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Approaching its 30th edition in Düsseldorf, the A+A, the No. 1 event for health and safety at work (trade fair + congress), is once again impressing with a strong demand for bookings and further growth. In this context, the A+A 2015 from 27 to 30 October will again clearly exceed the record figures for A+A 2013 (approx. 60,700 m²) with around 65,000 sq.m. of space booked by exhibitors. “In recent years the A+A has been able to gradually extend its leading international market position through constantly growing exhibitor and visitor numbers and the current registration levels confirm this trend. This year we are expecting a participation level of almost 1,800 exhibitors”, says Joachim Schäfer, Managing Director Messe Düsseldorf, reflecting the A+A’s road to success.
The event’s key areas are: Personal Protection (e.g. personal protective equipment, corporate fashion/image wear, safe equipment and appliances in the workplace), Corporate Safety (among others products, appliances and services for corporate fire protection and disaster/emergency management) and Health at Work/Corporate Health (among others healthy work planning and structuring, ergonomics, prevention and therapy concepts). “On the one hand these three major areas traditionally form the focal points at A+A. But they adapt in keeping with the changes and requirements of the working world and constantly take account of current trends, oriented towards the needs of the core target groups from the corporate safety and health management sector”, stresses Birgit Horn, Director A+A 2015, Messe Düsseldorf. As an example she states the special Corporate Health segment: “Every company is only as healthy and efficient as its employees. Modern managers take this perception to heart and against the background of the demographic trend in particular, are increasingly investing in corporate health promotion and preventive measures. To this end, the A+A is offering a whole range of corresponding information through the trade fair, congress and live presentation.” For example, trade visitors to the “Corporate Health” special segment in Hall 10 will find bundled offers and services covering corporate health management, among others nutrition, exercise and drug-abuse prevention. Also in Hall 10, thematically tailored to this segment, the “Workplace Design” special area will be presenting best-practice solutions for ergonomic workplace design. In this connection, for example, aspects such as acoustics, air-conditioning, workplace or even product ergonomics are being taken into account. On each day of the trade fair a joint action stage for the Corporate Health and Workplace Design sectors will be offering a “live” programme with practice-driven brief lectures, presentations, panel sessions and discussions. In addition, the Workplace Design special show will be placing particular focus on products and ergonomic solutions in the production and office sectors. Also located directly adjacent to the special show is the Meeting Point Safety and Health as an essential contact point for the non-profit exhibitors (e.g. professional and trade associations, Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (German Statutory Accident Insurance), International Labour Organization). Clearly structured and now also in Hall 11 A+A 2015 will occupy nine halls at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre. Exhibitors in the personal protective equipment sector (including Corporate Fashion) will occupy Halls 3, 4, 5, 7.0, 9, 10 and now, also in response to the renewed increase in demand for space, Hall 11 as well. Themes covering corporate safety (including special equipment for fire protection and disaster/emergency management planning) will be presented to the trade visitors in concentrated form in Halls 6 and 7a. As is the case in the Corporate Health sector (Hall 10), live presentations in special action areas will provide ideas and know-how for practical solutions also in the areas of personal protection as well as corporate safety in a varied approach. Key features here include the established Corporate Fire Protection and Disaster/Emergency Management Theme Park (in Hall 6/partner: Werkfeuerwehrverband Deutschland, Works Fire Brigade Association, WFV), the “Innovation Park Safety & Security” in Hall 7a as the presentation area for particularly innovative products and services as well as the A+A Fashion Show in Hall 11. The partner country of A+A 2015 is South Korea. The country is pursuing not only an ambitious socio-political agenda for the implementation of safe and productive workplaces in its own country. In terms of prevention, it is regarded by experts as a trailblazer and is actively involved through numerous projects – supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) – in other nations in the region, for example Myanmar. With a working population of 24 million and, as a result, potential users of protective articles and solutions for a safe and healthy workplace, the market is regarded as particularly attractive from the suppliers’ point of view. Comprehensive and international – the congress programme In addition to the trade fair and the integrated theme parks, a key, established component of the A+A is the international A+A Congress which last time attracted around 5,500 participants. In a total of around 60 lecture series it systematically addresses the areas of safety, health and ergonomics. Select themes are simultaneously interpreted (German – English) and, as a result, are not aimed solely at a German professional audience. International programme features include for example: occupational diseases, personal protective equipment, green jobs and prevention, training and qualification and also auditing and certification. Once again in 2015 a programme component of the A+A Congress much respected across all borders is the conference organised by the ILO (International Labour Organization), a dialogue and information platform on worldwide trends in the area of prevention. The focal point here is the question on how labour and social standards can be secured in the sense of humane, decent work for all the people of the world. A further highlight in the A+A 2015 support programme is presented by the international specialist trade conference, which Messe Düsseldorf is organising in cooperation with the Verband Technischer Handel (Federal Association of Technical Trade, VTH). Under the heading “Global Trends in PPE Distribution” (PPE = Personal Protective Equipment), lectures presented by sector experts will examine various aspects of the indirect marketing of personal protective equipment as well as technical requirements (in English). The core target group of the A+A includes experts from the area of corporate occupational protection and safety management, specialist retailers, personnel managers, industrial buyers, company doctors, the proprietors of smaller companies but also personnel and works councils as well as active members of the Fire Brigade, Technisches Hilfswerk (Federal Agency for Technical Relief) and the police. The A+A began in 1954 as an event for “Occupational safety + occupational medicine” and has developed into the leading international meeting place for safe and healthy workplaces. It is held in a two-year rotation. With over 1,600 exhibitors and more than 63,000 trade visitors (from 69 nations), in 2013 the A+A achieved new record results in its history.
Published: 16-10-15
