METSTRADE AND IBEX JOIN FORCES TO SERVICE GLOBAL MARINE MARKETPLACE
Oct 6, 2016
RAI Amsterdam Purchases 50% Stake in IBEX as Co- Owners of Event with NMMA
TAMPA, FL, October 4, 2016 – During this morning’s Industry Breakfast at the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX), taking place in Tampa, Florida this week, RAI Amsterdam, owners and producers of METSTRADE (The Marine Equipment Trade Show) announced that they have purchased a 50% stake in IBEX from WoodenBoat Publications Inc., publisher of Professional BoatBuilder magazine. Starting on October 7, 2016, RAI Amsterdam will partner with the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) to produce future IBEX events. While IBEX and the METSTRADE Show will continue to maintain their unique focus and identity, IBEX will be powered by METSTRADE to foster international growth in attendees, exhibits and sponsorships.
“Working alongside Professional BoatBuilder we have made IBEX the best marine trade event in North America. Through our new partnership with the RAI, we will build on that foundation to create the best marine trade event in the world,” said Thom Dammrich, President of NMMA. “The RAI brings a wealth of event experience that will allow us to further our international efforts as we continue helping our members grow their business around the globe.”
“We are looking forward to partnering with the NMMA to bring together more industry resources for recreational marine businesses and professionals globally. As the new co-owners of IBEX, we will work together to grow an international presence of marine manufacturers and technology at IBEX while giving European businesses more access to U.S. professionals,” said Ids Boersma, Executive Vice President of RAI Exhibitions. “Together, IBEX and the METSTRADE Show will be more collaborative to ensure all of the latest worldwide industry developments, training and products are being brought to the professionals attending each event.”
“We are excited to enter into this new stage for IBEX and to work with RAI Amsterdam, a professional and highly skilled show management company, whose expertise will continue to help us to service the global marine marketplace,” said Anne Dunbar, IBEX Show Director. Irene Dros, Manager Maritime – METSTRADE, added, “Over the past several months we have been working closely with the IBEX team and are excited about the tremendous cooperation and teamwork we have experienced during this transition. Our team, along Rens Jan van Vliet, who will be starting within the IBEX team as Global sales and marketing manager, will work together to best serve the international marine industry.”
“We at Professional BoatBuilder magazine, the company that founded IBEX, have sold our ownership in IBEX to the RAI. We’ve had a longstanding respect for the RAI, and we’re confident they’ll sustain the level of excellence we’ve achieved for the show since 1992,” said Jim Miller, Publisher and General Manager, Professional BoatBuilder magazine. “Our entire team is extraordinarily proud of the positive impact we’ve made on the boatbuilding and repair industry by launching IBEX 26 years ago. Our goal has always been to deliver the critical technical information and updates that international professionals need to advance their businesses and our industry. IBEX is a premier resource annually for new product information and expert seminars and we look forward to supporting IBEX under the ownership of the RAI and NMMA as we continue to be a technical education partner, as well as an exhibitor.”
About the International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition & Conference (IBEX)
IBEX, Where Better Boats Begin www.ibexshow.com, is the marine industry’s largest technical trade event in North America, which beginning on October 7, 2016 will be owned and produced by RAI Amsterdam and by the National Marine Manufacturers Association. IBEX, which is currently owned and produced by Professional BoatBuilder magazine and the NMMA, is taking place October 4-6, 2016 at the Tampa Convention Center, Tampa, FL. The three-day event will bring together 556 exhibiting companies, of which 110 are new to the Show, with 7,000 boating industry professionals to see the latest products and services on the show floor which expands 118,000+ square feet with exhibits both inside and on the water.
The National Marine Manufacturers Association is the leading trade organization for the North American recreational boating industry. NMMA member companies produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines, trailers, marine accessories and gear used by millions of boaters in North America. The association serves its members and their sales and service networks by improving the business environment for recreational boating including providing domestic and international sales and marketing opportunities, reducing unnecessary government regulation, decreasing the cost of doing business, and helping grow boating participation. As the largest producer of boat and sport shows in the U.S., NMMA connects the recreational boating industry with the boating consumer year-round. For more information, visit www.nmma.org.
RAI Amsterdam is an international exhibition and convention company which organises events in the Netherlands and abroad and operates the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre in the Zuidas business district of Amsterdam. The RAI welcomes around 1.5 million visitors a year to approximately 500 events such as exhibitions, conventions and corporate and other events. The company also provides event-related services to organisers, exhibitors and visitors. For more information, visit www.rai.nl.
RAI Amsterdam owns and producers the METSTRADE Show in association with of ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations). The world’s largest trade exhibition of equipment, materials and systems for the international marine leisure industry will run from 15 to 17 November 2016. Over 1,400 expected exhibitors from some 50 countries all over the world showcase their products and innovations to more than 22,000 visitors representing 112 nationalities. The METSTRADE Show combines new products, seminars and unrivalled networking opportunities for visitors to connect across countries, technologies and industry sectors. For more information, visit http://www.metstrade.com/.
