After the success of the 2021 edition, EIMA International is back on track for the 2022 edition, scheduled in Bologna from November 9-13. This year’s edition, the 45th in the history of this international exhibition of agricultural machinery, returns the exhibition to its usual schedule, marking the restoration of the biennial rhythm that will continue with the 2024 edition.
Expectations are high for the event, a preview of which was presented this week at Fieragricola in Verona by FederUnacoma, the association of agricultural machinery manufacturers, and organiser. To date, 835 manufacturers have already formally applied to take part in the event (585 Italian and 250 foreign), with a demand for space that has already reached  80,000 square metres.
“This is a brilliant start,” said Simona Rapastella, director general of FederUnacoma, “which leads us to expect a final number of exhibitors and a committed surface area in line with the results recorded in the pre-pandemic EIMA editions. Never like in recent years, conditioned by the health situation and the limitations imposed on public events has the trade fair sector questioned itself on its own future and on the possibility that exhibitors and visitors may have developed new needs and new expectations, and for this reason we have subjected EIMA to capillary monitoring, trying to highlight its strengths and possible critical points.”
FederUnacoma’s monitoring data, combined with those of specialised companies such as GRS or official bodies such as UFI (International Exhibition Union), confirm a trend towards a reduction in trade fair participation to the benefit of a few events that have a strong international character and act as catalysts for the sector. Field surveys also show a growing expectation for the level of services, especially for operators who see the trade fair as a specific place for business relations.
“These are elements that are already peculiar to EIMA International,” noted Rapastella, “which we have tried to strengthen with the confirmation of the extensive ‘business-to-business’ programme for foreign delegations organised in collaboration with ICE, with the incoming programme called ‘Special Guest’ which provides facilities and benefits for foreign business operators, and with a special initiative involving the diplomatic network”.
Another strong point of trade fair events is the quality of the technological innovations presented, an aspect that will be further strengthened with initiatives linked to the Digital Exhibition, such as the Percorso 4.0 and the EIMA Robot initiative, but first and foremost with the Technical Innovation Contest, this year renewed in its criteria and enhanced with an exclusively dedicated pre-EIMA event.
Technical innovations will in fact be given a new impetus with a preview event open to the entire national and international press, to be held at the end of September and featuring detailed technical explanations, video footage and multimedia support. In order to enhance and spread innovations, the external show area for tractors will be confirmed, where it will be possible to see the most innovative technologies in motion.
