Almost 2,000 attendees from 73 countries, including Russia, Korea, Austria, USA, Belgium, UK, Uruguay, Poland and Finland, attended the first day of the Post-Expo 2014 event in Stockholm, Sweden, making it the most successful event in the postal industry calendar. Exhibitors from around the world showcased their very latest products, from parcel sorting systems and electric vehicles to a live 3D printing demonstration, ensuring visitors to the event were treated to the best of what this innovative industry has to offer.

Exhibitors from around the world showcased their very latest products, from parcel sorting systems and electric vehicles to a live 3D printing demonstration, ensuring visitors to the event were treated to the best of what this innovative industry has to offer.

Andrea Milkan, key account manager, T Systems Multimedia Solutions, a visitor to the show, commented, “Visiting Post-Expo is a really useful way to get new ideas. This year we are looking at developments in mobile and handheld technology, so Honeywell’s stand has been interesting for me. It is great to come and see so many innovations and new concepts in the market, and the show has been really worthwhile for me.”

The Post-Expo floor also provided an ideal networking opportunity, with visitors seeking new ideas from the concepts on show. Visitor Pitor Kasperek, project manager, Asseco Poland, said, “We work in developing postal solutions and have come to Post-Expo to make new connections and get new ideas. I have been very interested in seeing the mobile solutions and self-service systems on show. The exhibition is very interesting and a good way to speak to people in the industry all in one place.”

Many companies signed new business contracts and discussed opportunities in the market with existing clients. Exhibitor Jack de Bruij, managing director at Optimus Sorters, commented, “This is our second year attending Post-Expo, we came to Vienna last year and made some great connections, and we even got a new business contract out of the show, which you cannot say about every exhibition we attend. Post-Expo is the perfect way to make contact with clients and we’ll definitely be back next year, it is a necessity.”

Also taking place throughout the event, held on September 23-25, was the Post-Expo Conference, which provided plenty of opportunities to hear about the latest industry trends and technology innovations happening around the world. Presentations included Driving sustainability through leadership, which looked at how joined-up and strategic leadership can drive long-term sustainability; Cloud – disruptive technology, which focused on the impact of the cloud and big data on IT strategies; Customer, retail and payment solutions that asked how posts can provide innovative services, payment channels and products; and E-commerce value chain, which looked at the opportunities for posts to leverage their capabilities.

Dr Wolfgang Baier, Group CEO, SingPost, commented, “The conference and exhibition is great, it is a meeting of old friends and new friends and a great platform to exchange news on postal technology, business and the latest trends. I am always learning something new and the conference helps to spur the industry forward.”

The three-day event was a great success, with plenty of new contacts made and existing relationships cemented, while the breadth of new technologies on display highlighted the positive growth being seen in the industry.

Tony Robinson, CEO of UKIP Media & Events and founder of Post-Expo, explained, “Post-Expo is very special because its whole theme is about innovation and technology. The show enables all of the leading technology suppliers to come together and present their latest products. This year there are 20 or 30 companies unveiling technologies that have never been shown before, and the event has been a great success.

“The conference is overtly and definitively about utilizing technology and how the postal industry can develop new strategies, new revenue streams and new business because of the technology that the companies are creating. Technology has transformed the postal business – both in the decline of letter post and the development and growth of the parcel sector – and that is what Post-Expo is all about.”