Record Turnout of 55,100 Attended A+A 2007
A+A 2007, Safety, Security and Health At Work, closed Sept. 21 in Düsseldorf, Germany after a record 55,100 trade visitors attended. This topped the 54,350 visitors in 2005, according to the Messe Düsseldorf Group. "Occupational safety has turned from a marginal issue into a modern discipline in the business process chain. A+A has accompanied it on this path and provided important momentum," Eugen Müller, chairman of Basi e.V., the Federal Working Group on Safety and Health at Work, which organized the congress, said at the 2007 event's close.
"After years of stagnation, the German market for protective products is finally growing again, too. Obviously, safety and security-related subjects are increasingly becoming the focus of attention for top management. At A+A 2007, there were noticeably more decision-makers present than in previous years," said Gerd Zeisler, president of the A+A 2007 Advisory Board and director sales Europe for Dräger Safety AG & Co. KGaA. The concurrent international A+A Congress registered about 6,000 participants, the organizers announced, adding that a recent market study showed Germany's market for PPE rose by 11 percent from 2004 to 2006 to 1.42 billion euros ($2 billion U.S.), while the entire European market is estimated at 4-5 billion euros ($5.6-$7 billion U.S.).
Smoke extraction systems, sound-dampening materials, protective apparel, thermal imaging cameras, ergonomic furniture, health promotion, workplace security, and fire protection were hot items this year. The next A+A will be held Nov. 3-6, 2009, in Düsseldorf.