The first visitor on the first day of the water treatment exhibition was actually a member of a foreign trade association, Ms Liru Gao, who was conducting market research for the 2020 Taipei Water Show. What impressed me most was that she had done her homework before coming, mentioning that she had also discovered my blog post “The Amsterdam Water Show 2017 Report” through a Google search. https://reurl.cc/A1pQqd
On the fourth day of the exhibition, a lady from a manufacturer in Wenzhou, named Ms Lingjian Shao, approached me to say that she had also seen my exhibition blog post, in which I had travelled to countries around the world to collect tap water and had taken samples home for analysis. She stated that she is also doing the same now. It is true, in the words of Confucius: “Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbours,” because the inspiration and influence of these two ladies motivated me to find the time to complete this “Aquatech Amsterdam 2019 Water Treatment Exhibition Experience” report.
[1] This year marks the 55th of the 110-year-old exhibition.
The exhibition has been held for 110 years, taking place every two years, as stated in the advertisement on the wall poster, which notes this was the 55th event.
[2] The exhibition venue was reduced in size.
Having attended and participated in this water treatment exhibition in Amsterdam on more than ten occasions, I found that, this time, there was one fewer exhibition hall and significantly fewer exhibitors, leading me to wonder if the fervent demand for water purification equipment had diminished. Although the economy continues to be sluggish, this is an exhibition that occurs only once every two years; thus, registration for it should have been completed two years ago. Were there so many manufacturers who could foresee that the economy would be so poor after two years?
I spoke to several customers about this issue, and one analysis, suggesting that over the years some major global manufacturers have merged, seemed to be the most reasonable explanation.
These manufacturers include:
- BWT AG acquisitions
- Acquisition of ATH.
- RWC
- Acquisition of John Guest.
- Kinetico
- Acquisition of Puricom Europa S.L. (Spain).
- Culligan
- Acquisition of Fluxtek Europe S.L. (Spain).
Therefore, the companies that have been acquired do not need to spend money to participate in the exhibition. Perhaps this is the real reason why there are so many fewer exhibitors.
There were also many fewer visitors. What is the explanation for this? From the following data, we know that the number of visitors (the total number of business cards collected) to our Easywell water purification booths in previous years ranged between 90-100 valid individuals, and there was almost no time over the four days when one could go to the bathroom. However, this year we only had 74 visitors to the booth, which is considerably fewer.
[3] Product development trends
- Short, thin, and light.
- Smart.
- Simple appearance.
[4] The exhibition organiser made the same mistake twice.
This issue should also be discussed and shared, as it may provide the organisers an opportunity to explore ways to prevent a recurrence. We also do not understand why the exhibition organisers can make almost identical mistakes at two consecutive events. Perhaps it is because they have not applied for ISO-9000 quality certification, resulting in a lack of measures to correct and prevent these mistakes from recurring!
The issue was that:
- Two years ago, we attended the Aquatech exhibition in Shanghai and found that there was no information about our company in the exhibitors’ roster. How could visitors find us? I approached the representative from Taiwan, Li Ruhu, and the solution from the Aquatech Shanghai office was the offer, which we accepted, to publish a free advertisement in their exhibitors’ list at the subsequent event as compensation.
- This situation occurred for a second time at this exhibition. On this occasion, a long-standing British customer found our booth in Amsterdam and told us: “I couldn’t find your Easywell water purification booth listed in the exhibitors’ roster.” My response was, “Wow!” I asked him how he found us. He said he located us on the organiser’s website. On the third day of the exhibition, the organisers sent two staff members to apologise. Their proposed solution was to: “Upload the Easywell products onto Aquatech’s social website to enhance our exposure.” I could only say, “Okay!” Quarrelling was a waste of time and would take me away from the opportunity to make contact with potential customers.
[5] A few positive events that were directly mentioned at the exhibition.
- Before the end of the final day, the organiser sent a lady in an Aquatech uniform to distribute flyers. She was assisting disadvantaged groups and was seeking exhibitors to donate products and water.
- This exhibition was held in the Netherlands, and most exhibitors came from European and American countries. During dismantling, they paid more attention to cleanliness and order compared to the exhibition halls of our larger counterparts. Of course, our exhibitors from Asia will be influenced by European and American manufacturers, becoming more refined as a result.
- The Amsterdam city government has constructed a new subway station, which was completed this year. With an entrance and exit in the square in front of the exhibition hall, similar to that in front of the World Trade Exhibition Hall in Xinyi Road, Taipei, this subway is very helpful for the arrival and dispersal of people. According to our Dutch customers, the subway took ten years to complete, and due to the special geology in the area, it was common for houses to tilt and even collapse during construction.
- Little stories from the exhibition.
During the exhibition, I spoke to some companies from China. I was particularly interested in why a company from Yuyao, Zhejiang, did not attend the exhibition (as this company had always been particularly attentive to me in the past). I learned that after their last exhibition, their exhibits were not intended to be shipped back to China, nor were they reported to the conference. They left their exhibits and received a ban from participating in the next exhibition as a result.
[6] Conclusion
I must remember that every time someone asks me: “What industry do you work in?” and I reply, “It is water purification,” regardless of whether the other party is in the industry or at home, 100% of them will say: “That is a very promising and popular industry.” Due to this belief and perception, everyone is fervently investing in this sector. Major manufacturers that previously did not produce or sell water purification equipment—whether from high-tech, mobile phones, home appliances, marketing channels, the entertainment industry, or food producers—have all invested in this industry. Most have made high-priced mergers and acquisitions with existing manufacturers that already have brand awareness, research and development capabilities, and manufacturing capacity. They have done this to enter the water treatment industry and secure a place at the table as quickly as possible.
This industry has become extremely competitive in just a few short years, and manufacturers with new technologies and products are not necessarily guaranteed profitability. The profits of manufacturers maintaining the status quo can only be compressed and may even lead to a rapid exit from the market.
While talking with Spanish manufacturers (with over 40 years of history) at the exhibition, it became clear that every industry is changing rapidly. Swift changes and fierce competition mean that stakeholders are often unprepared. It is becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to survive for more than 100 years. Therefore, we should salute the managers and workforce of enterprises that have lasted over a century.
