In May last year you reached your twentieth year in business. How have the fairs changed over these two decades?
T.M. The first fairs were organised by Maxpol in 1990 in Lviv, Ukraine as the reintroduction of the pre-war Lviv Fairs. A large group of companies took part in the fairs, some of which had already participated before the war, and were gathered in the Cracow – Wroclaw line, where there mainly lived inhabitants of Lviv who had emigrated after the Polish borders changed. Then we were persuaded by Galician Contracts Publishing House to organise exhibitions not only in Lviv, Ukraine, but also in the easternmost parts of Ukraine. We accepted this proposal and subsequently organised fairs in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine at the headquarters of the metallurgical conglomerate plant, which employed 60,000 people, and Mr. Leonid Kuchma – the later president of Ukraine – was its director. Next we organised some specialised metallurgical fairs in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, and coal group fairs and other derivatives in Donetsk, Ukraine. At present the fairs are more regional and highly specialised. Next, after several years of activity, we organised our first fairs in Kiev, Ukraine, and then in Kalingrad, Russia, an area of the former Soviet Union, which at present are also regional fairs. And so our history began – from Eastern Europe. Then, we entered the west by organising fairs for companies from different industries in Germany, France, England and several other European countries. We are currently organising fairs in several countries in the east, west and south of Europe and in the United States, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. Last year we organised fairs in 27 countries all around the world for a significant number of Polish producers. So that was the last twenty years for us.
M.R. To start with we organised multi-industry fairs, during which various companies gathered to present their products to foreign contractors. Over time we began to organise fairs of the most diverse industries, and finally we came to the conclusion that it should be limited to a select few. At the moment, we concentrate on two main industries – namely, automobile and food market industry fairs. The food market industry fairs include some that specialise in sweets, and in which we also organise the participation of Polish enterprises. Of course we are also present at construction fairs, textile fairs, machinery fairs and packaging fairs – but there is much less activity in these areas. Two years ago we even attempted to – in order to expand our business – introduce to our offer exhibition stands of our own design and construction. At the moment we are therefore also constructing stands for our customers. These are both system stands, and stands for individual customer orders. The latter are sophisticated and I can safely say that if customers want to have a beautiful stand, then they order it from us. The stands are made and then delivered to the location of the fairs and we assemble them by ourselves. After the event we pack them and take them home. We also provide logistic services such as the freight of exhibition goods to the fair, and we organise hotel rooms for our customers, flights and transfers. We care about our clients in such a way that they are able to focus only on establishing business contacts and selling their products when at the fair. Our clients do not need to bother about technical and organisational issues.
Which companies have you been working with the longest? How long has this cooperation lasted?
M.R. There are many such companies from both the automotive and food industries. As far as the latter is concerned, I would mention Millano, which manufactures wonderful chocolates, and with whom we have been cooperating for several years. For quite a long time we have had close relationships with companies such as Tago, Odra and Astra, which offers the very best lollipops for children. Spolem Kielce has travelled with us even to far-flung Ukraine and Kaliningrad, so we have worked together for almost two decades. From the automotive industry there is Lotos, and many companies that manufacture automotive parts such as NOVOL, WAS and RANAL.
With such a long collaboration could you say that you are not only cooperating in business, but also have rather friendly relationships?
M.R. Yes, of course! Especially with those who have been working with the company for a long time. These are frequently people who began their work in the position of marketing specialist, and now they are often the presidents and managers of these companies. You are right, after years of collaboration friendly relations have been established. We meet, we talk about private matters, about our children, about their schools. hese friendships begin with trust on the grounds of profession – our customers trust us that everything on our part will be perfectly fine-tuned, that the stands will be nice. They often do not interfere in what we do because they know that we always – as the proverb goes – button up everything. Customers know that they do not need to worry about anything. And as we all know, friendship is born of confidence.
You mentioned it already in response to an earlier question, but please make it clear – what can companies expect when cooperating with Maxpol? What are you most proud of?
T.M. Our experience and skill in presenting products. We know how to present a product so that it is perceived at its best and shown in the best light at the stand. Despite appearances, it is an extremely difficult task to select the proper method of displaying the products – whether they should be presented on glass, wood, over a closed or open space, in motion or in another form which will attract customers to the stand. I think that our way of presentation and the comprehensive services we provide related to exhibiting products – or the creation of conditions in which customers may promote their product with no need to worry – is what we are most proud of.
Participation in fairs and promotion of products in the international arena is an important part of business. Does everyone know that, or are there companies that do not pay special attention to participation in fairs?
M.R. Yes, there are such companies. However, when we send out invitations we present information which explains that this way of promoting their products does not have to be a big financial expense. Currently, an entrepreneur can obtain funding for a fair from three different sources. The first comes from Marshall Offices, the second from the Ministry of the Economy and the third from the Ministry of Regional Development. It is admittedly more difficult to obtain this funding, but it is worth trying to do so. This type of support amounts to PLN200,000. An export plan must be performed, for which the company can obtain a refund of up to PLN10,000. If this plan is approved by the Ministry of Regional Development, then the beneficiaries enter the second stage, and within its framework they can obtain financing of up to PLN200,000. Only companies, whose exports do not exceed 30 percent of their production can apply for this funding.
Which fair do you recommend in particular; at which is it worth being and presenting one’s offer?
M.R. In the food industry in Western Europe, we primarily recommend such fairs as ANUGA and ISM in Cologne, Germany; SIAL in Paris, France; the PLMA in Amsterdam, Holland; IFE in London, UK or an agricultural industry fair, such as the fair in Novi Sad, Serbia; AGRICULTURAL FAIR BIELAGRO in Minsk, Belarus, as well as AGROPRODMASZ in Moscow, Russia, which is a large machinery for food production fair. It’s worth taking advantage of food fair offers in China, Japan, India, the United States, Mexico and Argentina. In the automotive industry the biggest fairs are the ones in Frankfurt, Germany – AUTOMECHANIKIA, MIMS in Moscow, Russia and AUTOMECHANIKA in the United Arab Emirates. The list of recommended fairs can be very long. It often happens that in order to attract partners for cooperation you must take part in several fairs, although there are some cases in which you will find clients at the first one. Selection of fairs is a very important factor for future cooperation, since there are ones at which the whole industry from all over the world exhibits, and buyers come from many countries. The attributes of the products, certificates and good presentation at the fair give many companies new contracts and increased sales. Our task is to help our clients in the best possible presentation of their products in such a way as to attract customers – only then can the company achieve success at the fair. This is what we wish for our exhibitors.
Thank you for the conversation and I wish you further success and friendship with your clients.
T.M. The first fairs were organised by Maxpol in 1990 in Lviv, Ukraine as the reintroduction of the pre-war Lviv Fairs. A large group of companies took part in the fairs, some of which had already participated before the war, and were gathered in the Cracow – Wroclaw line, where there mainly lived inhabitants of Lviv who had emigrated after the Polish borders changed. Then we were persuaded by Galician Contracts Publishing House to organise exhibitions not only in Lviv, Ukraine, but also in the easternmost parts of Ukraine. We accepted this proposal and subsequently organised fairs in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine at the headquarters of the metallurgical conglomerate plant, which employed 60,000 people, and Mr. Leonid Kuchma – the later president of Ukraine – was its director. Next we organised some specialised metallurgical fairs in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, and coal group fairs and other derivatives in Donetsk, Ukraine. At present the fairs are more regional and highly specialised. Next, after several years of activity, we organised our first fairs in Kiev, Ukraine, and then in Kalingrad, Russia, an area of the former Soviet Union, which at present are also regional fairs. And so our history began – from Eastern Europe. Then, we entered the west by organising fairs for companies from different industries in Germany, France, England and several other European countries. We are currently organising fairs in several countries in the east, west and south of Europe and in the United States, Canada and the United Arab Emirates. Last year we organised fairs in 27 countries all around the world for a significant number of Polish producers. So that was the last twenty years for us.
M.R. To start with we organised multi-industry fairs, during which various companies gathered to present their products to foreign contractors. Over time we began to organise fairs of the most diverse industries, and finally we came to the conclusion that it should be limited to a select few. At the moment, we concentrate on two main industries – namely, automobile and food market industry fairs. The food market industry fairs include some that specialise in sweets, and in which we also organise the participation of Polish enterprises. Of course we are also present at construction fairs, textile fairs, machinery fairs and packaging fairs – but there is much less activity in these areas. Two years ago we even attempted to – in order to expand our business – introduce to our offer exhibition stands of our own design and construction. At the moment we are therefore also constructing stands for our customers. These are both system stands, and stands for individual customer orders. The latter are sophisticated and I can safely say that if customers want to have a beautiful stand, then they order it from us. The stands are made and then delivered to the location of the fairs and we assemble them by ourselves. After the event we pack them and take them home. We also provide logistic services such as the freight of exhibition goods to the fair, and we organise hotel rooms for our customers, flights and transfers. We care about our clients in such a way that they are able to focus only on establishing business contacts and selling their products when at the fair. Our clients do not need to bother about technical and organisational issues.
Which companies have you been working with the longest? How long has this cooperation lasted?
M.R. There are many such companies from both the automotive and food industries. As far as the latter is concerned, I would mention Millano, which manufactures wonderful chocolates, and with whom we have been cooperating for several years. For quite a long time we have had close relationships with companies such as Tago, Odra and Astra, which offers the very best lollipops for children. Spolem Kielce has travelled with us even to far-flung Ukraine and Kaliningrad, so we have worked together for almost two decades. From the automotive industry there is Lotos, and many companies that manufacture automotive parts such as NOVOL, WAS and RANAL.
With such a long collaboration could you say that you are not only cooperating in business, but also have rather friendly relationships?
M.R. Yes, of course! Especially with those who have been working with the company for a long time. These are frequently people who began their work in the position of marketing specialist, and now they are often the presidents and managers of these companies. You are right, after years of collaboration friendly relations have been established. We meet, we talk about private matters, about our children, about their schools. hese friendships begin with trust on the grounds of profession – our customers trust us that everything on our part will be perfectly fine-tuned, that the stands will be nice. They often do not interfere in what we do because they know that we always – as the proverb goes – button up everything. Customers know that they do not need to worry about anything. And as we all know, friendship is born of confidence.
You mentioned it already in response to an earlier question, but please make it clear – what can companies expect when cooperating with Maxpol? What are you most proud of?
T.M. Our experience and skill in presenting products. We know how to present a product so that it is perceived at its best and shown in the best light at the stand. Despite appearances, it is an extremely difficult task to select the proper method of displaying the products – whether they should be presented on glass, wood, over a closed or open space, in motion or in another form which will attract customers to the stand. I think that our way of presentation and the comprehensive services we provide related to exhibiting products – or the creation of conditions in which customers may promote their product with no need to worry – is what we are most proud of.
Participation in fairs and promotion of products in the international arena is an important part of business. Does everyone know that, or are there companies that do not pay special attention to participation in fairs?
M.R. Yes, there are such companies. However, when we send out invitations we present information which explains that this way of promoting their products does not have to be a big financial expense. Currently, an entrepreneur can obtain funding for a fair from three different sources. The first comes from Marshall Offices, the second from the Ministry of the Economy and the third from the Ministry of Regional Development. It is admittedly more difficult to obtain this funding, but it is worth trying to do so. This type of support amounts to PLN200,000. An export plan must be performed, for which the company can obtain a refund of up to PLN10,000. If this plan is approved by the Ministry of Regional Development, then the beneficiaries enter the second stage, and within its framework they can obtain financing of up to PLN200,000. Only companies, whose exports do not exceed 30 percent of their production can apply for this funding.
Which fair do you recommend in particular; at which is it worth being and presenting one’s offer?
M.R. In the food industry in Western Europe, we primarily recommend such fairs as ANUGA and ISM in Cologne, Germany; SIAL in Paris, France; the PLMA in Amsterdam, Holland; IFE in London, UK or an agricultural industry fair, such as the fair in Novi Sad, Serbia; AGRICULTURAL FAIR BIELAGRO in Minsk, Belarus, as well as AGROPRODMASZ in Moscow, Russia, which is a large machinery for food production fair. It’s worth taking advantage of food fair offers in China, Japan, India, the United States, Mexico and Argentina. In the automotive industry the biggest fairs are the ones in Frankfurt, Germany – AUTOMECHANIKIA, MIMS in Moscow, Russia and AUTOMECHANIKA in the United Arab Emirates. The list of recommended fairs can be very long. It often happens that in order to attract partners for cooperation you must take part in several fairs, although there are some cases in which you will find clients at the first one. Selection of fairs is a very important factor for future cooperation, since there are ones at which the whole industry from all over the world exhibits, and buyers come from many countries. The attributes of the products, certificates and good presentation at the fair give many companies new contracts and increased sales. Our task is to help our clients in the best possible presentation of their products in such a way as to attract customers – only then can the company achieve success at the fair. This is what we wish for our exhibitors.
Thank you for the conversation and I wish you further success and friendship with your clients.
