EIMA International, agricultural machinery on track
1,350 exhibiting industries, 350 of which from abroad, are expected in Bologna from 19 to 23 October for the 44th edition of EIMA International. The great exhibition of agricultural machinery, the only one in the sector scheduled for this year, is back in-person after the closures dictated by the health emergency
EIMA International, the great exhibition of machinery, equipment and components for agriculture and landscaping, to be held in Bologna from 19 to 23 October, is the first major event in the sector - the only one scheduled this year - to be held after the closures imposed by the health emergency.
The exhibition of agricultural machinery, now in its 44th edition, is set to start with no less than 1,350 exhibiting companies - 350 of them foreign, from 40 countries - who will display their ranges in the fourteen sectors of specialization and five thematic halls in which the Bologna event is divided (EIMA Components, EIMA Green, EIMA Energy, EIMA Idrotech and EIMA Digital).
The continuing restrictions in force for countries such as China and India mean that a conspicuous number of foreign manufacturers will be absent, but this does not affect the international vocation of EIMA which, in addition to foreign exhibitors, is preparing to welcome businesspeople from all over the world. Thanks to the green corridors and delegations organised by the ICE Agency, as well as bilateral agreements with individual countries, more than 300 delegates selected from 61 countries will be in Bologna from 19 to 23 October for business-to-business meetings with companies, information meetings and guided tours. Official delegations have been confirmed from Europe (the group includes 19 countries, from those belonging to the European Union to the Balkans, Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Ukraine), from the Americas (14 countries in all, including the United States, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay), from Africa (which currently has 14 participating countries, covering the northern belt including Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, and the Sub-Saharan belt including Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda). Finally, the Asian and Middle Eastern area is represented by 16 delegations, including those from Turkey, Israel, South Korea and Iran.
The central theme of EIMA 2021 is, once again, technological innovation. The spotlight, therefore, will be on the new products presented by the exhibiting companies at the Bologna exhibition complex and on the traditional award ceremony for the winning models of the Technical Innovation competition, on display in the Quadriportico area. Among the novelties of the 44th edition of EIMA International is the Tractor of the Year Show, with the 14 finalist tractors in the three categories that reward, in addition to the tractor of the year, the "best specialized" and the best utility model. Over the four days of the event, visitors will not only be able to admire the tractors live, but also see them being paraded from a grandstand, in a specially equipped scenic area in the outdoor area between Halls 35 and 37. In addition to displaying the ranges and new products, the Bologna exhibition offers visitors a rich calendar of themed initiatives. From workshops to conventions, from seminars to in-depth meetings, more than a hundred events have already been scheduled over the five days of the event by many different entities: manufacturers, industry associations, administrations and institutions, and universities.
"The 44th edition of EIMA International is being presented to trade operators, buyers and numerous enthusiasts with an ever stronger awareness of the value and irreplaceability of in-person events. These events - comments FederUnacoma's director general Simona Rapastella - are all the more strategic for a sector like agricultural mechanics, where factors such as direct experience of the product and interpersonal 'vis à vis' relationships are decisive for the success of business meetings". This is why the organisers of FederUnacoma, in agreement with BolognaFiere, have set strict safety standards for access to the exhibition centre, which is reserved exclusively for Green Pass holders after having had their body temperature taken.
Two health centres have been set up at the Costituzione and Michelino entrances for free antigen tests. FederUnacoma reminds visitors that they are required to wear a surgical mask inside the exhibition areas. In order to avoid crowding, the opening hours of the exhibition premises have been extended, opening at 8.30 and closing at 19.30. Another new feature concerns tickets: they can only be purchased online, thus avoiding queues in front of the physical ticket offices, where there will still be assistance and orientation services for visitors. Again with a view to preventing crowding in the exhibition halls, the offer of bars and refreshment points has been expended and rationalised, thus allowing staggered access over time.
