Mack Brooks Exhibitions has today announced the postponement of SIFER, which was scheduled to take place at the Lille Grand Palais Exhibition Centre, Lille, France from 30 March to 1 April 2021. The new dates for the next SIFER, 12th International Exhibition of Railway Technology, are 26 – 28 October 2021. This decision was taken following a series of exhibition postponements and a knock-on effect on the 2021 rail exhibition calendar, in light of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis globally. Subsequently, extensive conversations with exhibitors and partners over recent weeks and months have shown that there is a clear preference of participants to postpone the show from March to October next year. SIFER will continue to occupy the three halls of the Lille Grand Palais exhibition centre.
Speaking about the announcement, Nicola Hamann, Managing Director of Mack Brooks Exhibitions, said: “We are all aware that this year has been a challenging year so far for the exhibition and rail industries. Many events had to be postponed to later in the year or next year due to the repercussions of Covid-19. Consequently, this also affects the rail exhibition calendar for 2021. We therefore, in close coordination with all partners involved, have decided to reschedule SIFER to October 2021 to accommodate these changes”.
As part of a recent series of industry surveys conducted by Mack Brooks Exhibitions, the participants of SIFER indicated their requirement to network and conduct business in order to pave the way for the recovery of the rail industry following the Covid-19 pandemic. SIFER will therefore secure the usual marketplace in France in 2021 by moving to the second half of next year while obtaining a more suitable place in the overall exhibition calendar.
The SIFER Team will communicate closely with customers and partners over the coming weeks and months and thank their exhibitors, partners, suppliers and visitors for their support during this challenging time.
SIFER is the meeting place for key organisations in the rail industry, as well as a venue for exchanging knowledge and views on the latest developments. The previous edition of SIFER in 2019 celebrated its 20th anniversary by showcasing a wealth of innovations and reaching the milestone of 5,000 visitors and 440 exhibitors.
The 11th edition has once again confirmed its role as the leading event for rail industry professionals to meet, discover innovations and develop business opportunities. The railway sector has demonstrated its ability to reinvent and transform itself – a fact borne out by the 443 participating exhibitors, 26% of which were international. 5,400 visitors attended the exhibition, a historical figure which symbolises the importance that SIFER has taken over time.
For updates and further information, please visit the event website: www.sifer2021.com
