Interview with Oscar Barranco for El Canal Marítimo y Logístico
1. Could you explain to us the reasons for bringing this event to the Basque Country, having already held it in Madrid?
As you say, we have a solid track record behind us, not only with the 14 editions of the fair held in Madrid, but also in Oporto, where we have already held 6 editions. However, there is no other event in the north of Spain that offers packaging, logistics and transport companies a simple and direct way to meet the purchasing decision-makers of thousands of companies in the area. Therefore, because we want to provide an effective response to this need of our community, we are already looking forward to the first edition of Empack and Logistics & Automation Bilbao, which will take place on 1st and 2nd March.
It is also important to point out that the industrial strength of the region (not only in the Basque Country but also in adjacent regions such as Cantabria, Asturias, La Rioja and northern Castilla León) and its commitment to digitalisation and sustainability in general and in packaging, logistics and transport in particular have been determining factors in our firm commitment to this event.
Finally, I would like to make special mention of the support we have received from SPRI and the Basque Government, as well as from the main sectoral organisations, which will undoubtedly make this launch a benchmark event for the region in the future.
2. After the good reception given to the launch of the new Transport & Delivery brand in Madrid, will it also be included in this first edition in Bilbao? And if so, could you tell us what it will consist of?
Transport & Delivery is the new brand that brings together in a specific Logistics & Automation space a critical and growing sector such as logistics operators, road, rail and sea transport, couriers & last mile and transport software. Easyfairs chose our event in Madrid for its launch and its reception was magnificent. That is why, in Bilbao, we did not hesitate to also include this exclusive space that will have an exhibition area, and will also house a specialised conference room and a private networking area for attendees, with the aim of generating synergies and relationships between the main stakeholders.
3. What expectations of attendance and participation do you have for this first edition of Bilbao?
This first edition will have more than 70 exhibiting brands, which is a great success for a launch of these characteristics; in addition, we will offer in the 2 conference rooms success stories, seminars and presentations by more than 40 experts. We have great support for the organisation and promotion of the event, such as IVL (Basque Logistics Institute), Mobility and Logistics Cluster of Euskadi, Uniport and Port of Bilbao, ICIL, Packnet, Basque Food Cluster and the Paper Cluster of Euskadi, among others, and we hope to welcome more than 2000 professional visitors.
4. What do you think are the strong points of the event and why would you recommend professionals not to miss this event? What message do you send to potential visitors?
The first edition of Empack and Logistics & Automation in Bilbao is fundamentally a new opportunity for packaging, logistics and transport professionals in the north of Spain, who will have access to a wide and varied range of products and services related to these sectors for the first time without having to travel far.
Optimising the supply chain, digitalising it, making it more sustainable… is the desire of every company nowadays; and this is what Empack and Logistics & Automation Bilbao is all about, a space where visitors can quickly and easily access new products and solutions on the market and also new supplier companies that they may not have been aware of. What’s more, we are more than just an exhibition space. The event also offers 2 conference rooms and activities aimed at training and networking. I therefore encourage everyone, especially companies from the North of Spain, to set aside a few hours to visit the event, because we are sure that you will come back with new ideas, new contacts and with the feeling of having done in a few hours a field work that otherwise would take much longer.
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