01.05.2020

Apex and IRE postponed

APEX and the International Rental Exhibition (IRE), due to have been held in September, have both been postponed until June 2021, due to the likelihood that the Covid-19 pandemic will remain a limiting factor for exhibitions and gatherings in September. This decision has been made even though the Dutch government ban on such events is currently due to expire on the first of September, having recently been extended. The ability or desire for visitors to travel is also likely to be an issue.

The two events will still be held at the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre (MECC), in the Netherlands.

At the same time, the European Rental Association (ERA) has cancelled its 2020 Convention – which was scheduled to take place alongside APEX and the IRE. It has confirmed that it will hold its 2021 Convention at the MECC alongside the two shows.

The European Rental Awards, which were due to be announced at this year’s convention will still be awarded, but the format of their presentation has yet to be determined.

Vertikal Comment

Given that the key selling proposition of APEX is that it is international, the strong likelihood that most business people will be reluctant to travel too far afield this autumn, and the very real possibility that the Dutch government might well go for another extension to its events ban - especially if there is a second wave of infections - all make this a sound, although very hard, decision.

It follows the recent decision to postpone Vertikal Days as well as Smopyc until the new year. Things are already beginning to look more positive and hopefully by this time next year this dreadful period will be largely behind us.