The trade-fair cities of Munich and Milan have teamed up to create a special constellation in wine technology: SIMEI, the leading international exhibition for enological and bottling equipment, will in future take place every four years in conjunction with drinktec, the world´s leading trade fair, in Munich. SIMEI will still retain its traditional two-year cycle, but from now on, its venue will alternate between Italy and Munich. "This agreement is unique in the international trade-fair business," says Domenico Zonin, President of the Unione Italiana Vini Società Cooperative (UIV):

A cooperation agreement to this effect has now been signed by the organizers of the two trade fairs—the Milan-based Unione Italiana Vini Società Cooperative (UIV) and Messe München. drinktec and SIMEI are therefore pooling their respective strengths in a twin platform that will be the world´s most important technology, trading and marketing showcase for the sector.

Reinhard Pfeiffer, Managing Director at Messe München with responsibility for drinktec, sees this cross-border cooperation as strengthening both parties: "I am very pleased that we have reached an agreement. Both trade fairs will benefit from it. The exhibitors at drinktec, of which almost half also offer solutions for the wine industry, will have access to even more potential customers as a result of the integration of SIMEI. Vice versa, too, the international scope of drinktec will benefit the SIMEI exhibitors. And not least, this agreement also strengthens the status of Munich as a top location for trade fairs."

Domenico Zonin is also confident: "The cooperation with drinktec is the basis for the further development and internationalization of SIMEI, as the leading trade fair for wine technology."

The next SIMEI takes place from November 3 to 6, 2015 in Milan. After that, from September 11 to 15, 2017, it will celebrate its Munich premiere, as an integrated part of drinktec. In 2019 SIMEI will then again be held in Italy, where, supported by drinktec, it will feature an extended portfolio to include further beverage categories.

The agreement between MMG and UIV makes provision for a special SIMEI exhibition space within drinktec 2017 in Munich dedicated exclusively to the wine sector. This showcase is to extend to at least two exhibition halls, and cover a total of 20,000 square meters of space. As a result the total hall space taken up by the world´s leading trade fair drinktec rises to over 150,000 square meters.

In addition to this, the organizers of the two trade fairs have agreed that SIMEI will also get involved in the worldwide events portfolio of drinktec: With drink technology India, food & drink technology Africa and China Brew China Beverage, drinktec already has a strong presence in key global markets. SIMEI has been held in Milan since 1963, and it is regarded as the world´s leading trade fair for wine technology. Over 600 exhibitors and more than 40,000 visitors are expected to attend SIMEI in 2015.

The origins of drinktec go back to the 1950s. This trade fair is regarded as the world´s No. 1 event for the beverage and liquid food industry: It covers the entire process chain from raw materials, agents and additives, to production, filling, packaging and logistics, as well as marketing.

Francesco Pavanello, Director-General of UIV, commented: "I am proud to see the attention and recognition shown to this joint project by such an important and international trade-fair company as Messe München. The most important components of this agreement in our view are: UIV retains the brand rights to SIMEI; SIMEI has high visibility at a trade fair as prestigious as drinktec; and we have the possibility of further joint projects in the medium and long-term."

Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association (Fachverband Nahrungsmittelmaschinen und Verpackungsmaschinen), the conceptual sponsor of drinktec, sees the cooperation as above all bringing advantages to the exhibitors and visitors of both trade fairs: "The technology already showcased at drinktec for the wine industry will now be superbly supplemented by this cooperation with SIMEI. For drinktec exhibitors there will be additional visitor potential from strong wine-growing countries—above all Italy. In addition the cooperation also offers significant added value to visitors from emerging wine-growing countries, thanks to a more in-depth spectrum of products and services."