Sergi Hizmetleri Ltd News

SMM Istanbul will open its gates on February 26, welcoming its exhibitors and industry visitors with an entirely new concept. The countdown is on; On February 26 and 27, Istanbul will be the global shipping industry's center of attention as SMM Istanbul, the international maritime conference and exhibition 2014, opens its gates. SMM Istanbul is one of two international subsidiaries of SMM, the leading international maritime trade fair Hamburg. "The Turkish market is highly dynamic. SMM Istanbul is a major meeting place for all decision makers and executives of the region," said Bernd Aufderheide, Chairman of the Board of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH. This year marks the third return of the fair to Istanbul.

The first SMM Istanbul, from 21 to 23 January 2009, had more than 4,000 trade visitors from 66 nations and 150 exhibitors from 30 nations. “The premiere was a success, despite the difficult economic environment in a financial crisis which has just now hit the shipbuilding industry’s order books in full force,” said Bernd Aufderheide, CEO of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC). “We would like to thank our Turkish partner Goca Fuar Kongre ve Sergi Hizmetleri Ltd.Şti (Goca Exhibitions), who organized this international trade fair together with us at the centrally located Istanbul site Lütfi Kirdar Convention & Exhibition Centre (ICEC) and implemented the technical concept.” The overall view of Fatih Goca was that “The first SMM Istanbul was much more than a successful launch.

The first SMM Istanbul is to be held at the centrally located L¸tfi Kirdar Convention & Exhibition Centre (ICEC) on the European side of Istanbul, from 21 to 23 January 2009. Funding is provided by the Turkish Development Centre for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (KOSGEB), which is supervised by the Turkish Economics Ministry, to all exhibitors that have a production facility in Turkey. KOSGEB funding goes not only to the 75 or so Turkish companies among the 150 exhibitors, but also to foreign companies which have an official company office and production facilities in Turkey. The Turkish Government will also be well represented at the Opening of SMM Istanbul.

The European shipbuilding and marine equipment industry, and also the Turkish government, look forward to the start of the new shipbuilding fair SMM Istanbul. This international maritime trade fair will be held for the first time at the centrally located Lütfi Kirdar Convention & Exhibition Centre (ICEC) on the European side of Istanbul. It is organized by Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC), also responsible for the industry’s leading fair SMM, and by the partner Goca Fuar Kongre ve Sergi Hizmetleri Ltd.Şti (Goca Exhibitions).

The new shipbuilding fair SMM Istanbul has already made quite a splash in the international shipbuilding and equipment supply industries. As Peter Hoggett, Sales Manager Lincoln Diesels Spares Ltd., remarks, “both exhibitors and visitors to SMM Hamburg will acknowledge the ‘SMM’ brand name as the maritime industry leader. We are convinced that the organization’s past and proven professionalism will be transferred to this new and exciting event and the SMM Istanbul will be a triumph!” Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC) and the local partner Goca Fuar Kongre ve Sergi Hizmetleri Ltd.Þti (Goca Exhibitions) will organize this new shipbuilding event for the first time from January 21 to 23, 2009, at the Lütfi Kirdar Convention & Exhibition Centre (ICEC), on the European side of Istanbul.