MAKTEK Eurasia 2018 attracted twice as many foreign visitors

One of the most prominent hubs in Eurasia for machine tools and sheet processors, core elements of production in machine and manufacturing industry, the MAKTEK Eurasia Fair, was held on October 2-7 this year in Istanbul, Turkey. The biennial event was organized in collaboration with the Machine Tools Industrialists and Businessmen Association of Turkey (TIAD), the Association of Turkish Machine Manufacturers (MIB), and the support of the Turkish Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Economy and KOSGEB. Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country’s economic, cultural, and historical heart. It has a population of 14,1 million people and is the fifth largest city in the world. Istanbul’s strategic position along the retail networks to Europe and the Middle East and the only sea route between the Black and the Mediterranean Sea make it the most important city in the Turkish economy, state the event organizers. Not only because of these strategic advantages but also because of the different cultural and historical influences, the city is popular for being a hotspot in the region.

The TUYAP Fair Convention and Congress Center exhibition ground was where the forum took place. MAKTEK Eurasia 2018 is a stage for attendees operating in the businesses of machine tools, metal and sheet processing machines, tool holders and cutting tools, quality control and measurement systems, CAD/CAM and PLM software, and manufacturing technologies.

Compared to its previous iteration in 2016, the event organizers reported an increase of 52 percent of foreign visitors and a 46 percent increase of the number of visiting countries. The fair showcased the latest technologies shaping the future of automotive, aviation, defense, maritime, and construction, and was visited by a total of 56 526 industry professionals. The General Manager of the TUYAP Fair and Fair Services, Ilhan Ersozlu, noted that MAKTEK is a meeting point for the industry and they are expecting a 12 percent general growth year-over-year.

“Beyond including cutting-edge products in its scope, MAKTEK captures the future projection of the industry by creating a common platform for thousands of new products. In addition to nearly 60 000 visitors from 70 countries, the fair is home to national participation by countries such as China, Taiwan, India and Korea and host the senior management of international public institutions and NGOs. An important benchmark for the Turkish economy, the MAKTEK Eurasia 2018 Fair aims to drive a business volume of 1 billion dollars,” said Ersozlu.

Thematic focus

The MAKTEK Eurasia 2018 fair had a total of 14 halls spanning over 120 000 square meters. The event’s goal was to facilitate the meeting of over 1000 companies and many more company representatives/industry professionals. The attendants represented several sectors:

• CNC and Conventional Metal Working
• Metal Processing Machines
• Cutting Tools / Holders
• CAD / CAM, PLM Technologies
• Measurement and Quality Control Equipment
• Welding and Related Spare Parts
• Heat Treatment Equipment
• Lifting Systems
• Lubrication and Cooling Systems
• Related Institutions and Universities
• Related Associations
• Finance Institutions Professional Publications

Meanwhile, the visitors had the following profiles: Machinery Industry, Molding Industry, Automotive Industry, Electrical and Electronics Industry, Defense and Aerospace Industry, Iron and Steel Industry, Casting Industry, White Goods Industry, Plastic Machinery Industry, Agriculture Machinery Industry, Medical Equipment Industry, Packaging Machinery Industry, Food Machinery Industry, Construction Machinery Industry, Naval Architecture Industry.

Rich supporting programme with awards and special shows

The exhibition programme included various special events, such as the MAKTEK Golden Compass (Altin Pergel) Competition organized in collaboration by TIAD and TEZMAKSAN Training Base. With it MAKTEK Eurasia proves its support for the development of next generations. Within the competition, 10 schools made it to the finals. A total of 36 vocational high schools from 19 different cities attended the awards. The top three schools received their recognitions at the opening ceremony of MAKTEK Eurasia 2018 Fair. 

Among the events hosted by MAKTEK for the purpose of introducing a fresh perspective to the industry was the “Meeting of Women in Industry” event that took place on Wednesday, October 3. Speakers included the GE Turkey Board of Directors Chair and General Manager Canan Ozsoy, Hurriyet Columnist Elif Ergu Demiral, Seger Korna General Manager Tulin Tezer, Nestle Turkey General Manager Arzu Alibaz, and Dirinler Machine Inc. Board of Directors Member Nihan Dirin. They discussed issues such as the role of women in industrial companies, the women issue in Turkey, and being an executive in an industrial company.

The highlight of the fair was the MAKTEK Golden Compass 1st National CNC Tooling Lathe Design Contest, which was held in association with TIAD and the Tezmaksan Training Hub Society to help train qualified technical personnel needed by the industry. The best ideas of young minds were selected in the contest to subsequently turn into reality, helping to encourage the youth and advance school-industry partnership.

Upcoming MAKTEK fairs

The fifth edition of MAKTEK will be held again in partnership with the Machine Tools Industrialists and Businessmen Association of Turkey (TIAD) and the Association of Turkish Machine Manufacturers (MIB) on September 29 - October 4, 2020. Meanwhile, the MAKTEK Konya event, one of the largest meetings of the machinery industry in Anatolia, will be held at the TUYAP Konya International Convention Center between April 10 and 13, 2019. Additionally, MAKTEK Izmir will be held at FuarIzmir from October 9 to 12, 2019.

The event organizers underline that exhibitors can seize the opportunity to improve their brand and grow brand awareness, as well as the opportunity to showcase the strength of their brand and their new technologies. Another advantage they point out for future exhibitors is the availability of latest information on the industry in Turkey and around the world, and the platform for market research and customer analysis.

For visitors, MAKTEK claims to offer high quality products with competitive prices, new products of world leading brands, and a possibility to compare them easily with a wide range of alternatives and get advantageous prices. The biennial also showcases the latest design and trends in the machine and metalworking industry, new designs and alternatives.

The visitors are also offered to opportunity to make B2B meetings with company owners, meet with producers and dealers, company owners from a wide territory and cooperate effectively with them. The fair appointment program helps to plan B2B meetings with target exhibitors and spend your time much more effectively. The free program can be used to find exhibitors who meet the visitor’s specific requirements, and subsequently arrange a meeting with them.