A total of 50,712 people visited the 25th International Machine-Tool Biennial at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre on 3-8 March. Domestic visitor numbers were up by 7% and foreign visitors by 10.4%, reinforcing the strong image of an event that attracted trade visitors from 66 countries.

The increase in foreign visitors is highly significant, coming as it does after a major increase in 2006. This consolidates BIEMH as an international event. The Bilbao Exhibition Centre has described the figures as "excellent" in view of the moderate slowdown in the current macroeconomic climate.

Throughout the week there was a steady flow of trade visitors to the BEC both from benchmark countries in the sector with high levels of industrialisation and from countries which are industrialising fast, e.g. Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, China, Switzerland, the UK and Turkey.

Numerous representatives of public institutions also visited the 25th BIEMH. More than 80 officers of the central and regional governments, along with representatives of industrial and economic associations, foreign and domestic trade bodies and the education sector dropped in on the event.

In this context Koldo Arandia, Chairman of the Association of Machine Tool Manufacturers (AFM), stated that "from the viewpoint of our association, the 25th BIEMH has been a success, since our initial expectations of it as a major trade fair were met or even exceeded. Technologically, it was an extremely interesting event, especially in regard to applications, customers and processes, and many excellent contacts were established which will help maintain jobs as orders are concluded in the coming months”

The AFM chairman went on to say that “our vision of the sector is moderately optimistic, with interest detected in investment at domestic and international levels among leading customers. Combined with the excellent level of the order book for the sector and the reasonably good start to the year, this means that we can expect 2008 to be another positive year”

The 25th BIEMH featured a total of 1761 firms from 36 countries on 788 stands. They presented the latest innovations and developments in machinery and technologies, and occupied all six exhibition halls at the BEC.

The ninth annual National Machine-tool Design Award was held during the event. This award is organised by BAI Agencia de Innovación, in co-operation with AFM (The Spanish Association of Machine Tool Manufacturers) and Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC).

This year the jury presented the award in the Cutting Machine-tools category to ONA Electroerosión “for the integration of various elements, ergonomics and communication" on its ANF-25 high-speed cutting wire EDM machine. Ibarmia Innovatek and Danobat received special mentions for their ZVH55/L3000 multipurpose machining centre and CP521 AF horizontal band saw, respectively.

The award in the Large Machinery category went to Nicolás Correa Manufacturing for the “consistency, balance, elegance and integration of eco-design and safety devices into operations" on its LANZA machine.

In the Forming Machine-tools category no award was given, but the jury did award special mentions to Macsa ID for the "careful design and adaptability" of its K-1000 laser working system, and to Axial Maquinaria for the "well thought-out combination of technology and safety" of its Syncro 143 press brake.

To mark this special edition of the event, Bilbao Exhibition Centre decided to organise a tribute to the loyalty and commitment of firms that have provided particularly firm support for the BIEMH: BLM, Construcciones Mecánicas Mupem, Constructora de útiles y Herramientas Crucelegui Hermanos, Echazarra Emix, Etxe-Tar, Danobat Sociedad Cooperativa, Fat, Juaristi Ts Comercial, Kondia M.E. Taldea, Ona Electroerosión and Saim Metal. At the celebratory event, held on the premises of BEC Convenciones, each of these firms received a commemorative sculpture from Basque Government Minister for Industry, Commerce and Trade Ana Agirre.

In short, the 25th BIEMH was a large-scale, high-standard trade forum for the machine tool industry, which featured ongoing business contacts.