expo PetroTrans 2018: High numbers of international visitors at the leading trade show for fuel logistics

After three outstanding trade show days, this year’s 8th expo PetroTrans in Kassel closed its gates on 22nd September. The international trade show for transport, handling and logistics in the fuel industry once again proved to be a complete success in every respect with exhibitors and visitors alike displaying a good, confident mood throughout. The organisers were once again highly satisfied with visitor numbers, as around 4000 potential customers came to the event from Germany and abroad. The leading trade show for fuel logistics once again had a highly international flavour this year with exhibitors from 18 countries taking part. Visitors came from 50 countries, for the first time including from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Gabon and even East Timor. The trade show presented the latest developments and pioneering solutions for logistics, transport and the oil industry in an area of around 12,500 square metres – with over 100 key players from the industry present.

One positive to come from this year’s expo PetroTrans was the extraordinarily wide and deep range of products and services – from special vehicles and chassis, bodies, trailers, transport tanks, containers, system construction, loading systems and loading technology, warehouse handling, transport logistics, diagnostics, repairs, maintenance, media supply, services, chemicals, protective clothing, environmental, literature, filling station and logistics systems to software solutions. And it was not just the product innovations which enthused the trade public. The newly designed versatile fringe programme incorporating extra events also received a great deal of interest.

Lectures by experts, live demonstrations and workshops on current topics – the expo PetroTrans 2018 provided first-hand knowledge transfer, networking and event quality to deliver genuine added value. For example, for the first time, the trade show offered guided tours to focal points such as software or innovation, and they proved extremely popular. In addition, the free lectures and seminars given by renowned experts on special, practical topics, were in great demand. The talk by entrepreneur and endurance sportsman Joey Kelly on 21 September (presented by HeizOel24) was a particular highlight in the lecture range. Another new item at the trade show was the open forum at which visitors were able to participate in lively pro and contra discussions. The “special liquid gas area” promotion, which was also presented for the first time and well attended, provided information from suppliers on their range of services for LPG transport. The German Federal Employment Agency had its own stand for the first time at the expo PetroTrans, providing advice on personnel matters and the scarcity of trained workers.

As usual, 22 September saw the best exhibitors receive awards. The expo PetroTrans Innovation Prize is traditionally awarded on the third day of the event for the best new products. The awards were once again created by Alb-recht Rühle, ornamental blacksmith and mineral oil forwarder, with his own hands. The “Man walking to the sky” sculpture in Kassel provided the inspirati-on for the design of the awards. The “expo PetroTrans Innovation Prize” was once again highly sought after. Exhibitors were able to apply for the award. Trade visitors and an independent jury manned by industry experts selected the following winners:
Kurt Willig GmbH & Co. KG persuaded the jury and trade public with its WTV 2020 – a filling station supplier which delivers greater road stability and safety thanks to its chassis with a patented direct support system.
Lindner & Fischer Fahrzeugbau GmbH received the expo PetroTrans Innova-tion Prize for L&F Flexilink – a smart, load-optimising tank mounting for chas-sis frames.
Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Esterer GmbH & Co. Fahrzeugaufbauten und Anlagen KG re-ceived an award because its PEANO product, a new generation of tanker vehicles with an electric pump drive unit, was extremely well received by the jury and trade visitors.

This latest version of expo PetroTrans was a complete all-round success – exhibitors, visitors and the organisers all had positive things to say about the show after the event. The latest concept for the expo PetroTrans with more and a wider variety of opportunities for knowledge transfer, networking and discussion was regarded by everybody concerned as a valuable enrichment. The trade show once again delivered an excellent level of visitor and purcha-ser interest as well as a great deal of attention from the trade public.

The expo PetroTrans will continue – the 9th expo PetroTrans will take place at Kassel Exhibition Centre from 1 to 3 October 2020.

Photos: expo PetroTrans 2018 // © Harry Soremski/AVR