Italian woodworking machinery exhibition Xylexpo says it is on target to achieve a 15-20% increase in show display space next year compared with 2010.
Registrations for the biennial Milan exhibition, organised by ACIMALL, have been encouraging so far and suggest display space might reach 45,000m².
German technology giants Homag, Weinig, IMA and Siempelkamp are among those that have booked stands.
Paolo Zanibon, Xylepo general manager, said the next show on May 8-12 next year would be “very concrete” and would not fail to show its strong determination to “guide” the market.
Some 40,000m² has been booked so far, a third taken by international exhibitors.
Xylexpo is restating its leadership role in the Italian market in the face of competition from new Rimini exhibition Technodomus (April 20-24, 2012), which SCM and Biesse are now supporting.
Most Xylexpo stands in Halls 1-3 (secondary panel processing) at the Rho Fairgrounds in Milan have been allocated.
“Only if registration levels are satisfying, will we consider opening Halls 5 and 7 to panel machining,” said Acimall.
Solid wood machinery will be in Hall 2, where the trend of registrations is in line with the 2010 event, with most stands booked. Hall 4 is dedicated to first operation technology.
“We know very well that the next few months might be vital for our show,” said Mr Zanibon.
“The trust of big German groups and many small, medium and large Italian and international businesses is proving that Xylexpo’s leadership is intact.”
