Fifth Edition of U.P.s landmark event IFX-08(India Food Expo) & third edition of UPIX-08(UP Industrial Expo) concluded successfully on 10th Feb 2008 at Laxman Mela Ground, Lucknow. The expositions were organized in collaboration with the Department of Food Processing, GoUP and Deptt of Industrial Development respectively.

This trade fair is a show case for latest trends in the industry and equipment, where new business concepts and prototypes are shown and discussed with visitors, thus enabling them to recognize key trends, designs and technologies in the market. In fact, all major stakeholders carefully observe the trends at the EXPO each year. It is a must-visit event for industry professionals across all sectors.

PREPARATIONS

For the first time, IIA hired the services of a professional agency Team Pinnacle Venue Constructs, a Mumbai Based Event Management Agency for the over all management, marketing, media planning & infrastructural arrangements of the event. It is a leading Event Management company of India. This step was taken with the aim of qualitative improvement of the EXPO in order to bring it on par with international standards.

PLANNING & EFFORTS

• DEPT. of Food Processing and Department of Industrial Development U.P. were roped in as Co-organizers
• Major Govt. Sectors, reputed Private Sectors as well as Media were approached for Sponsorship of the event
• Various departments such as Labor, Tourism, Environment, Transport, Technical Education, Yuva Kalyan, Minor Irrigation, PWD, Science & Technology, Co-Operatives, Irrigation, Information And Public Relation, Tax & Registration etc. were approached for putting up their stalls in the exhibition
• Power point presentations held in the offices of all major departmental heads including the Principal Secy,SSI & Export Promotion

Event Promotion

Vigorous efforts were made to approach the potential exhibitors and visitors through various mediums as stated below:

• Event Brochures & Registration forms through post and email
• A complete event detail on IIA website including facility for online registration.
• Newspaper advertisements
• Use of Radio & TV
• Interactions with other industry associations within & outside the country
• IIA Chapter meetings
• IIA news letter
• Banners/Posters/stickers/hoardings

The event information brochures containing all details of the event including registration forms were designed and printed in sufficient numbers. Around 100,000 E-MAILS and 15000 physical Mailers were sent to the Potential participants. Event information brochures to individuals and organizations were sent through e-mails. These participants were contacted on telephone also, as many as 200 calls were made every day.

IIA has more than 7000 member units through 35 district chapters all over U.P. All IIA chapters were activated to spread the information to potential participants. Information about EXPO was flashed through IIA's monthly News magazine 'IIA NEWS' also.

For publicity of the event at local/State level, Hoardings, Posters and Stickers were used extensively. Hoardings were put up at all important cities all over U.P. The event was also registered on other trade websites.

Invitation Cards were printed in sufficient numbers and distributed to all important invitees. Arrangements for administrative permissions for the fair, alternate sources of power supply, fire safety, insurance etc were completed well before the start of the event.

Press Conference-Curtain Raiser EXPO 2008

The EXPO curtain raiser press conference took place on Feb 6, 2008 at Laxman Mela ground, the venue of the trade fair

Mr.Parveen Sadana, President, IIA, informed the media that new dimensions are added every year in the Trade Fair as a result of which the size & the popularity of the fair have been increasing. He further said that the Industrial Exhibition starting tomorrow is bringing with it several new products, technologies & services specially in the field of I.T, Food Processing & Information for setting up Industries in the State. Special arrangements have been made for Buyer Seller meet at the exhibition venue it self.

Mr. Anil Gupta, Sr. Vice President said that the fair is not only popular in the country but out of the country also. This is evident from the fact that delegations from U.K, Israel, Mexico & Pakistan etc have visited the Trade Fair in the past. This year delegates from Malaysia, U.K, Dubai & Thailand etc have confirmed their participation.

Mr. Mukesh Tandon, Gen Secy said that IIA have been facing several hurdles in organising this Trade Fair in Lucknow in the past, however, IIA have now reached a stage when we are organising this Trade Fair without much of the help of from the Government. Mr. D.S. Verma, Executive Director, IIA and all the senior office bearers addressed the press conference.

The conference was attended by all the leading names in the print and the electronic media of the city.

THE EXPO-2008 BEGINS

The fair was inaugurated by Shri Atul Kumar Gupta, Industrial Development Commissioner, U.P. Mr. Shiv Kumar, Chief General Manager, SBI and other dignitaries from government and industry were also present on the occasion.

HIGHLIGHTS

• SEPARATE PAVILION FOR DIFFERENT SECTORS OF INDUSTRY/ SUPPORT DEPARTMENTS / PRODUCTS/SERVICES
• LAYOUT CHARTS DISPLAYED AT VENUE
• SEMINAR IN EXHIBITION GROUND ITSELF
• ARRANGEMENTS FOR BUYER SELLER MEETS
• 1,26,500 SQ.FT FACILITY AND EXHIBITION AREA
• OCTONORM STALLS OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD UNDER THE HANGER
• ALL SAFETY NORMS OBSERVED
• LUCKY DRAWS
• CULTURAL PROGRAMMES
• FREE ENTRY
• SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR LAUNCH OF PRODUCTS
• FOOD COURT
• EXCLUSIVE SESSIONS WITH MEDIA - PRE / DURING /POST
• SPECIAL EVENING PERFORMANCES
• THEME VENUE DECORATION
• VVIP VISITS

Stalls & Exhibitors

EXPO-08 drew large audience of interested visitors from diverse sections of the society including students and potential entrepreneurs. More than 160 exhibitors participated in the event and did excellent business worth Rs.20 crore

Stalls on almost all commodities, technology and services of consumer and trader interest were there viz. food products, home appliances, machinery & raw materials, export promotion, banks, BIS, Consultancy Services, leather accessories, garments, carpets, Packaging Machines etc.

Seminar

A seminar on �Bio tech, Standardization & Export Promotion� was held on�.Feb at the exhibition venue. Around 50 participants from industry and reputed institutions attended the seminar addressed by eminent speakers from different fields:

Dr.PK Seth,CEO, Bio tech park, Lucknow.
Mr.R.K. Sharma, Director & Head, Bureau of Indian Standards
Shri Prabhat Kumar, Joint Export Commissioner, U.P.

Cultural Bonanza

The visitors to the exhibition were entertained each evening with cultural variety programmes including Hasya kavi Sammelan, Qawwali, Bhangra and the like.

A trade fair in principle, nevertheless offering more than buyer-seller meet, due concern is always shown by the organizers for the visitors� entertainment who were enthralled with colorful evenings of cultural and musical delights each day of the EXPO.

THE RESPONSE

More than 1 lakh visitors took advantage of the opportunity to access a wealth of information about the various developments taking place in the industrial scenario and to receive first hand information from the fair's exhibitors from across the country. Exhibitors utilized the venue to foster and to expand their networking while conducting successful business.

SPONSORS
Department of Food Processing, U.P. & Department of Industrial Development U.P.
 

Supported By
SIDBI, UPSIDC,BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS, STATE BANK OF INDIA,UPPCL, UDYOG BANDHU
 

Partners
Team Pinnacle,Exhicon Outsource,Exhicon Events, Agriculture Today,The Times of India, Event Avenue