Business hots up at ICE

ICE, The International Converting Exhibition, closed on November 20 following a successful three days in Munich. Says event director, Michael Boyle: “After a wait of over two and a half years, ICE made a triumphant debut at the MOC Exhibition Centre. It was not a show of big numbers – there were 1,800 visitors, 210 congress delegates and 100 VIPs over the three days – but a show of big, happy smiling faces.”

Bookings for ICE 2005 have been strong, with over 1,000m² already rebooked, he reports. “Three halls have been reserved at the MOC and an increase of some 30-50 per cent is expected, mainly from suppliers who sat this show out.”

Bernward Kurpisch, of Drytec, summed up the atmosphere at this year’s event: “It has been a tremendous fair, we have been swamped with visitors – next time we will bring more staff.”

Roger Astell, of Valmet Converting, added: “We have been impressed with the international nature of the visitors to our stand – from as far afield as North, Central and South America, as well as the Middle East and Asia. We have already booked a larger stand for 2005.”

A spokesperson for CMC Cevenini enthused: “ICE brought back the ‘personal touch’ for each and every visitor. We successfully closed some orders as a direct result with potential for further business from the leads acquired. Overall, it exceeded our expectations and we are now looking forward to ICE 2005.

Amongst business reported at the show was the sale of a HY-FS lathe slitter featured on the HY Webtec stand. Bernard Hannan, of the European distributor, confirmed that Turkish company Mebant had purchased the Taiwan built equipment. “It was the first time we had sold anything direct from the stand,” he reported. The equipment is designed to slit most double and single coated adhesives tapes, as well as labelstock materials and foams. It features fully automated programmable blade grinding and a modem for remote diagnostics.

Parkland International is understood to have closed a sizeable order at the show, and Derick Nesbit, of Rotary Systems, was pleased with a €15,000 cold sale of a roll handling machine. He promptly tripled the size of his stand for ICE 2005.

John Aspinall, of Double R, observed: “In the past at German exhibitions our stand was often passed over by German visitors. At ICE this time it seems the nationality of exhibitors has not been an issue and we have had a very busy show”. Galileo´s Fabiano Rimediotti commented: “Small is good, small is better. We like ICE and its focus, and the quality of visitors has been excellent. We feel at home here.”

Interesting technology discussed at the show included Applied Films’ SmartWeb – a modular, cleanroom compatible sputter roll coater for R and D, and narrower web widths than the large conventional equipment. A lower height (2.3m compared to 4m) and much smaller footprint, as well as a lower cost are advantages claimed for the machine, which is being built for an in-house demonstration at the company’s plant in Alzenau, Germany. Process flexibility is said to be high, with the equipment capable of running evaporation, sputtering, PECVD and other latest technology.

Recently founded Italian company Acom was discussing its laminating and coating equipment. Sales manager Marco Curtoni explained that the Variant 12 is built on a modular basis, enabling customers to add various degrees of automation to solventless lamination – then to add dry lamination and then wet or dry lamination. “Modularity is no longer simply a pre-ordered option, but is now a permanent feature which makes reconfiguration possible at any time after installation.” Working speed is up to 400m/min and web widths available 1,150, 1,350 and 1,550mm.

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