METALFORM Mexico - September 28-30, 2005

More than 1200 attendees took the opportunity to view interactive displays and equipment demonstrations during METALFORM Mexico. The metal stamping, tool and die, forming and fabricating exposition was held September 28-30, 2005 at the Cintermex in Monterrey, Nuevo León. This year's exposition, cosponsored by the Precision Metalforming Association and Trade Show Consulting, featured 104 exhibitors - nearly double the number of companies that displayed at last year's inaugural METALFORM Mexico show in Mexico City.

The strength of this year's exposition was the high quality of attendees, as many exhibitors reported meeting or exceeding their marketing objectives. Yury Mikhail of CIMCO Refrigeration commented, "The activity at the show was efficient and effective. METALFORM's consistent ability to attract the right buyers from the metal stamping and fabricating industry was well evidenced by the leads we received, some of which were in the six-to seven-figure dollar range."

Other exhibitors experienced immediate results, selling equipment directly off the show floor. The Heim Group sold a display press, while SEYI Presses sold a display press as well as an additional unit to a Belgian manufacturer.

First-time exhibitor Enprotech Mechanical Services used the show to examine its potential in Mexico. Ken Steiner, sales engineer, said "We need effective ways to meet potential customers, expand our customer base and introduce new products. By exhibiting at METALFORM Mexico, we accomplished these objectives and were able to position ourselves in front of an audience that was both high in quantity and quality."

The educational conference held in conjunction with the show exceeded attendance expectations, mirroring the conference attendance at last year's Mexico City show, where there was standing room only for some sessions. Aimed at improving employees' industry knowledge and skills, the technical sessions featured presentations on topics such as tooling, sensors and controls, progressive dies, lubricants and more.

Also, more than 200 of Mexico's next generation of metalformers took advantage of the educational opportunities available. On the last day of the show, students were able to walk the show floor, ask questions and observe cutting-edge technology firsthand. The response to both of these educational events reaffirms Mexico's commitment to invest heavily on educational excellence and innovation - more than 60 percent of Nuevo León's annual budget is spent on education.