New exhibition center Expo Silesia opens
Expo Silesia, a new exhibition center worth 45 million zloty, has opened in Sosnowiec in Silesia. The first event there is this month’s EXPOPigeons2008 – the International Fair of Racing Pigeons.
During the fair, exhibitors will have at their disposal: 13,000 square meters of exhibition space in a modern and air-conditioned pavilion featuring all utilities and amenities required by exhibitors, more than 20,000 square meters of external exhibition area, parking for 700 vehicles, conference rooms accommodating a few hundred participants, and restaurants and snack bars.
Expo Silesia was funded by Kolporter Expo, a company specializing in the organization of trade fairs and exhibitions, congresses, conferences, symposia and training programs. According to the newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza, in 2006 the company bought 17 hectares of property for the halls and offices. The entire surface of the new center covers 35,000 square meters.
“Exhibitions have become more and more attractive for people,” Tomasz Raczynski, a director of Kolporter Expo, told the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
“The decision about investment in a professional exhibition hall in the most industrial region in Poland, which did not have such a hall, is a normal business strategy.”
The decision was also related to the January 2006 tragedy in Katowice, where 65 people attending the International Fair of Racing Pigeons died after the collapse of a hall.
“The investment of Kolporter Expo has appeared at a great time, when Silesian cities have decided to become one big agglomeration” said Kazimierz Gorski, president of Sosnowiec. “Thanks to the fairs, people will identify our region.”
The owners of Expo Silesia want to organize exhibitions as well as cultural and entertainment events. By June 2008, the center will have hosted 11 exhibitions and fairs, including Motor Bike Show Central Europe 2008 and Mining Expo 2008.
Kolporter Expo was created in 2006. It is one of 12 companies in Kolporter Capital Group, located in Kielce.
The companies provide services to retail outlets and sales networks, as well as offering logistic, IT, building, debt collection, promotional and advertising services. They also design and produce retail kiosks, provide shop fitting and commercial office fit-outs, and create and develop their own sales networks.