For John Blankendaal, director of Brainport How does the trade fair manage to do that? Industries, it is already the tenth time that he is attending the Precision Fair. No matter how busy he is, Blankendaal always makes room in his schedule to drop by. What makes this trade fair so special? “It is a large trade fair by Dutch standards, but despite this size, it is still intimate. It’s not an ordinary trade fair but really more of a networking event for business relations where you get to see lots of familiar faces but also make new contacts. I think that is what makes it so distinctive and unique. Where you see other events struggling with declining visitor numbers and exhibitors, they are not affected by that here.” Why is this event so important for Brainport Industries? “It is one of the few trade fairs that showcases what suppliers have to offer across the full spectrum of the manufacturing industry. That is catching on, because there was nothing before this. The manufacturing industry was very much invisible. The network of Brainport Industries has grown partly because of these kinds of get-togethers. The great thing about it is that everyone is always looking forward to this trade fair. Not only to be able to speak to each other again, but also as far as the content is concerned. This is where they update each other about the latest developments or make contacts that can lead to future business or new customers.” Isn’t this a case of everyone knows everyone? “It’s a nice mix. The supply chain is always looking for new customers, so you tend to look abroad fairly quickly as wellv. From within Brainport Industries, we are working with Mikrocentrum to attract more international visitors to the Precision Fair. We have seen especially in recent years lots of German, but also Belgian and Danish visitors coming back. And that interest is only increasing. The visibility and exposure of the Dutch manufacturing industry is consequently on the rise abroad.” “The program content is of course very strong. Speakers from all corners of the industry are always coming to talk about the latest developments. It is also interesting for visitors from abroad to see what the Dutch manufacturing industry has to offer. With matchmaking events, such as special breakfast sessions for international visitors, we are able to emphasize our added value. There is a very positive response to this.” What have been your personal highlights? “Personally, I always love walking around the trade fair and talking to people I haven’t seen in a while. You can schedule all kinds of meetings through Teams, but nothing can compare to chance meetings and personal encounters. It can lead to business or provide you with good ideas. And sometimes you link certain people together because you think they have something in common. That all happens here; I really enjoy that.” “Moreover, I like the fact that the trade fair is becoming more and more well known abroad. It opens up opportunities for our manufacturing industry. At this trade fair, you can show neighboring countries like Germany how strong the Dutch manufacturing industry actually is. If one of those German delegations is impressed by what’s happening here, then that’s really nice to see.” “It is one of the few trade fairs that showcases what suppliers have to offer across the full spectrum of the manufacturing industry.” 13
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