The Netherlands is often considered the number one bike country, with more bikes than inhabitants (18.2 million people share 24 million bikes). With heritage brands such as Gazelle, Batavus and Koga and many international bike brands choosing the country for their European headquarters, it is only fitting that the country also takes centre stage in the international cycling industry.
The Netherlands as location
That’s also what father and son Arnauld and Rick Hackmann thought when they decided to launch a new OEM trade fair around Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. CycleExpo Amsterdam is set to become an important meeting platform for OEM business in the cycling industry from 6 to 8 October. After organising a Dutch trade fair successfully for multiple years, the owners of trade publication NieuwsFiets.nu decided to pour their efforts into an international event. The choice for the Netherlands as the location for said event wasn’t just motivated by the nation’s cycling culture, but by many other reasons too.
“We arrived here and everything felt quite right,” explains Rick Hackmann. “This location is so practical. It’s close to Schiphol airport, which is an airport that’s easy to reach. There are a lot of hotels nearby and there’s a bus heading to the fair every eight minutes, so we’re really making things quite easy for visitors. We’re also looking into offering package deals with hotels, including a charter bus to the event site.”
The fact that the host nation is also a frontrunner in cycling infrastructure and the use of bikes, is an extra reason for the show to be held in Amsterdam. “The Netherlands is cycling country number one, with Amsterdam as a true cycling city. It can be rather interesting for exhibitors to go into the city centre of Amsterdam and learn about that cycling culture.”
Networking beyond the fair
The main goal of CycleExpo Amsterdam is very clear: to connect international OEM brands and suppliers in the cycling industry and to create a purchasing fair. The fair itself and the different exhibitors are the most important tools to reach that goal, but the event organisers are looking at other ways to help both visitors and exhibitors get the most out of their time.
Although the fair is the most important meeting ground, Hackmann explains that they are looking at different ways to increase engagement between different companies. “We are looking at a few side events, such as organising a networking event on the canals of Amsterdam. I really believe Amsterdam can be a great experience for exhibitors. Of course they come to visit for the fair, but you also want it to be fun.”
“When you go out for dinner or a drink in Amsterdam, you’ll find yourself in a world of bikes. I think that can be rather inspiring. Many people, when they talk about Eurobike, still talk so enthusiastically about Friedrichshafen, because it was so much fun. Of course, you visit a trade fair for work, but you can combine the practical with the fun too. We are also investigating the possibility of bringing together all visitors in one network of hotels, so everyone can meet up at night during dinner or at the bar. Those are the moments you truly get to know one another, so that could be another great addition to the fair itself.”
The Dutch have something to tell and to show about cycling, because we do it very differently than elsewhere in the world”
Side events
At the same time, Amsterdam has a lot to offer exhibitors from a practical standpoint. “It’s a city that offers plenty of possibilities for exhibitors to host their own side events. Whether it’s a breakfast, a dinner, or something completely different: truly a lot is possible in town.”
The fair organisers are also planning different breakout sessions around the fairgrounds, to help exhibitors and visitors get as much as possible out of CycleExpo Amsterdam. “We’re talking about a program in the auditorium of the expo, about traffic safety for example. We want to make sure that everyone who attends CycleExpo can benefit from the Dutch know-how about cycling. The Dutch have something to tell and to show about cycling, because we do it very differently than elsewhere in the world. We want to share that way of thinking and looking at bikes too.”
In the end, OEM business should prevail at CycleExpo Amsterdam with a dedicated program, low costs, good accessibility and a fair that’s shaped by and for exhibitors. “We’re doing everything we can to make this fair as worthwhile and as easy to attend as possible for both exhibitors and visitors. It should really be about meeting industry peers rather than simply organising the biggest fair possible.”
This article is sponsored by CycleExpo Amsterdam.
