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Zaragoza, world's water sector capital with SMAGUA 2019

  • Zaragoza, world's water sector capital with SMAGUA 2019

About the entity

SMAGUA
The 24th edition of the International Water and Irrigation Exhibition will take place from 5 to 7 February 2019 at the Zaragoza Trade Fair Centre. SMAGUA, more than 40 years offering solutions to the water sector.

The water sector has saved the date in the calendar: the most relevant event for the water industry, SMAGUA 2019, will take place from the 5th to the 7th​ of February . Water is part of the DNA of the city of Zaragoza, and of its trade fair organisation. Both entities maintain a commitment to this resource which is key for our society, a commitment that puts them with the cream of the crop with regards to environmental management.

The organisation chaired by Manuel Teruel is a key mainstay of economic development not only in the region, but also in Spain and Europe. Thanks to a great degree of internationalisation and a commitment to new areas, the 24th International Water and Irrigation Exhibition will become the world's water sector capital.

SMAGUA is the longest-standing water sector event in Spain and one of the leading trade fairs internationally. In 2019, professionals from this industry will enjoy the best and more complex technology platform to exhibit infrastructure and market equipment. In addition, this time a new trade show for the pulp and paper industry, SPAPER, will be held simultaneously, bringing together two areas where water and environmental conservation are cornerstones.

In almost half a century, approximately half a million professionals from 107 countries have visited SMAGUA. Moreover, throughout its five decades of history, the water exhibition of Feria de Zaragoza has hosted more than 5,000 exhibitors in almost one million square metres.

Shortly before SMAGUA 2019, the event organisers see great prospects to reinforce their international commitment to the water sector. The high rates of participation by leading companies and organisations in the water industry, and the image it projects outside Spain, for more than 40 years now, are living proof of the quality of the exhibition held in Zaragoza.

Nearly 200 exhibitors from some twenty countries across the world have already confirmed their participation in this year's event, which will occupy a total surface of 20,000 square metres. This exhibition surface is even larger than the surface occupied in the last edition of this event, held in 2017. Furthermore, more than 7,000 professionals have already registered to visit Feria de Zaragoza from 5th to 7th of February, 2019.

SMAGUA 2019 focuses on internationalisation, science and technology

One of the key points of SMAGUA is the strong international participation. So much so, that there have always been representatives from the five continents. Nevertheless, the organisers have focused on the most attractive markets, to meet the needs of exhibitors. Therefore, throughout the three days the event lasts, there will be more than 750 B2B meetings with more than 350 participants from a commercial network that includes 74 countries around the world. Without a doubt, these are significant data that show the importance of international participation for the water exhibition in Zaragoza.

The SMAGUA brand stands for prestige, quality and innovation; thus, it travels across the world receiving the support of the most important and respected organisations linked to water professionals.

A clear example of this is the presence of SMAGUA at nearly twenty international events, trade shows that are among the top ones, such as those held last month of November: EIMA, the International Agricultural and Gardening Machinery Exhibition, held in Bologna (Italy); the Valve World Expo Conference, held in Düsseldorf (Germany) or, more recently, Pollutec, the International Show on environmental equipment, technologies and services, held in Lyon (France).

On the other hand, we should highlight the presence of SMAGUA at the most relevant sector fora, such as the International Seminar on Fluvial Ecosystems in Urban Areas, held in Zaragoza to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 2008 International Exposition, as well as the attendance of the organisation's management team to events organised by associations or institutions linked to the water sector in Spain.

SMAGUA brought to Zaragoza an OECD international water meeting, with the support of European institutions

As part of its internationalisation and knowledge and technology outreach activities, Feria de Zaragoza brought to the Aragonese capital the members of the 11th Meeting of the Water Governance Initiative of the OECD, headquartered in Paris.

The Zaragoza Congress Centre, a venue managed also by the fair organisation, hosted on the 12th and 13th of November the most important meeting for water management globally. Some one hundred experts from the private and public sectors and academia met to discuss water resource governance by governments and authorities at different levels.

With the collaboration of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition of the Government of Spain, the Regional Government of Aragón, the Ebro River Basin Authority and the Spanish Association of Water Supply and Sanitation (AEAS), the OECD decided to hold this well known event in Zaragoza, trusting SMAGUA as a leading trade show.

Forum participants analysed the current water governance situation in Spain and elsewhere and, within the planned programme of activities, highlighted discussion issues such as flood management or water governance and the circular economy.

The purpose of this meeting was to help governments and other institutions involved in water practice and policy development and implementation improve their management, with the participation of all stakeholders.

During this unique meeting, Rogelio Cuairán, Director General of Feria de Zaragoza, had the opportunity of providing some details about SMAGUA 2019, the exhibition that will make Zaragoza, once again, the place to be with regards to international trade shows.

Concurrently with the exhibition, SMAGUA 2019 is organising and ambitious programme of technical seminars

The agenda of activities concurrent with the trade show will address a broad range of current topics of interest for professionals in the water sector. Water savings in irrigation practices, sludge management, climate change or the so called 'Smart irrigation' are some of the core themes to be addressed during the seminars.

Among the talks already organised, we may highlight the seminar on 'Waste water treatment in small communities', organised by the Water Institute of Aragón, on February 5th, or the one on 'Innovative technologies to reduce energy costs in irrigation', which will be the last presentation on February 7th.

In addition, SMAGUA highlights the work of users for whom contact with water is part of their daily business, so on Wednesday February 6th the discussions will revolve around irrigation users.

SMAGUA rewards research, development and innovation

The organisers of SMAGUA have kicked off a New Technology Competition that showcases the quality and high level of the exhibitors in the show, seeking to improve integrated water management processes.

SMAGUA includes the best options in terms of equipment and technology for the water industry in southern Europe. Therefore, throughout their long trajectory, SMAGUA and Feria de Zaragoza have witnessed a technological revolution in the international market.

The pulp and paper sector supports SPAPER 2019

The trade show organisers are committed to supporting economic and industrial development in the Iberian peninsula. Thus, from February 5th to the 7th, 2019, the pulp and paper sector will be front and centre in the trade fair world with the first ever SPAPER exhibition.

The first International Exhibition on machinery and equipment for the pulp, paper and cardboard industry, SPAPER, was announced only a few months ago, and the market response is very promising. Taking advantage of the significant synergies between the water and the pulp and paper industries, Feria de Zaragoza decided to include this new exhibition in its calendar, to contribute to and boost both sectors, and create a space — non-existent up to now in Spain — to bring together the companies and associations from the pulp, paper and cardboard business, a growing sector.

The efforts done by the SPAPER organising team have been recognised by their market, so the exhibition already counts on more than thirty participating brands, some of them international leaders — including Ferpal, Porteca, Metso, Voith or Andritz —, as well a high number of companies interested in the event.

After more than 40 years at the forefront of the market in southern Europe, the fair venue in Zaragoza will become, from February 5th to the 7th, an important exhibition and business  focal point, where thousands of professionals from the water industry and the pulp, paper and cardboard industry will attend SMAGUA and SPAPER.

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