About events

Welcoming the forum’s participants and guests, the Head of the Working Group at the RF Federation Council for the Monitoring of Legislative Compliance in the Field of Energy, Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency, Viktor Rogotsky, noted that the forum was an important industry event showcasing the innovative advancements and cutting-edge technologies developed by the industry’s leading enterprises from Russia and abroad. “The Energy Forum is also an effective platform for discussion of the most pressing issues in the energy field. Over four days, the venue hosts more than 30 separate events: conferences, roundtables, business meetings, seminars and presentations by the leading manufacturers and suppliers of power equipment, during which expert opinions are exchanged by the top executives of the industry’s key companies,” noted the speaker.

His remarks were seconded by the Deputy Chairwoman of the Committee for Energy and Engineering Support Svetlana Melnikova, adding that the forum had proven itself as a solid foundation for the fostering of business contacts: “Here, the manufacturers of innovative products can talk directly with energy and generating companies and sign contracts on future cooperation, which certainly provides positive stimulus to development of the energy sector as a whole.”

This year, over an area spanning some 13,000 sq. metres, the latest arrivals on the energy market are being displayed by the leading companies from Russia, Belarus, Germany, India, Italy, China, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine and the Czech Republic, including such industry standouts as Gazprom Energoholding, SET Zavod, and the Minsk Electrotechnical Plant named after V.I. Kozlov. The forum also features a special presentation zone for the demonstration of import-substitution products – the “Import-Substitution Zone,” where Russian manufacturers showcase electrical equipment and technologies for the energy industry.

Offering welcoming remarks at the exhibition’s opening ceremony was the Head of the Corrosion-Protection Department at Gazprom OJSC, Viktor Olekseychuk. He noted that the exhibition featured the stands of more than 120 producers in the field of anti-corrosion protection: “On display here are the most cutting-edge technologies, materials and equipment that make it possible to implement the most complex investment projects – oil-and-gas, pipeline construction, mining enterprises, underground gas-storage facilities – and to operate equipment in a way that ensures proper electrochemical protection.”

This sentiment was bolstered by the Executive Director of SRO NPP SOPCOR, Nikolai Petrov, who stressed that for more than 35 years now, the “Corrosion-Protection” Exhibition and Convention has united professionals in the fight against corrosion, and allows the Russian industry’s largest companies, such as Gazprom, Transneft, Rosneft and Lukoil, to reliably protect their facilities and improve the quality of life of society at large.

The Head of the Directorate for Proprietary Events at ExpoForum International, Elena Ublieva, noted that the 18^th International “Corrosion-Protection” Exhibition and Convention marked the 16^th event to be held at ExpoForum since its grand opening in October 2014: “Taking part in the project are more than 200 companies, who are also participating with their stands in the International Scientific and Technical Conference. We would never have achieved such success in such a short period of time without our partners – Gazprom and the Non-Profit Partnership for Assistance in the Implementation of Innovative Corrosion-Protection Programmes – NPP SOPCOR.

The “Corrosion-Protection” Exhibition and Convention is the country’s largest platform for the showcasing and production launch of cutting-edge corrosion-protection technical solutions, materials and equipment. This year, the project is being held at the same time as the III Russian International Energy Forum (RMEF) and International Specialised Exhibition “Energy and Electrical Engineering.”

The exhibition is being held in the new ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre for the second time. Friends and partners of the fair attended the opening ceremony. The representatives of the relevant committees, the largest construction companies being the oldest exhibitors, as well as regular information partners stepped out on the red carpet. The ceremony was topped by the ExpoForum-International team, with which Real Estate Fair has been cooperating for 5 years. Sergei Voronkov, CEO of the company, received a commemorative medal in the category recognising Professional Support of the Real Estate Fair.

The exhibition consists of three separate exhibitions: Urban Real Estate Fair, Foreign and Health Resort Real Estate Showroom and Urban Alternative. Cottages and Country House Building. An extensive business program is planned; it includes about 80 thematic seminars and workshops covering such topics as actual applications and services for real estate sellers, schemes to purchase residential property in a constricted mortgage market, peculiarities of transactions with suburban real estate facilities under conditions of changing legislation and many others. In addition, advisers on city and federal housing programs are available at the exhibition.

It is planned that about 35,000 visitors will attend ExpoForum during the 3 days of the exhibition.

The exhibition audit was carried out by the official auditor of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs – RussCom IT Systems. Following the audit, the Forum was awarded UFI Approved Event sign (UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry), as well as a sign of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs.

UFI Approved Event sign is a proof of the high quality of the event and its good purchase potential, and guarantees to the participants the effectiveness of investments and efficiency of participation in the event. UFI sign is considered one of the highest achievements in the exhibition business and officially confirms full compliance with international standards of the exhibition. The audit results are published annually in the FKM Directory of Exhibition Statistics, which is circulated in 19 European countries.

Getting this sign suggests that the exhibitions statistics, including the area of the exhibition space, the number of domestic and foreign exhibitors and attendance, have been audited. Total UFI approved 928 international events organized by the members of the Association.

According to Stanislav Nevzorov, Director of the Import Substitution Centre, the centre will become a permanent showcase site for Russian companies able to introduce competitive products instead of foreign, “The project aims at reducing the share of imported equipment and components and becoming a platform integrator for efficient search for demand and supply of products and services in the industrial sector. Conference rooms, business contact exchange, meeting rooms necessary to form business relationships, will be available to the participants of the Centre on a permanent basis”.

Stanislav Nevzorov also added that the business programme of the Centre has already started. As part of the ‘Ecology of Big City’ forum, a scientific and practical conference on the formation of an industrial infrastructure in the public procurement system and a roundtable discussion on the formation of the Expert Council of the Import Substitution Centre were held. Seminars and roundtable discussions on various topics are scheduled for March-May 2015 as well, so the members of the Expert Council of the Centre will be engaged in development of proposals for sectoral programmes of import substitution. These proposals will be further presented to public corporations at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). Exposition of the Centre will be available for visitors at Lenexpo in the summer of 2015.

In turn, Andrei Bleyer, Deputy Head of Rostekh’s representative office in St. Petersburg, stressed that, given the severity of the import substitution problem in high-tech economy sectors, the Centre experts will have a lot of work: “We will have to radically reconsider cooperation links and focus them on the internal potential, which somewhere needs to be created or updated. In this difficult period real import substitution requires not only money, but also time and knowledge”.

We should recall that the need to establish the Centre was caused by the strong dependence of the industry branches of the Russian Federation on foreign supplies, equipment, components and technologies. In the machine tool industry this dependence is 90%, in the radio-electronic industry – 85%, in the consumer goods industry – 80%, in the pharmaceutical and medical industry – 75%. The Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation set a target of reducing the dependence on imports by 1.5 by 2020. In the production of arms and military equipment such dependence should be reduced to almost zero.

The forum and the exhibition were opened by Igor Albin, Vice-Governor of St. Petersburg. He noted that the exhibition and the business programme of activities correspond to the goals set for the city by the federal government. The Vice-Governor stressed that “It is important to discuss the issues of the municipal housing complex today. Moreover, many companies and manufacturers present their equipment. This is relevant in the context of import substitution tasks in all economic sectors instructed by Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation”.

According to Igor Albin, St. Petersburg sets a good tone in the field of the municipal housing complex. According to the rating of the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg is among the most successful regions in terms of investment attractiveness of the municipal housing complex sector. “I would like to see that positive practices implemented in many regions of Russia and our foreign partners could find the conditions and opportunities for implementing them in St. Petersburg based upon discussions within the business programme of activities”, he said.

Opening of the Import Substitution Centre within the framework of the forum and the exhibition was supported by Andrei Bleyer, Deputy Head of Rostekh’s representative office in St. Petersburg. He stressed that the representative office of the state corporation is actively working with the expert community of the Centre  which aims to reduce the share of imported equipment, components and technology in the industrial sectors of Russia: “The mission of the Centre  is to help all of us to significantly save time and money due to the concentration of current knowledge and effective partnerships across all industries”.

After the official ceremony, an exhibition tour took place where the participating companies exchanged contacts with the Vice-Governor and members of the relevant committees and made appointments. The booth of the Import Substitution Centre presenting possibilities of 800 industrial enterprises, including plants Avangard, Zvezda and Komsomolskaya Pravda was of particular interest among the guests.

Opening the Zoosphere exhibition, Vice-Governor of St Petersburg Olga Kazanskaya remarked that the event has cemented the status of the city as the capital of the pet industry in Russia. She went on to highlight the fact that veterinary medicine, on which the success of the entire agro-industrial sector depends, is a crucial element of the business programme. “This year, the veterinary conference is devoted to veterinary oncology and the treatment of illnesses in exotic animals. It is particularly pleasing to see young veterinary professionals getting involved and able to present their scientific research and ideas,” Kazanskaya said.

The Vice-Governor also remarked that Zoosphere is the largest event of its kind in Eastern Europe, and that for over 20 years the Zoo Show exhibition has attracted experts and pet lovers alike. Visitor numbers topped 15,000 last year, with people coming from 188 towns and cities across Russia, and 24 countries around the world. Given this level of popularity, organisers have decided to hold the next Zoo Show in May 2015 in Sokolniki, Moscow. “This development means that a network will be established for the event, providing entrepreneurs with new business and networking opportunities”, said Sergey Voronkov, CEO of ExpoForum International.

This year, the exhibition is being held in the new Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Centre for the first time. The event traditionally showcases the latest trends in urban and foreign real estate, villas, and country houses. The three days of the trade fair will feature 80 free seminars and information sessions on key topics related to buying property, as well as presentations on projects launched by leading Russian construction companies.

Real Estate Trade Fair Director Mariya Shuldiner said that this year, the event had been taken up a notch by moving to the new Convention and Exhibition Centre, which offers a comfortable setting for both participants and visitors. “The exhibition has got a second wind and new momentum. We hope everybody will be interested in coming to find out about current offers on the real estate market, and to take a look at the new complex.”

Executive Director of ExpoForum International Sergey Voronkov commented that the new complex was a true testament to the scale of the Real Estate Trade Fair, which is growing year by year and pulls in around 30,000 visitors. He emphasised that in 2015, ExpoForum will host more than 100 conventions, exhibitions, and events.

The International Real Estate Trade Fair is the largest real estate trade fair in Russia, and has been held in St Petersburg since 2000.

Twenty premier pulp and paper companies are taking part in this year’s event, along with a wide range of key players in the domestic and international pulp and paper industries. The event also includes a comprehensive business programme centred around trends, prospects, and development opportunities for the pulp and paper industry (PPI).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Alexandr Chukhlebov, Chairman of the Association of Specialists of the Pulp and Paper Industry, noted that holding this year’s PAP-FOR at the new ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre takes the event to the next level, becoming the industry’s main platform for networking and business expansion.

In his speech, Vladimir Chuyko, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Bumprom, stressed that the industry is facing numerous challenges that have to be addressed. Mr Chuyko believes that the PAP-FOR exhibition, which has gained credibility among PPI experts over the many years of its existence, gives all industry stakeholders an opportunity to unite their efforts and help to revitalise the Russian forestry sector.

The PAP-FOR International Exhibition is held in St Petersburg every two years. PAP-FOR 2014, the thirteenth such event, has been organised by Reed Exhibitions, a leading international convention and exhibition operator.