Alihankinta Subcontracting Fair - 35 & GLO
News 11.08.2023
Subcontracting Trade Fair is the largest event for the industry sector in the Nordic countries that has been taking place in Tampere since 1988. Vibrant, busy and successful since its starting days, this industry event celebrates its 35th anniversary this year – glowing with Subcontracting expertise and happiness.
The averagely warm, successful Olympic summer of 1984 had just turned into a rainy autumn, as Rafik Neuman – the newly appointed managing director of Tampere Trade Fairs Group – talked about the need for a subcontracting trade fair with Kari Aarnio, business development advisor for the Federation of Finnish Metal, Engineering and Electrotechnical Industries MET, at the Finntec Trade Fair in Helsinki. He convinced Aarnio that there was a call for such event, and the idea remained smouldering at the back of the two industrialists’ minds.
The year had changed until Neuman was giving a talk on trade fairs at an entrepreneurs’ association, when an entrepreneur from Lempäälä stood up in the back of the room and asked: “What can you offer me?”
What can you offer me?
“What can you offer me?” This question prompted the planning of a trade fair for the needs of manufacturing industries, and the wheels of Subcontracting Trade Fair started rolling at an increasing pace.
Neuman and Aarnio presented the idea to receptive business people who were strikingly willing to commit to the event. The real go-getters in the industry sector were already interested in becoming forerunners, and this pioneering work was rewarded in the forthcoming years.
The outlines for the event were set based on trends from abroad. A large exhibition had been held for a long time in Paris, and the Swedish city of Jönköping had been serving as the stage for an event called Elmia Underleverantör for several years.
The proud flagship of Tampere Trade Fairs Group
For Tampere Trade Fairs Group, the Subcontracting Trade Fair has been a success right from the very beginning. Ever since the 1986 event, the organisers aimed to fulfil the exhibitors’ wishes as well as the visitors’ expectations and, finally, the needs of the trade fairs company. From the very first time, the event was also successful financially, famous industrialists marching together the first steps of Subcontracting with an excited buzz.
The industrial heritage of Tampere and the city’s location at the birth place Finnish industry contributed to the rapid growth and development of the Subcontracting Trade Fair. Using these starting points and engaging in consistent development work gave rise to an event that is now the largest and one of the most important trade fairs of the sector in Finland.
Subcontracting Trade Fair continues to be a professional subcontracting event where supply, demand and skills really do meet. For several years now, the number one trade fair of the sector has been offered at Ilmailunkatu, with four halls fully booked and exhibitors competing for section stands.
A forward-looking, progressive and experienced Subcontracting
The reason behind the popularity of the Subcontracting Trade Fair continues to be the trade fair’s partners, exhibitors and visitors. Every year, a thousand exhibitors and thousands of visitors – the real skills behind industry – assemble at Tampere. As Subcontracting spreads throughout the city, our beloved Manse also gets her part.
The famous spirit of Subcontracting, its never-ending, renewing and reinvigorating force, is blown into the trade fair halls autumn after autumn – respecting the journey, looking into the future. In the rapidly transforming world, industries are also evolving at an enormous rate – new ways of recreating the subcontracting and industry sectors are being devised together.
The glowing 35-year-old
Celebrating its anniversary this year, Subcontracting is now very topically and solidly Globally Local, intertwining local production and international collaboration to bring together the entire industry world. Current topics include security of supply, globalisation of production, local expertise and production, and global connections. One of the key factors emerging in the sector is the role of technology in relation to its operators and the way it shapes the industry sector.
The theme of the event is addressed from three perspectives: World Domesticated, Unifying Industry and Technically Humane. As earlier, Subcontracting is lucky to also introduce three theme partners who will help in addressing the celebratory year’s themes on local production and international collaboration. The GLO Globally Local Operations Village is being built in Hall B of Tampere Exhibition and Sports Centre, where visitors can get to know international industry experts – businesses that operate globally and locally. On the 35th anniversary, the Hall of Fame of Subcontracting is also a Hall of Flame, enabling visitors to meet its burning flame online or in direct vicinity of the HEAT Stage flaming at the event.
Globally Local from three angles
Local expertise and international production play a well-respected key role in global commerce as well. Bringing production back to Finland is a solid trend arising from the perspectives of quality, availability, cost-effectiveness, product development, workforce, accountability, and continuity of production. Security of supply is a topical issue during exceptional circumstances.
Global industry connects operators irrespective of location, across different sectors. Global connections and well-functioning logistics offer opportunities for increasingly multifaceted collaborations and link together subcontracting chains. The future of technology is built from people to people.
The use of automation and robotics in industry will continue to increase, and the role of AI will be to assist and develop. First and foremost, even if the role of humans is evolving, it will still be a leading and controlling one, emphasising our social responsibility. Industry brings together people and technology, creating a solid future.
Subcontracting 2023 and Globally Local is focused on people and future of the industry. Welcome to the hub of industry – Subcontracting Trade Fair celebrating its 35th anniversary!