In 1992, through the introduction of our British friend Mr. David Walker, Yirui Company became aware of the world’s largest water treatment exhibition in the Netherlands. With David Walker’s warm and enthusiastic invitation, the General Manager and Deputy General Manager of Yirui Company purchased return tickets from Taipei to Amsterdam. Guided by David, they visited this prestigious and long-established water treatment exhibition.
Appearance of the exhibition hall before the expansion
The following year, Yirui Company attended “AQUATECH RAI AMSTERDAM” (Note 1). Looking around the entire exhibition hall, Yirui’s booth was the only one representing a Chinese company, while all other exhibitors and attendees were exclusively blue-eyed and with prominent noses. Leveraging competitive pricing and the advantage of being a newcomer, Yirui made significant gains at its first exhibition in Amsterdam.
Note 1: Aquatech holds an exhibition every two years at the RAI in Amsterdam, and it is currently the largest water treatment exhibition in Europe.
[Entrance to the exhibition hall]
[The appearance of the exhibition hall before the expansion]
The Netherlands, despite being a small country, is not only famous for tulips and cheese but has also produced a highly successful multinational exhibition company. This company, alongside the American Water Quality Association (Note 2), holds a leading position in Europe and America, specialising in organising water treatment exhibitions. In recent years, a clear difference has emerged between the two. Aquatech has been expanding globally, achieving significant breakthroughs in China and entering the exhibition market in Mexico.
The “Aquatech Amsterdam Water Treatment Exhibition” currently occupies seven halls, with two additional halls added in recent years. However, when compared to the “Aquatech Shanghai Exhibition” that the company hosts in China, the Amsterdam show truly pales in comparison.
Note 2: The Water Quality Association was established in 1974 and holds an annual exhibition in various states across the United States, with the exhibition restricted to the U.S. WQA also engages in product certification, claiming that its testing equipment rivals NSF, and it issues the “Gold Seal” certification mark.
【The two buildings on the left】
The new building on the right side of the exhibition hall.
Before this, Aquatech had experienced some setbacks, with several water treatment exhibitions held in Bangkok, Thailand, a few years ago ending in failure.
The location for the Aquatech water exhibition is called “Amsterdam RAI” (Note 3), the Amsterdam RAI International Exhibition and Convention Centre. It may have benefited from the booming water treatment exhibition industry, as the number of exhibitors has significantly increased, particularly with a large influx of companies from China. Over the past 4 to 5 years, there has been extensive construction in the surrounding area, with several new buildings and multi-storey car parks being added.
The phrase “when one person attains power, even their followers prosper” could apply to the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition Centre. Within just a few years, the number of shops in the surrounding commercial area has grown significantly. Unlike before, the area is now bustling with activity in the evenings, whereas it was once quiet and finding a place to eat was difficult.
Note 3: The Amsterdam RAI International Exhibition and Convention Centre, established in 1893, is the largest exhibition centre in the Netherlands.
【Shops around the exhibition centre】
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Report and images by: Lin Dong-Po, OYoung Water Purification
