Guillaume Schaeffer, Event Director, SOLUTRANS / ALL4PACK EMBALLAGE Paris, Comexposium

SOLUTRANS 2023 was a highly successful event. How did the Promosalons network contribute in terms of international participation (exhibitors and visitors)?

With 1,100 exhibitors and brands represented (41% of which were new exhibitors), representing a 10% increase on the 2021 edition, SOLUTRANS 2023 was a historic success. The result of in-depth work undertaken over several years by the FFC (Fédération Française de Carrosserie) and SOLUTRANS chairman Patrick Cholton, the event saw record attendance of 64,300 visitors, up 28% on 2021.

With 28% of international exhibitors coming from 20 countries, and 24% of visitors coming from 128 countries, i.e. 3 times more international visitors than in 2021, SOLUTRANS has confirmed its international reputation, with Italy, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, the Netherlands as leading countries at this year’s show… These are historic results to which the Promosalons teams in these countries in particular have contributed, both in terms of exhibitors and visitors. We’ve gradually increased our investment in international promotion, and we’re clearly seeing the effects.

How does the show fit in with the current challenges facing urban transport?

With this record edition, SOLUTRANS has established itself as the benchmark European event for all players in the industrial and urban vehicle sector. To meet every expectation, SOLUTRANS 2023 offered a host of highlights and events, including this year’s new cargo bike area. With around thirty stands in Hall 1, visitors were able to discover the advantages of cyclo-logistics, the context, the challenges and the solutions to meet the specific needs of “last mile” deliveries in major conurbations and particularly in the EPZs. A 250-metre indoor test track showcased the cargo bikes in action. Many visitors, including Clément Beaune, the French Minister for Transport, who came to open the show, were able to get hands-on with these vehicles, which provide a clear vision of the urban logistics of the future.

This is the second time you’ve offered a SOLUTRANS Digital Show. What is the target audience of this interactive version of the show?

The SOLUTRANS Digital Show enabled all visitors, whether or not they came to the show in person, to immerse themselves in SOLUTRANS via an interactive space where they could access live conferences and make appointments with exhibitors at any time and from anywhere in the world.