Will METS see us turn confidence corner?

It’s been a bumpy year that we’d all hoped would see a return of confidence in the market. There were some early signs, especially with the reasonable weather we had early in the summer, but the PSP Southampton Boat Show didn’t set the world alight.

This was, perhaps, due to the impending spending cuts and the VAT hike – although few in the industry seem to think the latter will affect us a great deal. Only time will tell.

And METS will also be a good indicator of how the leisure marine business is doing from around the world.

The show’s target groups are yacht builders, naval architects, repair yards, distributors, dealers, wholesalers, captains, marina operators and equipment manufacturers from around the world. The SuperYacht Pavilion is the central platform for the worldwide super yacht industry and a ‘show within a show’ at METS. And, if the news stories I get dropping into my inbox are anything to go by, the superyacht end of the market is still rather buoyant…

As always, METS kicks off with the Breakfast Briefing on the first day of the show, Tuesday the 16th, starting at 08.00 in the Forum of the Amsterdam RAI.

The headline for this year’s Breakfast Briefing is ‘METS keynote turns gloom to boom’, which sounds very encouraging.

The speakers is a professional trend watcher (no, I didn’t know there were such people either). Adjiedj Bakas will pull few punches by the sound of him. His personal mantra is (it says here) is ‘If you can’t laugh, don’t start a business’.

METS organisers Amsterdam RAI, say he will be provocative but always positive - even in these times of economic decline. He’s sold more than 500,000 books worldwide, so he’s obviously laughing all the way to the bank.

But he was, apparently, not only one of the first commentators to predict the current economic crisis but also its path to recovery; something that may still be proving slightly elusive to some of those attending METS.

He will describe the opportunities created for real entrepreneurship by the economic downturn and will highlight the openings that have now appeared for a real transformation of the economy.

The Breakfast Briefing is followed by the Design Awards METS (DAME) presentations, in which we hope UK companies will make a bit of a showing. There were 132 entries from 19 countries, with nominees coming from 13 of them. The UK has 14 companies included in the list of DAME nominees, some with more than one entry.

So watch out for these companies getting their names in the lights: Echopilot, Garmin Europe, Spinlock, Oceanair Marine, Lewmar, Scanstrut, Sea Sure, Wave Craft UK, Henri Lloyd, McMurdo, Odeo Flare UK, Halyard, Teleflex Marine and Whale Water Systems.

As this year is the 20th anniversary of the DAME Awards, they’re going to make a bit of an exhibition of it all, putting the spotlight on the previous 19 winners. ‘During the show, and in the catalogue, we’ll put the spotlight on all 19 past winners since 1991,’ said METS senior product manager Irene Dros.

The DAME entrants will all be on display in the Media Plaza in the Elicium which is where you’ll find Boating Business on stand EL12. You’ll find Kate Didymus and Peter Nash at the show, plus Seawork’s Lorraine Curtis. Stop by for a chat; if we’re not there, leave a message and we’ll come and see you.

After the DAME presentations, the show itself opens at 10.00 and you’ll find there are over 1270 exhibitors to see, which is a very good result over last year’s 1261. That show – the 2009 edition - attracted 18454 visitors. Will we get the same number this year?

The Global Superyacht Forum
The Global Superyacht Forum, the superyacht industry's leading conference organised by The Yacht Report Group, runs from November 15 to 18.

Over 300 of the world's leading players from the Superyacht business descend on Amsterdam for the Global Superyacht Forum and this year's major industry summit promises once again to deliver the best mix of debate, discussion, networking and interaction.

If you are directly involved in the large yacht world and want to know more about this superyacht event, check out the website at www.superyachtevents.com/gsf

21st International HISWA Symposium
November 15 and 16, is an initiative of HISWA, TU Delft and Amsterdam RAI and is supported by MARIN, Amels Vlissingen, Royal Huisman and Feadship.

The 21st International HISWA Symposium on Yacht Design and Yacht Construction will highlight the increasingly important role of ‘sustainability’ in the design of yachts and superyachts. Check the website at www.hiswasymposium.com

Workshop on new technologies
After last year's success, the ICOMIA and European Boatbuilder magazine collaboration 'Workshop on New Technologies' will once again be held at METS with an outstanding line up expert speakers.

A key speaker will be one of the founders of J&J Design from Slovenia, who has agreed to share his vision of the design and construction of sustainable boats.

Another highlight will be New Zealander Chris van der Hor presenting the benefits of using apprentice schemes.

New for this year is a networking opportunity that allows attendees to meet the industry and make new business connections.

The second Workshop on New Technologies runs at METS on November 17 from 14.00 to 17.45. It’s an excellent opportunity for all the people in the boating industry to get great new ideas, network with colleagues and improve their businesses. And it's completely free!

METS Exhibitor Happy Hour
This is for exhibitors, VIP’s and press (upon presentation of your badge) and runs on Tuesday the 16th of November in the Europa Foyer from 18.00 - 20.00.

National Pavilions
METS is renown for its national pavilions, with Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

That doesn’t mean all the relevant companies are in their country pavilions, so expect to bump into UK companies all over the place. And, as the show takes place in Europa Complex Halls 1 - 5, Holland Complex Halls 9, 10 and11 and the Elicium, prepare for three days hard walking. It’s a Very Big Show.

And the following pages show some of the products we can expect to see at METS...