company and on details of cooperation.

Specialist fairs (e.g. ISM, PLMA), or general food fairs (ANUGA, SIAL)? Or maybe a combination of these editions? - Which choice will be the most beneficial to Polish exhibitors?

Hard to say. Many of our regular exhibitors search for new sales markets, this is why every year we open new fairs to which it would be worth coming. Definately, enjoying popularity and interest are the fairs of private-label brands, such as SIALs and ANUGA, and the ones which are organized once every two years - e.g. IFE in London. Business trade events such as sweets, drinks or organic product fairs, will always enjoy a great deal of popularity. These trades are highly specialized. Such fairs are visited only by persons interested in a given trade, not in the general food industry. But it all depends on the company exhibiting on the fair, what are the company's goals, what does it want to achieve and with whom it would like to cooperate.

Recent years show that a very popular direction for Polish exhibitors is the Middle East. Does it mean that this market is so lucrative for Polish exporters? To which fair in the Middle East can one go with Maxpol?

Yes, it is true. In recent years in the Middle East, especially in the UAE, fairs have become very popular. It is a result of the opening to this market, supported by our governmental organizations. In our fair schedule we also have several reputable propositions in this part of world to which we invite all interested.

The fair organization market is not without competition. Why should Polish exhibitors choose Maxpol as the organiser of international fairs?

Indeed, the fair organization market is not without competition. But competition occurs anywhere in the world, not only here. We are not afraid of the competition. Our customers can decide for themselves on the range of cooperation and on services that they want us to render. We do not oblige to buy an entire package of services. What do we offer? From renting a stand surface, accrediting a company, sending an entry to fair catalogues, designing the stand and ordering utilities such as electricity or water to the stand, entry tickets, parking cards and invitations for customers, to booking of accommodation and plane tickets. We also propose an exhibit transport service to the exhibitor's stand. We also act as agents in hiring interpreters and hostesses and renting conference rooms. You are asking why companies choose us? This is a question to our exhibitors but, immodestly speaking , I think we are good and accurate in our work.

How can one establish cooperation with Maxpol? Is an earlier booking of exhibition space necessary?

Please visit our web-site www.maxpol-targi.com.pl. There you can find full contact details of our company and the schedule of fairs that we organize. We will reply to any query, sending detailed information on chosen fairs with prices.

And in practice – what are the stages – from an exhibitor’s decision to be on a fair – to coming to a ready stand prepared by Maxpol?

When an exhibitor sends us an order regarding a fair he has chosen, we start to act, first we order an exhibition space according to the location in the order. Then, having been given the location by the main organizer of the fair, we send the location to the exhibitor for his approval. We ask the exhibitor to send an entry to the catalogue, giving him any necessary guidelines. In the meantime, we accredit the exhibitor at the organiser's, we order entry tickets. Then we begin to discuss the design of the stand. When completed, the design is sent for the exhibitor's approval allowing him to make any changes. After the approval we begin to build the stand which is later transported to the fair and assembled there. Stands made by our company are always on time. If requested, we can also deliver exhibits directly to the stand.

Can exhibitors – apart from the turnkey preparation of the stand and logistic activities – count on support from Maxpol representatives also during a fair?

Of course. During the fair our employees are at the exhibitors’ disposal offering their technical and factual assistance. Our exhibitors appreciate the fact that they can count on us and they are not left alone.

How have the building and equipment standards of stands changed?

Developing our company we focused on solid and modern structures and on a better and more efficient presentation of our exhibitors' products. Apart from stands built in the Octanorm system, we propose to our exhibitors stands built individually. These stands are made of materials such as wooden plates, MDF, glass, Plexiglass, etc. The trend – to make the stands more transparent and available to visitors – has resulted in us designing them as more spatial, so that stands are more inviting to visitors . Our exhibitors choose such solutions more and more often.

‘Customer satisfaction’ – this is the motto of the Maxpol Company which has been organising fairs for 25 years. A growing number of regular and loyal customers seems to confirm this thesis…

Since the company's establishment our credo has been customer satisfaction. A systematic increase in the number of exhibitors and the expanding group of regular customers who, every year, take part in many fairs allowed us also to gain the recognition of trade institutions. Our business was positively assessed and awarded with the prestigious title of the Fair Services Leader for the years: 2006, 2007 and 2014. We were also granted Recommendation of the Polish Chamber of Fair Industry in 2009 and 2012.

In closing this interview let me - in the papers of your magazine , on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of our business, that we celebrated this year - one more time thank all our regular exhibitors and wish them and myself much success in the next 25 years of our cooperation. On behalf of the whole staff of MAXPOL I thank you for our long-term cooperation, wishing myself and you further success and more and more readers of this great magazine.

Thank you for a pleasant interview and I wish you only success in the following years of Maxpol company's operation.


tagi: Wojciech Ryttel , PPH Maxpol Ltd. ,