Cleanzone on a growth trajectory

Cleanzone 2013

Happy faces in Frankfurt: With an increase in visitors and high visitor satisfaction, Cleanzone is clearly on a growth course. The trade fair and congress for cleanroom technology took place for the second time on October 22 and 23, 2013, attracting over 800 participants from 44 countries to Hall 1 of the Frankfurt Messe grounds.

"The concept of Cleanzone 2013 has succeeded. Both the interdisciplinary approach and the sharpened profile of the trade fair and congress were very well received. We were able to reach new target groups from important industries and countries with the event," said Ruth Lorenz, Head of "New Events" at Messe Frankfurt. Overall, Cleanzone recorded an increase in visitor numbers by about one-third (2012: 600 visitors). The 50 exhibitors (2012: 41) especially praised the high quality and internationality of the professional audience: "At Cleanzone, we made good contacts with the right interests and concrete projects. Visitors came not only from neighboring European countries but also from new markets for us such as Egypt, Algeria, India, Iran, and Slovenia," said Nico Thevissen, Senior Developer at Vision Competence Center / SAC-Nederland.

Cleanzone was launched in 2012 on the initiative of the cleanroom industry by Messe Frankfurt. The specialized event is aimed at all economic sectors where production, assembly, packaging, or work takes place under clean conditions. With the number of exhibitors and visitors, the degree of internationality also increased. The providers from nine European countries met with trade fair and congress participants from around the world. The top five visitor countries were the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Russian Federation, and the USA.

Strong practical relevance and lively dialogue at the trade fair

The exhibitors at the trade fair presented almost the entire range of offerings on significantly expanded space, from planning through construction and operation of cleanrooms to consumables and training. Many came with individual and highly illustrative exhibits. This allowed cleanroom experts and newcomers to test and learn about the technology on site. "At Cleanzone, we deliberately presented ourselves with a walk-in cleanroom and the overall model of a cleanroom system. Both generated strong interest among visitors, leading to many promising conversations," reported Wolfgang Henker, Managing Director of Cleanroom Competence.

Dipl.-Phys. Thomas Wollstein from the Association of German Engineers (VDI) confirmed: "After the successful debut in 2012, Cleanzone has visibly gained momentum. I saw many new faces, and the environment is much more dynamic. In the second year, interdisciplinary exchange has also gained speed. For example, the fields of life sciences and microelectronics are genuinely engaging in lively dialogue." This took place not only at the trade fair stands but also at the Cleanzone Plaza. The free action stage offered interesting expert and exhibitor lectures in 2013 and was also the venue for two high-quality debates on the topics "Interdisciplinarity in cleanroom technology - wish and reality" and "New cleanroom standards."

Congress shows future perspectives

The Cleanzone Congress entered its second round in 2013, focusing on the increasing global demands in industry and new solutions for the healthcare sector. With the high quality of their technical presentations, the international speakers emphasized the scientific claim of this new platform and covered a broad spectrum from cross-industry trends to the specialized fields of cleanroom technology. "The interplay between trade fair and congress works well: the exhibition shows the current state. The congress is an important forum for international exchange in the cleanroom industry, where future developments and important background information are illuminated," said Dr. Kai Dirscherl, researcher and Quality Manager at Denmark's National Metrology Institute. One of the highlights of the congress was the appearance of cardiologist Dr. C. Luis Vasquez. With his impressive lecture on the diagnostic center in Yantaló in the Peruvian Amazon, the founder and president of the Yantaló Peru Foundation demonstrated the specific challenges of a clean working environment for rural areas in many countries around the world—and how creative solutions can look.

As in the previous year, the Cleanroom Academy Leipzig was responsible for the content of the congress. Managing Director Frank Duvernell expressed satisfaction with the trade fair and knowledge platform: "In terms of technological standards, we have reached a level that is above average. Here in Frankfurt, I gain valuable new insights as an experienced expert, which I often do not achieve at other events. This is not only my experience but also that of my industry colleagues."

Second Cleanroom Award for the "Blautouch" project

Another highlight was the presentation of the Cleanroom Award by the Cleanroom Academy Leipzig. The €3,000 innovation prize was awarded to the "Blautouch" project by the Portuguese company Laborial S.A., represented at Cleanzone by its cooperation partner Basan GmbH. It is an interactive laboratory table with a touchscreen surface. Frank Duvernell emphasized in his speech: "I am very pleased that the Cleanroom Award is receiving such great recognition. Our previous year's winner confirmed that a good idea can gain public awareness and become a successful business."

Next Cleanzone on October 21 and 22, 2014

The next Cleanzone will take place on October 21 and 22, 2014, at the Frankfurt Messe grounds.

Exhibitor comments on Cleanzone 2013

Prof. Horst Weißsieker, ICTP Director Germany at Deerns:

"Cleanzone is our first German trade fair as Deerns. Our company is currently in the process of internationalizing. The new Cleanzone is an ideal platform to expand our network and establish new customer contacts. We received many interesting inquiries here in Frankfurt, including from Belgium, Greece, Slovenia, and Serbia. We also appreciate the good conversational character of Cleanzone, which continues at the Cleanzone Plaza."

Friedhelm Rickert, Managing Director of Spetec:

"Last year I attended Cleanzone as a visitor; this year we are exhibitors, and the trade fair went very well. Especially the first day was very strong for us. We mostly made new contacts. We also liked the quality of visitors."

"We attend many industry trade fairs to reach customers from new sectors. It's demanding. But at Cleanzone, you meet many specialists from different application fields in one place."

Karoline Matzi, Managing Director of IAB Cleanroom Products:

"Our first participation in Cleanzone is positive. We made many new and old contacts or refreshed existing ones. The exchange with our competitors on site was also important to us."

Axel Tesch, Sales for Plant Construction at WISAG:

"We had interested parties for all our product areas here in Frankfurt and are satisfied with Cleanzone this year.