It was a week of big themes at the 13th edition of Stainless Steel World: sustainability, networking, carbon neutrality and of course, doing business. There was also plenty of time for catching up with what has been called the biggest stainless steel ‘family’ in the world! For an extended retrospect, go to www.stainless-steel-world-event.com
By Joanne McIntyre
The hum of voices echoing through the entry and registration area heralded crowds of keen visitors and delegates as the exhibition doors opened on September 26. This year, the exhibition floor was larger than ever, having been expanded to allow a limited increase in exhibitors from the global materials sector. Stainless Steel World is the most focused event for the materials community, with every exhibitor and visitor being involved in the production, supply or use of corrosion resistant materials, and this strong focus is greatly appreciated.
Mr Xavier Gual, President of Gual Steel (Spain), said: “We’ve been coming to this event since the very beginning. The first few times we came alongside our partners, such as Jindal, but in recent editions we have exhibited by ourselves. We have been incredibly busy these past few days, we’ve had so many visitors to our stand. We have many customers from the south of Europe and from North Africa – we are welcoming those to our stand today. I can say with absolute certainty that this is the best show for the stainless steel industry that I have ever visited – it isn’t overwhelmingly big, and it is totally specific to our sector, so it is really the best place for making good contact with suppliers. It’s the number one show for us.”
Thanks to our 2023 sponsors
Exceptional networking
The event kicked off with a typically packed Networking Reception on the Monday night. It was an informal occasion for exhibitors, speakers, the Steering Committee and the crew to meet once more. Stainless Steel World is renowned for its networking opportunities. Many exhibitors hosted receptions or small parties at the stands, while the Networking Dinner on Wednesday night was enthusiastically attended.
Wide range of customers
Over 300 exhibitors lined the halls, many in custom-designed stands which, in line with the increasing focus on sustainability in the industry, are carefully stored and re-used to avoid waste. First-time exhibitor Mr Ata Nail Sular from ERK Inox (Turkey) shared his impressions: “This is our first time exhibiting, and I’m already sure we’ll be here next year. Everyone involved in this event is friendly, helpful, and approachable.
“This is the best show
for the stainless steel
industry that I have
ever visited.”
Most customers who have been approaching our stand have been looking for pipe and profile production. But we’ve also had the chance to explain a bit more about what we do and our full product range, such as coils and sheets. It’s a great opportunity to show potential customers the full range of how we can work together!”
Relaxed & friendly networking
For returning exhibitors, the friendly atmosphere and relaxed networking which is a key characteristic of Stainless Steel World are welcome elements that form an important part of each event. Mr Ferhad Amin from Hammerschmiede Jackel Essen GmbH (Germany) said: “This is now our 4th time exhibiting at Stainless Steel World event. This is one of the biggest exhibitions in the world for the stainless steel industry, so we always plan to come here.”
“Every year, I feel that it’s a really nice event and a great place to meet new and existing customers face-to-face, socialise a bit as the atmosphere is so friendly – it’s a different side to work that we really look forward to. We’ve had good interaction on the stand so far. Personally, I work in the export market, so I have a lot of international customers and people coming to this event from outside of Europe for meetings.”
Favourite places
The expanded floorplan opened up new areas for exhibitors to participate, with many happy to be able to position themselves near the Conference Arenas, which this year were located on the exhibition floor for the first time. However, many companies prefer to return to ‘their’ spot every year.
Noor Juliëtte van der Windt from Hart b.v. explained: “With Hart, what you see is what you get. We always strive to represent our company values and use Stainless Steel World Conference & Expo 2023 for the great platform it is. We are very happy with our spot and to be able to be part of this great community.”
Technical conference program
By moving the conference rooms onto the expo floor, delegates and presenters directly accessed the exhibition area before and after sessions. This encouraged plenty of interaction between the many end-users present in the conference and exhibitors. The conference ‘arenas’ made a striking sight at the far end of the hall, illuminated with LED lighting and soundproofed with black curtains suspended from the high ceilings. Inside, the conference kicked off with a welcome from Chairman Mr Willem Maarten van Haaften from Shell, the Netherlands. Commenting on the conference content, he stated: “New topics encompass new challenges, and there is an important role for stainless steels here.”
Mr Van Haaften encouraged young engineers to engage with the ‘veterans’ and the many materials experts present. He highlighted the exceptional role of the Steering Committee, many of whom are global leaders in the world of materials science. “The time, expertise and energy of the Steering Committee all contribute to the success of the conference.”
Brilliant failures
The first plenary session featured Paul Iske, founder of the Institute of Brilliant Failures. Offering an alternative and insightful look at the topic of failure he explained: “A brilliant failure is a well-prepared attempt to create value, but with a different outcome than expected and with a learning opportunity.” He stressed the importance for industry to share their failures, which provide important learning opportunities for others and should nothing to be afraid of.
Focus on sustainability
The second day of the conference was Sustainability Day, and featured topics such as sustainability strategies for future-proof businesses, solutions towards carbon-neutral stainless steel production, and materials engineering challenges of carbon capture and storage. Two technical paper sessions covered the topics of ‘Towards carbon neutral’ and ‘Clean hydrogen’ in depth.
The afternoon was dedicated to the Sustainability Expo Forum, which was open to everyone. To a packed room with standing-room only, invited speakers from Outokumpu, Mannesmann Stainless Tubes, Aperam and Alleima outlined their company’s expertise, insights and experiences with respect to the sustainable production of stainless steel. Hosted in an interview-style format by Editor-in-Chief of Stainless Steel World, Mrs Joanne McIntyre, the Forum explored innovative sustainability initiatives, best practices and the crucial role businesses play in creating a sustainable future.
