It was a long-awaited BIEMH and it returned with figures that speak for themselves: 35.145 visitors from a total of 52 countries, more than 1,400 exhibiting companies from 28 countries, more than 3,400 machines, products, services and innovations, and 300 major buyers invited. BIEMH-Machine Tool Biennial held its 31st edition at a key moment to observe developments in the sector. Xabier Basañez, the General Manager of the Bilbao Exhibition Centre, described the fair as “satisfactory and successful” at the press conference, at which he was accompanied by José Pérez Berdud, the President of AFM Cluster; Xabier Ortueta, the General Manager of AFM Cluster; José Ignacio Ortiz de Urbina, the President of AIMHE; and Thais Basañez Allende, BIEMH’s Event Manager.
Xabier Basañez reviewed a week of “intense activity” that the “reunion” edition has involved. As the general manager of BEC pointed out, “after four long years of hard work, this week we have demonstrated this country’s industrial potential.” He also explained that “with regard to the origin of the visitors, we should emphasise the presence of 45% of professionals from outside the Basque Region.” Foreign visitors accounted for 5%. Specifically, Spanish visitors attended the BIEMH from all the regions, but mainly from Catalonia, Navarre, Castilla-Leon, Madrid, Cantabria and Valencia. Professionals from Portugal, Germany, Italy, France, Argentina and Germany took part, alongside participants from the Netherlands, Belgium, Mexico, the United Kingdom, India, the USA, Colombia, Finland, Switzerland and Turkey, among others.”
The sectors that attracted the greatest interest were process and manufacturing automation; machine tool accessories; tooling; machine tool components; additive manufacturing and 3D printing; machine tool by chip removal; parts and tool handling and digitalisation. The profile of the professionals who attended were those who held the positions of director or manager, owner, head of department and technician.
José Pérez Berdud, the president of AFM Cluster, assessed the current edition as “very good,” and highlighted the very high level of technology and exhibitors. “After four years, two of which were very tough and which involved a situation great uncertainty, we have shown that we are a powerful, modern sector with a strong present and future. We have seen equipment and systems with very diverse design, productivity, multifunction, automation and robotics, part-process solutions and digitalisation,” added José Pérez Berdud. Likewise, Xabier Ortueta, the general manager of AFM Cluster, pointed out that “Bilbao was the capital of the industry and visitors have responded. The sensation we are left with is that of a job well done and success,”
For his part, José Ignacio Ortiz de Urbina, the President of AIMHE, emphasised that “companies’ quality expectations have been met and even substantially surpassed. Moreover, specific projects were seen and exhibitors have received interesting enquiries and high-quality visits.”
The event was held alongside the Addit3D-International 3D and Additive Manufacturing Trade Fair, BeDIGITAL-Digital-Trade Fair for Digital Transformation as applied to Industry, the IMIC-Industrial Maintenance Innovation Conference and the WORKinn Talent Hub. Thus, the halls of the BEC offered a complete tour of all advanced manufacturing.
BIEMH is being organised by AFM-Advanced Manufacturing Technologies and Bilbao Exhibition Centre, with the collaboration of the Basque Government AIMHE-Association of Machine-Tool Importers. The event was inaugurated by the President of the Basque Region, Iñigo Urkullu. Moreover, during the five days, BIEMH was visited by institutions such as the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Biscay, the Provincial Council of Guipúzcoa, ICEX, Bilbao City Council, the Ministry of Industry, Adegi and Confebask; political authorities from the various territories of the Basque Country and representatives of political parties. Furthermore, BIEMH was the occasion chosen by Innobasque, AFMEC, Stech and Hegan to hold their assemblies.
300 invited buyers
A total of 300 major buyers have visited BIEMH this week seeking the latest advanced manufacturing solutions to improve their companies’ efficiency and competitiveness. On Monday morning, delegates arrived at BEC from such countries as Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, Guatemala, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Turkey and the United States; and, on Wednesday, new groups of guests from Canada, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Portugal and Spain. The professional members of the Hosted Buyers’ Programme have found a fair that is tailored to their needs, with the precision tools and machinery the market demands, at which they have been able to create and develop interesting collaborations and do business.
Vertical and cross-cutting analyses in BIEMH 2022’s content
Hundreds of professionals have responded to the BIEMH content programme and the parallel events, which took place in different parts of the fairgrounds: Automation & Robotic Talks, Additive Talks, Digital Talks, Innovation Workshops, BIEMH TV, Women in Industry, industry TALKS and the WORKinn-Talent Hub Learn room.
A programme that has addressed the keys to advanced manufacturing by taking a vertical approach with specific and cross-cutting content, covering the concepts of sustainability, digitalisation, talent and the gender perspective. Overall, the full agenda planned for this edition and carried out over the five days, included 68 hours of conferences given by 230 national and international speakers. Moreover, 32 professionals have been interviewed on BIEMH TV.
Spaces for analysis and reflection such as those run in this new edition have become particularly important to addressing the complexity of advanced manufacturing. In this context, the interconnection among sectors poses major challenges for discussion.
On Wednesday, the event also brought together exhibitors, visitors and the media at BIEMH Fest, a social gathering at which the musical group The Golden Covers provided entertainment.
Zayer, Nicolás Correa, Soraluce, Navantia, Smart PM and CITD were the winners of the Advanced Manufacturing and Digital Innovation Awards 2022
Innovation enjoyed one of its moments in the sun during the award ceremony for the National Innovation Award in Advanced and Digital Manufacturing, organised by AFM Cluster with the support of BEC and Beaz. This year the awards went to the companies Zayer, Nicolás Correa, Soraluce, Navantia and Smart PM. A new feature this year was the prize for the most innovative start-up, which was awarded to CITD.
A synergy of talent at WORKinn Talent Hub
Identifying talent and offering companies the most qualified people was one of the main objectives of the WORKinn-Talent Hub, which this year has evolved towards a new concept to improve its format and appeal. On this occasion, new areas have been added to the job fair with 200 offers: Learn space, Networking area, Industry & Art, Knowing the past, Inspire and Success Story. The main themes of this forum were employment, training, future skills, professional development and the integration of women into the industrial field.
The next edition of the BIEMH will take place from 3 to 7 June 2024.
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