The Ferroforma-Bricoforma hardware and DIY fair opened on Wednesday 23^rd in a new format, featuring almost 600 international exhibitors and a highly participative programme of activities. By the close of the event 4 days later, 16,275 visitors from a total of 80 countries from all over the world had walked through the halls of the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC), drawn by the business potential of Europe's benchmark event in its field for 2011. José Miguel Corres, the CEO of BEC, describes this figure as "satisfactory, which is just how this year’s participants have assessed the event to us".

The most numerous groups of visitors came from France, Portugal, Italy, Germany and the UK – all of them leading countries in the EU. There were also trade specialists from Poland, Russia, Turkey, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica and Saudi Arabia, among other countries, many of who came as part of a programme for purchasers. In all, the number of foreign visitors was up by 10%.

There were also over Spanish 8,000 visitors from outside the Basque Country. They came from all over Spain, though the largest numbers were from Catalonia, Madrid, Valencia, Cantabria, Galicia and Andalusia.

Foreign and domestic visitors alike gave a special colour to the city of Bilbao and the surrounding area during the fair. Occupancy rates at hotels, restaurants and recreational establishments have been high.

Exhibitors at the event stressed the high standard of visitors, and therefore of the business contacts made during the week. Records show that most of those who attended the fair were market makers, heads of purchasing and company managers. The sectors in which they showed most interest were hand tools, power tools, locksmithery and industrial supplies. Ferroforma-Bricoforma 2011 was the presentation of over 100 new products in the various sectors on show.

The side events organised at the fair combined various formats, such as presentations, round tables, case studies and talks, and between them drew 732 trade specialists. The exhibition area given over to live demonstrations by exhibitors of innovations and the use of products was also a great success, and helped firms contact trade specialists and, especially, end users.

This 19^th edition of Ferroforma-Bricoforma was opened by Bernabé Unda, the Basque Government Minister for Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism. The overall balance of the event is positive, confirming the suitability of the new format and the major efforts made by the organisers to ensure its profitability and assure a high international profile.

Dept. of Communication, March 29, 2011