Are your float drums
Are your float drums certified by an accredited testing agency? They should be. Ask for Ace Floats by name! Tested and Certified by IMANNA Laboratory Inc. Falling Dart Impact Test 7-Day Hunt Water Absorption Test Encasement Wall Thickness Standard And More! IMANNA Certified www.imanna.com/customer-spotlight For over 25 years, Den Hartog Industries in Hospers, Iowa has elevated the quality of foam-filled float drums, setting the industry standards and is a leader in the marine industry on quality, durability and longevity. Visit www.acefloatdrums.com for a variety of product sizes, specifications with bouyancy and technical information.
THE MYP AT METSTRADE A steady stream of serious interest Metstrade 2019 (19th-21st November) further reinforced its reputation as the leading international B2B platform for the leisure marine equipment sector. Year on year, the event attracts increased visitors and exhibitors but last year’s record-busting result of 17,792 visitors and 1,670 exhibitors could be said to have raised the bar. Truly global (visitors of 115 nationalities and exhibitors from 53 countries), Metstrade 2019 covered 28,915m² (311,238ft²) of exhibition space including expanded pavilions such as the Marina & Yard Pavilion (MYP). The organisers, RAI Amsterdam, were particularly pleased to welcome no fewer than 271 new exhibitors (from 36 countries) throughout the show. Over the years, Metstrade has also steadily expanded in scope – not just size – by adding networking, educational and social events to the mix. Industry professionals are now welcomed to the annual Breakfast Briefing and DAME Design Awards, the I-nnovationLab stage events, Boat Builder Awards for Business Achievement, Superyacht Forum, NMEA education seminars and more. Marina professionals played their part. To complement the MYP exhibition floor, PIANC RecCom, the Recreational Navigation Commission of the World Association of Waterborne Navigation Infrastructure, hosted a two-day Marina Design Training Programme (read more on p. 43) and also presented its annual Jack Nichol Marina Design Award (MEDA) to Marina di Stabia, Italy, during the MYP’s Waterfront Drinks event. The Global Marina Institute (GMI), which oversees the training, certification and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities of the Marina Industries Association and British Marine, returned to Metstrade for a second year to host a half-day seminar for certified marina managers, operators and professionals, and selected guests. A variety of hot topics was discussed. On the show floor, the MYP, with its 70 exhibitors, saw a healthy level of quality visitors. Marina World – media partner for the MYP - enjoyed its highest level of visitors to date – from Asia Pacific, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. Others, such as Mark Coy of US-based Den Hartog Industries were swift to note the international flavour. “Our ninth Metstrade was very productive as we visited with numerous potential customers throughout Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia,” he said. While float manufacturer Den Hartog is a long-established exhibitor, Canadian PIANC chairman, Esteban Biondi (right), presents Salvatore La Mura, sales manager of Marina di Stabia, with the MEDA. In accepting the prestigious award, La Mura recognised the late Marcello Conti of Studio di Ingegneria Conti e Associati (past president of PIANC RecCom 2004-2008) as instrumental in the project design and completion. newcomer Thruflow – a specialist in pontoon decking – was in prime position to give a truly fresh perspective. “It was our first time attending Metstrade and we weren’t sure what to expect in terms of both quantity and quality of leads,” said Sara LaBlance, marketing and western sales manager. “The MYP provided us with a steady stream of serious interest from qualified leads. We were also able to successfully interact with potential partners, who were exhibiting in close proximity to our stand location. For Thruflow, Europe is a fairly new market, so we were looking for a variety of different kinds of customers, as well as distribution, warehousing and sales representatives in this new region. We are confident that the connections made at Metstrade will allow us to fulfil all of these needs.” Robert Brown, ASAR (USA), Lina Odhe, SF Marina (Sweden), Martin Plainer, DualDocker (Austria), Lorenzo Isalberti, Ingemar (Italy), Ted Waring, Maricer (UK), Kristian Räme, Marinetek (Finland) and many others reported back positively. Ramon van Asselt, Orsta Breakwater, the Netherlands, summed up the show as “always the first and foremost show on our list.” He confirmed that the company had already booked for 2020, adding “besides meeting new clients and doing business, it is the best time of the year to meet up with colleagues and see what’s happening in the business. People always love coming to Amsterdam for a couple of days.” www.marinaworld.com - January/February 2020 37
