The 2019 edition of GIS closed with record-breaking figures: over 11,000 visitors and more than 400 exhibitors from all over the world

With an average of about 4,000 qualified visitors per day, GIS  (the three-day event dedicated to lifting, industrial and port handling equipment and heavy transport vehicles) recorded an increase of 26% and confirmed itself as the biggest European exhibition for the above industry sectors.

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 The seventh edition of GIS closed on Saturday 5th October with record figures of exhibitors and visitors, a fact which is now confirming the Piacenza show as the biggest exhibition in Europe dedicated to the relevant industry. The success achieved in terms of number and quality of visitors confirms the added value of focusing on trade fairs as an opportunity to showcase the excellence of the industry and to create moments of constructive confrontation, relationships and commercial cooperations. The seventh edition of GIS has actually registered over 11,000 certified visitors coming from Italy, with a high increase of industry operators from all over the world. It’s worth underlining the highly qualified profile of the people who visited GIS, composed almost entirely by industry professionals: most of them were also potential buyers of the equipment on display at GIS, which now represents the ideal location to meet, in one place, the excellence of the “Made in Italy” and the most important players at a global level.

The number of exhibitors has exceeded 400 (at the 2017 edition they were 359, with a growth of 20%), with a significant presence of international companies that have seen in the GIS show a unique opportunity to make themselves known by the Italian and European markets.

Furthermore, numerous were the Italians institutions and business associations that organized conferences and workshops on different issues, such as training, safety and technical updates.

Alongside the GIS show, 3 important Gala Dinners were also held, with the participation of around 800 industry operators. During the evenings, awards were given for some excellence in the sector, with the ITALPLATFORM-Italian Access Platform Awards (dedicated to the aerial work platforms manufacturers and users), the ITALA-Italian Terminal and Logistic Awards (dedicated to industrial & port handling equipment users) and, finally, ILTA-Italian Lifting & Transportation Awards (dedicated to cranes and specialized transport users).

"With the data we have got and based on the enthusiastic comments of most of our 428 exhibitors - states Fabio Potestà, director of Mediapoint & Communications and GIS organizer - we can say that the Piacenza exhibition was a great success, for which we must also thank the Ministries, the Institutional Bodies and Associations that supported us, but also all the exhibitors who believed in the innovative format of our event, and in particular the ones who booked larger exhibiting spaces than the previous edition of the show, in order to put on display a higher number of machines and equipment. A special thanks also to the Italian Army that participated at GIS 2019 with a selection of lifting, handling and specialized transport vehicles used by the 2nd Regiment of the Genio Pontieri of Piacenza and by the 2nd Alpine Regiment of Cuneo, an exhibiting presence combined with photographs illustrating the several activities carried out by the Italian Army in case of natural disasters, and not only. "

The growing internationalization process of GIS is also confirmed by the presence in Piacenza of ESTA - the leading European association for the abnormal road transport and mobile crane rental industry - which held its 2-day autumn meeting at the PiacenzaExpo headquarter. An important recognition about the importance of the event and the international dimension that GIS is acquiring at each edition.

“My greatest satisfaction as GIS organizer - concludes Fabio Potestà – is that with our show we demonstrate that it is also possible to organize in Italy niche events of international importance, offering an ideal showcase for all national and international companies that operate in our Country”.