300 exhibitors from 25 countries entered into a dialogue with 7,100 high-calibre trade visitors at the centrally located Expocentre in Moscow. Users, engineers, technicians, buyers, production managers, sales directors and investors from the metallurgy and tube industry – they all came to leverage the trade fair as a platform for an exchange of themes as well as for networking and deal-making activities. Nations such as Germany, Austria, Italy and China were represented with country pavilions.

Current political uncertainties paired with the recent weakness of the rouble led to a reduction in the amount of contracts being concluded, but the country continues to experience a significant need for investment as well as strong demand. Requests for high-quality offerings from international manufacturers continue unabatedly. In the short and medium term, modern technologies will be required to update existing plants, and the corresponding investments will be made.

Metallurgy Litmash, Tube Russia and Aluminium/Non-Ferrous 2014, organised by Messe Düsseldorf GmbH in collaboration with the local partner Metal-Expo and its subsidiary Messe Düsseldorf Moscow, received support from the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the Russian Association of Metal Products Suppliers, ITA (International Tube Association), AMAFOND (Italian Foundry Machinery and Products Association), CECOF (The European Committee of Industrial Furnace and Heating Equipment Associations), CEMAFON (The European Foundry Equipment Suppliers Association), EUnited Metallurgy (The European Metallurgical Equipment Association), MC-CCPIT (Metallurgical Council of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade) and VDMA (German Engineering Federation).

Dr. Timo Würz from EUnited Metallurgy on the trade fair: “Russia is an important market for metallurgical plant building, and Metallurgy Litmash was again an attractive possibility for companies to present their products and services. The large amount of participation from Germany, Italy and Asia emphasised this. Unfortunately, the event was not able to completely escape the current economic and political influences.”

Ines Polak from the VDMA: “The professional organisation and implementation by Messe Düsseldorf made the German joint stand once again an attractive meeting point at this year’s Metallurgy Litmash. The exhibitors’ feedback ranges from a high degree of satisfaction to scepticism regarding the follow-up business. Due to the bleak political and economic situation, not all visitor target groups appeared as numerous as in recent years.”

Jia Bofei from MC-CCPIT: “MC-CCPIT believes that Tube Russia is well organised and will bring exhibitors long-term benefits.”

Peter Byroslawsky from the ITA (International Tube Association): “Despite the background of extremely difficult trading conditions for the tube and pipe industry worldwide and in the CIS and Ukraine markets, in particular, the International Tube Association (ITA) enjoyed a successful week at the exhibition. As industry partner to Messe Düsseldorf for all its major tube exhibitions worldwide, the ITA was very pleased that the Tube Russia 2014 has been very well received by the participating ITA member companies and regarded as very positive. The representatives of the ITA had lots of discussions, made new contacts and intensified existing member relationships. In these demanding economic times, it is vitally important to maintain a high profile in key world markets such as the CIS and to offer support and guidance to the industry. The next months will prove to which extent exhibitors and visitors have reached their expectations.”