ACHEMA 2003 – Final Report

ACHEMA 2003 – the leading international event for suppliers of the chemical industry and all branches of the process industry was a resounding success for exhibitors and visitors alike. All branches represented voiced their great satisfaction with the event. Despite the harsh economic climate, the world’s greatest showcase and contact forum for chemical engineering, biotechnology and environmental protection surpassed even the greatest expectations.

From 19 to 24 May 2003, 3,819 exhibitors from 48 different countries presented equipment, technological competence, new developments and services for the process industries on 138,345 square metres of net exhibition space at the Frankfurt exhibition grounds. A total of 192,161 participants from over 100 countries made the most of ACHEMA to forge new contacts and to exchange ideas and experience. Prof. Utz-Hellmuth Felcht, chairman of DECHEMA, stated emphatically that this 27th ACHEMA, the second greatest in its 83-year-old history, had consolidated both its European and its international significance. And Prof. Gerhard Kreysa, chief executive of DECHEMA, the organizer, commented that, despite a drop of 7.9% in the number of exhibitors and 8.4% of participants compared with ACHEMA 2000, given the difficult political and economic situation worldwide, there was every reason to be satisfied with the course and the outcome of this ACHEMA.

One feature frequently singled out was the high degree of professionalism of the visitors. Visitors’ priorities focused on information on the state of the art in technical developments, personal contacts, and discussions of concrete problems and business contacts with exhibitors. From the very first day of the exhibition, numerous exhibitors were exuberant about the number of new business contacts and cooperation discussions; this opened up optimistic perspectives for the future.

The ACHEMA worldwide concept of an annual cycle of events, the next taking place in China (ACHEMASIA 2004, 11–15 May 2004 in Beijing) and Mexico (ACHEMAMERICA, 12–15 April 2005 in Mexico City), was also rated by exhibitors and visitors as convincing and extremely positive.