Aberdeen, Scotland – Low oil prices have apparently not deterred exhibitors from signing up for a record amount of space at this Fall’s SPE Offshore Europe (OE 2009).
Organizers from Reed Exhibitions said they expect the September 8-11 edition of the biennial show held in Aberdeen, Scotland to be 10% larger than it was in 2007. At of the end of March, 21,775 square metres (about 234,384square feet) had been sold compared to the record total of 20,757 square metres (about 223,426square feet) that were sold for the 2007 event.
More than 580 individual booths had been booked in the same time period – an increase of 50 over OE 2007 – and more than 120 companies had increased the size of their 2009 booths.
Exhibition Manager Elaine Hulse credited a concerted push to sell space to smaller local companies based around Aberdeen, a major base for the North Sea offshore oil industry. “We have made tremendous efforts to offer opportunities to local companies and expertise, with a new hall added to the site for which priority was given to Aberdeen-based SMEs (Small and Medium-Sized companies),” she said.
The international presence for 2009 was also strong, with China alone booking three pavilions and with Spain and Western Australia occupying new pavilions.
The event’s “People Zone” was sold out in the Spring. The area focuses on career development, training and travel services.
Reach Elaine Hulse at +44 (0) 20 8910 7159 or elaine.hulse@reedexpo.co.uk
