For almost 40 years this major marketplace has been showcasing developments in the environment sector. Back in 1978, Pollutec was an event for the water and waste industries but over the years it has gradually expanded to encompass all the markets associated with the treatment of pollution.
The result is that in 2016 there are eight major sectors: Waste & the Exploitation of Materials; Water & Waste Water; Energy; Instrumentation - Metrology - Automation; Air; Risks; Sites & Soils and Ethical Purchasing will attract over 100,000 professionals from around the world.
Pollutec 2014
Since its creation, Pollutec has continued to attract large numbers of international visitors. Every show now brings in nearly 11,000 visitors from 100 different countries. Their aims are quite precise: they wish to develop technological and commercial partnerships, obtain technical information, discover the latest international offers and innovations, and meet up with the best suppliers. Made up for the most part (92%) of decision-makers and specifiers, 95% of these professionals say they have been satisfied with their visit, making Pollutec an ideal meeting-point for companies in the eco-industry seeking to export their expertise, equipment, technology and services.
The French eco-industry sector is particularly dynamic overseas and the country’s exports in 2014 totalled €8.75 billion, mainly in the recovery of raw materials, waste water and renewable energy sectors. These exports go to the European Union, Switzerland, the Maghreb countries, West Africa, and also China and the United States.
At the same time, Pollutec 2016 is expecting over 700 exhibitors and numerous national pavilions from countries outside France. By mid-May, eleven national pavilions were already confirmed: Flanders, Wallonia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Saxony, Bavaria, Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, China and Japan. Exhibitors already registered were from Europe (EU, Switzerland and Monaco), from Turkey, from Israel, from China and from South Korea. All these indicators lead to expectations that the 2016 edition that will be highly promising in terms of international co-operation.
Effective introduction network
To enable each visitor and exhibitor to contact the international professionals that they wish to meet, Pollutec has a particularly complete and effective network of contacts to introduce you to the right people.
The show has a network of international representatives in 40 countries (in Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Middle-East). Well-versed in local habits and cultures, the role of these agents and their offices is to identify the main players and decision-makers in each country concerned. The show is expecting numerous official international delegations made up of high-level political representatives and decision-makers from Africa (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, etc.), from Asia (Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Thailand, etc.), and also from Germany and Russia.
Project identification
For the first time this year, the organizers have decided to establish prior to the show a project identification platform. This new system will be based on the voluntary declaration by visitors, when they apply for their identification badges, of any specific projects that they are currently involved in. All the projects declared in this way will then be listed in a platform that can be freely consulted by exhibitors, and it will then be possible to get in touch with the representatives listed. The geographical origin of the people making the declarations, together with the location or area of the world in which they intend to launch their projects will be among the various parameters taken into consideration.
Speaking to delegates at Pollutec 2014.
Green Days
During the show, Pollutec will host the fourth edition of the Green Days, a series of meetings of business people and specialists organized by Enterprise Europe Network, dedicated to innovation and to providing companies with international contacts, in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce of the Rhône-Alpes Region.
Special operations
At the same time, various special operations will also take place during the four days of the show. In conjunction with Business France, Pollutec 2016 is this year further developing its Espace Afrique (Africa Space)for which it is mobilising local, national and inter-governmental players (e.g., ECOWAS, UEMOA, etc.). It also proposes a special focus on Latin America and on the opportunities available in this region of the world, particularly with regard to its cities, its agriculture and its coastal regions.
In addition, Pollutec 2016 will also be focusing on five fields where professionals face major challenges: Sustainable City, Sustainable industry of the Future, Agriculture, Hospitals and Sustainable Development and, for the first time, Oceans, Aquatic Environments and Coasts.
Sustainable city
It is becoming increasingly apparent that a new model of the city is establishing itself that is better able to respond to the challenges of energy independence, new regulations and the demands of society. The sustainable city focuswill offer the latest ideas designed to make cities lower consumers of energy, friendlier to the environment and where every individual can find his or her place. In parallel, the dedicated forum will address a range of subjects such as the management of services, smart grids, energy support, eco-districts, new life for city centres, as well as digitization in renovation. The global sustainable city market is estimated to be worth $250 billion.
Sustainable industry of the future
In line with current developments, this year’s sustainable industry focus will incorporate the industry of the future. The goal is to present the latest technological and organizational advances that allow the challenge of modernizing industry to be met so that it becomes more competitive and environmentally friendly. Development of the range of technologies, support for the modernization of the means of production and the building up of expertise to handle these transformations will be highlighted alongside subjects more specifically linked to the implementation of an environmental strategy in industry (eg. eco-design, higher intensity processes, energy metering, exploitation of waste and discharges and risk management).
Oceans, aquatic environments & coasts
This new area of focus aims to show how eco-industries can work with the professionals through the restoration of degraded aquatic environments and their preservation. The various problems associated with the sea and the coasts, such as biodiversity/resources, energy, transport, coastal erosion, risk management and monitoring are rarely tackled together - hence the decision to offer this new programme.
Agriculture focus
Through this focus area, Pollutec 2016 is highlighting new ideas and best practices that will encourage a competitive and environmentally friendly agriculture. These approaches include the responsible management of natural resources, the limited use of inputs, bio-control as an alternative means of protecting crops or the monitoring of soil and air quality.
Hospitals & sustainable development
Finally, sustainable development is now a component in the current management of almost all healthcare, social and medico-social establishments and services. According to the 2015 Sustainable Health Barometer, 85% of them overall have integrated it at the strategic project level (99% in the case of hospitals and clinics). Reducing the environmental impact of healthcare in areas such as the consumption of water and energy and waste management, sustainable purchasing as well as the well-being and the quality of life of employees are at the top of the list of priorities.
Vietnam - Guest of Honour 2016
A country currently enjoying strong growth, but also highly exposed to climatic risks, Vietnam is committed to a development strategy based on openness and diversification. It is currently re-orienting its industrial production towards household electronic goods, vehicle and boat manufacturing, and the production of environment-friendly goods. The themes of the sustainable city - access to drinking water, desalination, recycling of waste water, the management of urban waste, energy savings and renewable energy sources - are the main subjects of concern for the public authorities, together with the management of natural risks (e.g., sea level rise, saltwater intrusion into freshwater aquifers, violent monsoons) and the introduction of more responsible production systems.
Green energy and growth are also among the key themes for the country in terms of development and investment. The Vietnam Country of the Year operation takes the form of the organization of a vast official pavilion, the presence of a large delegation from Ho Chi Minh City, various thematic conferences and specific interviews in our TV studio. Working meetings are also planned to enable Vietnamese professionals to talk to specialists from the field of project management who will be attending the show. Strongly focused on the transfer of skills and training, these practical workshops will, among other things, deal with issues linked to the drawing up of specifications or responses to calls to tender.
