Despite a sluggish overall economic situation, bad weather in eastern and central France and protests by farmers, MIDEST, the world’s leading industrial subcontracting show, which ran for the 43rd time from 19th to 22nd November at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, was a real success. On opening it matched the previous year’s show in terms of the number of exhibitors (1,702 companies from 38 countries) and exhibition space but it then went on to attract 42,101 professionals from all sectors of industry, which was an increase of 7% on 2012. Not only were the numbers up but the visitors were highly qualified and came with plans for actual business projects. The numerous events and initiatives reached out to a broad public, including, as they did, the show’s focus on energy, the choice of its first non-European country of the year, South Africa, the special Algerian day, the promotion of mechanical engineering trades to young girls by the FIM (mechanical engineering federation) and the b2fair– Business to Fairs® business meetings.

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Industry
Subcontracting
Shows
Diary
NOVEMBER 2013 PRESS INFORMATION
MIDEST 2013: AN EXCELLENT VINTAGE
Despite a sluggish overall economic situation, bad weather in eastern and central France and protests
by farmers, MIDEST, the world’s leading industrial subcontracting show, which ran for the 43 rd time
from 19th to 22nd November at the Paris Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, was a real success. On
opening it matched the previous year’s show in terms of the number of exhibitors (1,702 companies
from 38 countries) and exhibition space but it then went on to attract 42,101 professionals from all
sectors of industry, which was an increase of 7% on 2012. Not only were the numbers up but the
visitors were highly qualified and came with plans for actual business projects.
The numerous events and initiatives reached out to a broad public, including, as they did, the
show’sfocus on energy, the choice of its first non-European country of the year, South Africa, the
special Algerian day, the promotion of mechanical engineering trades to young girls by the FIM
(mechanical engineering federation) and the b2fair– Business to Fairs®business meetings.
MIDEST 2013: excellent visitor numbers and high quality contacts
Against the background of a crisis that keeps dragging on, the success of an event such as MIDEST
reflects a definite improvement in the level of industrial output, the vigour of subcontractors and the
motivation of their professional and institutional representatives in bringing them together and
promoting their know-how.
As a result, MIDEST 2013attracted1,702subcontractors from 38countries. Broken down in greater
detail, although French subcontracting continues to be the mainstay of the show and accounts for
60% of its exhibitors (1,023 companies), it suffered a 5% fall compared with the year before. This,
however, was offset by strong growth in the foreign presence, further reinforcing the international
role and reach of the show, which is something that the organizers have put a great deal of effort
into building up over recent years. In total, the international partners of MIDEST brought 679
companies to the show, which was an increase of 11%. Theywere drawn from 37 countries and a
score of these had official pavilions in the joint venture sector.
The visitor figures were also very good, since, despite the less than favourable economic situation,
the bad weather and the farmers blocking some of the roads leading to Paris on the Thursday,
numbers were up by 7% on 2012. 42,101 professionals came to the show, many with specific plans
for projects, and 15% of them were from outside France. 85 countries were represented amongst the
visitors, with the top five in descending order being Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany and Switzerland.
MIDEST also attracted a great deal of media attention, with 113 journalists from 7 countries being
accredited over its four days.
Alongside MIDEST, MAINTENANCE EXPO presented industrial maintenance products and services
and featured a wide range of CAMM packages, aids and diagnostics tools.The synergy with
TOLEXPO, the international exhibition of equipment for working metal in sheets, reels, tubes and
profiles, made it possible for manufacturers to meet their leading partners in one and the same
place.

2. Africa to the fore and successful events
MIDEST 2013 enjoyed a whole series of highlights
These included, the selection of South Africa as the show’s first non-European country of the year. Its
presence was coordinated by the DTI (Department of Trade & Industry), which brought together 21
exhibitors from the other side of the globe. There were also lectures, interviews in the show’s TV
studio, a special day and the official opening of the 2013 show by Mrs Ncapayi, the Deputy Director
General of the DTI.
The African continent really was centre stage at the show. A special day was devoted to Algeria,
which is currently undergoing rapid industrial development, and large numbers attended a series of
lectures devoted to it.
Another new initiative was the tour organized on 21st November by the FIM (the mechanical
engineering federation), the CETIM and several of its member associations together with the
Ellesbougent association to promote mechanical engineering trades to young girls.
The MIDEST 2013Awards were presented to nine exhibitors for their excellence in various different
fields: Euro-Shelter andStasin theDesign office category, Walter Pack in theInnovationcategory, EraSibin theInternationalcategory, As’Boisin theOrganizationcategory, Baron GroupeandGroupeSafranin
thePartnership – Alliance category, ECL SAS andEladisin theModel implementationscategory.The Jury
also made a Special Award to Department TC C3SI of the IUT Reims – Châlons – Charlevillefor its
training course.
For the third year in a row the b2fair – Business to Fairs®business meetings were held in conjunction
with the show and generated 876 qualified, individually set up meetings between subcontractors
and/or customers looking to forge partnerships in a specific sector. The organization was also
responsible for the TV studio, which invited big names from industry and subcontracting attending
the show in for a total of 35 interviews. All of these can now be viewed on www.midest.com.
MIDEST was also the venue for some sixty lectures providing an overview of the latest developments
in the sector as a whole and energy in particular, which was an area the 2013 show focused on. A
total of more than 600people attended these lectures and the CETIM (mechanical engineering
technical centre)flash conferences. The Technology Centres drew on the expertise of the latter to
provide visitors with valuable information about innovative techniques and processes.
Finally, the show also provided a platform for the presentation of the forthcoming MIDEST MAROC,
THE industry event in Morocco, which will take place in Casablanca from 11th to 14th December, and
which will be split into six major sectors: subcontracting, machine tools, sheet metal, electronics,
plastics and services.
Next year’s MIDEST and MAINTENANCE EXPO
will run from 4th to 7th November.
Show press pack and photos on request from:
Christophe DUPREZ
Reed Expositions France - 52-54 quai de Dion Bouton – CS 80001
92806 PUTEAUX CEDEX
Tel.: + 33 (0)1 47 56 21 57 - Fax: + 33 (0)1 47 56 21 40
christophe.duprez@reedexpo.fr