Austech 2011 surpasses expectations

Australia’s foremost advanced manufacturing event, Austech 2011, ended with one of the best outcomes since its inception in 2000. Austech, National Manufacturing Week (NMW) and Ausplas attracted a total of around 12,000 visitors. This represents growth of 10 to 15% over the comparable 2009 event. “Attendance was up from every state, thus bringing tangible benefit to exhibitors in every section of the event,” says Austech exhibition manager Kim Warren, Australian Manufacturing Technology Institute Limited (AMTIL). One in every four visitors was a member of top management.

“This year’s show in Melbourne has given industry a real boost, powering it up to drive the economic recovery,” Warren comments. “Austech, together with NMW and Ausplas, has generated a momentum for industry, with more than 600 exhibitors from Australia and overseas showcasing new and innovative technology.”

Energy and automation topics were at the very heart of visitor interest. Major emphasis was placed on energy efficiency, productivity and ways to make things smarter. Exhibitors were very pleased with the show, many of them having sold CNC machines, tools and accessories over the four days of the show. The innovateAustralia showcase together with the Victorian Government opportunity cafe was also a crowd puller, helping to connect visitors to organisations representative of and significant to their industry. It informed visitors of possible business opportunities and assistance to seed the growth of Australian advanced precision manufacturers. innovateAustralia is an initiative of AMTIL and has received funding support through AusIndustry’s Industry Cooperative Innovation Program.

Austech organiser AMTIL runs several initiatives and projects aiming to improve the performance and output of Australia’s advanced manufacturing industry by helping companies to fully integrate new technology or processes into the entirety of their business operations. Austech 2011 once again formed a central part of these initiatives and is a ‘must-attend’ event for every manufacturer looking for efficient technology to be competitive on the global market.

Moreover, with its new online presence (www.austechexpo.com.au) Austech now provides exhibitors and visitors with an online forum tailored to their needs, including easy online registration and stand booking information, a list of exhibitors, as well as the latest related news, pictures, videos and floor plans.