InnoTrans 2012: Ninth Trade Fair for Rail Transport Industry

1. InnoTrans, 1996 to 2012

InnoTrans is the world’s largest technical trade fair exhibiting just about every aspect of the rail transport industry. It has been held once every two years since it began in 1996, making InnoTrans 2012 the ninth in the series. Exhibits focus on everything from rolling stock, diesel-related components, electrical devices, interiors and operation management to signal systems, track and tunnels. InnoTrans has always been held at Messe Berlin, which was initially chosen because industrial track extended to its fairgrounds, enabling the display of actual examples of rolling stock.

This year’s trade fair was held from September 18 to 21. It was followed by public days on the 22nd and 23rd (the weekend) for rolling stock displays outdoors, and some 19,000 people took advantage of the opportunity.

InnoTrans has certainly grown over time — compared with the original trade fair in 1996, the 2012 event had 13 times more corporate exhibitors and 20 times more visitors. It’s now the world’s biggest and most prestigious railway exhibition.

2. JORSA Bolsters Japan’s Presence at InnoTrans

JORSA’s space at InnoTrans 2012 was even larger than the last time, with the stands of 17 companies taking up 680 square meters. This presented an excellent opportunity to show the world much of the latest Japanese rail transport technology.

Two factors led to the large number of visitors at JORSA’s pavilion. First of all, the Messe Berlin office widely publicized, through the press, the fact that for the first time ever, the railway industry of a single country would occupy an entire building at the fair. And second, pedestrian and vehicle traffic routes were greatly modified as part of the expansion of the exhibition space, to the pavilion’s advantage.

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) sponsored onsite seminars given by exhibitors from Japan. The question and answer sessions were well attended, and created opportunities for interaction.

Japan Pavillion　680m² (The entire Hall 7-2C 1,092m²)

Japan Pavilion Entrance

JORSA Reception and Hospitality in Kimono

JORSA Recption

Tea Ceremony Exhibiton

Japanese Culture Exhibition

Japan-Day Reception

Continuing its practice at the last InnoTrans, JORSA organized a Japan Day and reception. These were a great success, with an estimated attendance of more than 1,000, including individuals connected with the JORSA Pavilion, visitors from Japan, other Japanese exhibitors, and representatives of manufacturers based in other countries.

Greeting, Mr.INOUE,
Senior Managing Director

Dr. KIAUS RIESSBERGER,
Chirman of Euro Railway Engineers Association

Mr. NAKANE,
Japanese Ambassador for Germany

Mr.Ogata, Executive Vice President, East Japan Railway Company

Exhibitors at the JORSA Booth(Japan Pavilion)

J-TREC (JAPAN TRANSPORT ENGINEERING COMPANY)

The Kinki Sharyo Co.,Ltd.

KINTETSU RAILCAR ENGINEERING CO.,LTD.

Kyosan Electric Manufacturing Co.,Ltd.

Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Mitsui & Co. Plant Systems, Ltd.

Nabtesco Corporation

Railway Technical Research Institute

NIPPON SHARYO, LTD. , Sumitomo Corporation

The NIPPON SIGNAL CO., LTD.

Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corporation (formerly Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd.)

Taisei Techno Co., Ltd.

TOYO DENKI SEIZO K.K.

YASHIMA&CO.,LTD.

Yutaka Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

InnoTrans 2012 Exhibition Layout

Other JORSA Members Exhibitors (participating outside the JORSA Pavilion):

FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.

Hitachi, Ltd.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.

TOSHIBA CORPORATION

3. InnoTrans, a Growing Event

InnoTrans keeps expanding. Demand for exhibition space in 2012 was so high that every last bit was used. The event took up about 180,000 square meters (including corridors, etc.). A total of 94,604 square meters of floor space was rented out (an increase of 17% over the previous fair). And because there was more demand for displays of rolling stock on rails, track length was increased to 3,500 meters (from 3,000 meters in 2010), to display 115 rail vehicles.

The 2012 event attracted 2,515 corporate exhibitors from 49 countries — that’s an increase of 11% over the 2010 event. There were 126,110 visitors from 140 countries, making an increase of 19% over the last InnoTrans.

4. Summing Up

Each time a new InnoTrans is held, it’s bigger than the previous one. And it has taken on a decidedly international flavor. At the latest fair, Japan’s rail transport industry certainly demonstrated its weight to Europe and other world markets.