Integrated Systems Events has signed a new five-year contract with Amsterdam RAI for the hosting of the Integrated Systems Europe exhibition. The contract will run from 2012 until 2016, inclusive.
"Our previous contract with the RAI was due to expire next year, but we have decided to renew early in order to provide a clear business path for our exhibitors, to facilitate our forward planning as organizers, and to enable the RAI itself to plan for the future growth of ISE," said Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events.
Aside from its inaugural year in Geneva (2004) and a single iteration in Brussels (2006), every ISE show has been held in Amsterdam, and Blackman says the city has no obvious rival for an event such as Integrated Systems Europe.
"More than 600 million people live and work within a direct three-hour flight of Schiphol airport, and these areas represent some of the most developed and sophisticated economies in the world, as well as some of the most dynamic in terms of recent and future growth. Beyond the hard numbers, the city of Amsterdam is a welcoming, relaxed and culturally diverse city in which it is easy for people of almost any background to come and do business. These factors combine together to provide the backdrop for a truly international tradeshow at which every link in our industry's value chain is represented by companies from dozens of different countries."
Accompanying Blackman at the signing ceremony in Amsterdam was Hans Bakker, president and CEO of Amsterdam RAI.
"The city of Amsterdam is renowned for its creativity, innovation and passion for trade, values that apply equally to Integrated Systems Europe and Amsterdam RAI. This connection serves as the ideal foundation for a successful partnership in the years ahead. We very much look forward to welcoming ISE to the RAI for the next five years."
Blackman also notes that as ISE has grown down the years, the RAI itself has also evolved and continues to develop as a venue.
"Since we first held an ISE show here in 2005, the RAI has continued with an ambitious programme of new building and refurbishment. This has given us new exhibit space and conference rooms in the shape of the Elicium building, enhanced organizers' facilities at the Europa entrance and the 'RAI Live!' digital signage system with is such a big hit with our industry - to name just three developments.
