Stockholm Intl. Fairs Adding Exhibition, Conference Space

Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 4/30/2007

Tough international competition and the demand by current clients for more space spurred the decision to expand Stockholm Intl. Fairs, set for completion in December 2009. The facility's managing director, Tom Beyer, said the bigger facility will offer nearly 70,000 square meters (753,000 square feet), compared with the current 56,500 sq. m. (608,000 sq. ft.). It will also have more conference space, a new entrance and restaurants.

Bjorn Delin, spokesman for Stockholm Intl. Fairs, said, "Being the leading exhibition and conference organizer in the Baltic Sea Region, which has one of the world's highest growth rates, means high demands on our capacity, quality and flexibility. During the last years, congress arrangers and exhibitors have requested larger exhibition and conference areas."

Beyer said 2006 was one of the facility's best years. It had record revenue, and numbers of both exhibitors and visitors increased over 2005. Visitors, including congress delegates, totaled 1.3 million, and exhibitors during the year totaled 12,000, a 7-percent increase. He expects 2007 to be even stronger.

The facility also needed to be able to run several fairs concurrently, Beyer added.

The facility organizes about 60 major industrial fairs and about 100 national and international congresses, conferences and other events annually.