METS to Set Sail Nov. 17-19 in Amsterdam as Marine Trade Show

The Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) has, for years, provided a vital business platform for the global leisure marine and related accessory industries, bringing together yacht builders, marine architects, distributors, wholesalers, super-yacht owners and captains, marina owners and operators, and equipment manufacturers from all over the world. It is the largest trade fair for boats, marine equipment, and hardware anywhere.

Last year's METS (the show is organized by the Amsterdam RAI International Exhibition and Congress Organizers in association with the International Council of Marine Industry Associations) attracted 1,210 exhibitors and 12,778 visitors, nearly 90% of which came from Europe, 3% from the Middle East, 2% from North America, and 1% from Asia. Official statistics show that on average, each exhibitor contacted 53 new clients and wrote 33.6 orders.

METS 2009, which will run Nov. 17-19 at the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre in the Netherlands, is expected to attract 1,150 exhibitors and over 20,000 visitors. To improve access to exhibitors from other countries and enhance the show's organization, the management has provided for 15 national pavilions as well as specialist pavilions for marina equipment and composites, along with a super yacht pavilion. This last pavilion is especially designed to satisfy the needs of buyers and visitors for bunkering and fueling, crew management, provisioning, repair and refitting, and yacht transport.

The show will display a full range of marine goods and services: anchoring and docking equipment, aspiration and ventilation, boat care, chemicals, coatings, maintenance, boat covers and canvas, boat-building materials and equipment, clothing, deck hardware and rigging, electrical products, electronic gear, engine management solutions, boat engines and motors, fuel handling necessities, galley equipment and appliances, gas installations, marine hardware, hydraulic systems, insulation, interior furnishings, boat lighting, lubrication products, marina and yard equipment, maritime goods, mounting equipment, navigation devices, plumbing e1uipment, marine safety equipment, seating, and starter systems and gears.

Marine Design Competition

The organizer will also host DAME (Design Award METS), which has been held together with the show since 1991 and is recognized as the world's leading design competition for new marine equipment and accessories. Besides honoring outstanding inventors, DAME will also offer a series of educational conferences for attendees.

CENS is a Taiwan-based export-oriented medium that has been in business for 35 years, but this year it will attend METS for the first time to help Taiwanese marine hardware suppliers carve out more niches for themselves.

For many years Taiwan has been listed among the world's five top yacht exporters, with Taiwan-made yachts being piloted by globally famous business tycoons and celebrities such as Louis Vuitton chairman Bernard Arnault and F1 driver Ralf Schumacher. The island's yacht makers have now upgraded from OEM (original equipment manufacturing) to ODM (original design manufacturing), and three of its yacht makers are ranked amount the top 20 in the world: Horizon Yacht Co., Ocean Alexander Yachts, and Kha Shing Enterprise.

Taiwan's suppliers of yacht hardware and marine equipment, who are well known for their unstinting dedication to quality and competitive pricing, are clustered around the southern port city of Kaohsiung to support yacht builders there. With strong help and encouragement from the government for the upgrading of technology, the hardware and equipment makers have gradually gone global and established a firm foothold in the world market. CENS will do its part to promote the industry in the international community by circulating its publications during the upcoming show.