The most important fair on a global scale for automatic distribution” is how the organisers of Venditalia ’08 possibly optimistically described their excellent event, which took place in Milan towards the end of May.
Transactions from vending machines in Italy have (claims CONFIDA, the Italian vending association) reached six billion, and there are some 1,731,000 machines – that’s about one for every 35 people. The sector has a turnover of over two billion Euros and employs some 30,000 people.
Italy claims to be world leader in the production of ‘automatic distributing’ machines, with exports accounting for around 60 per cent of turnover. Be that as it may, Venditalia accounted for 20,000 square metres of exhibition space, over 250 exhibitors and claimed 10,000-plus visitors.
This year, the two-yearly show celebrated its tenth anniversary (ie sixth event), the first taking place in Genoa in 1998. Over the years the event has been increasingly successful both with exhibitors and the public, so much so that in 2004 the initiative gained recognition as a fully-fledged International Fair.
The Italians have made the claim (no doubt disputed by the French and Germans) that their show is the biggest in vending, in terms of exhibition area, number of exhibitors and visitor figures.
In common with other European countries, the quantity and type of vending machines available in Italy has increased considerably in recent years, ranging from classic machines selling hot and cold beverages, confectionery and snacks, to sellers of floral bouquets, books, mobile phones and open source software.
I have been fortunate enough to visit the past two Venditalia exhibitions and was therefore very optimistic as I approached Fieramilanocity that I was in for a treat. Last year’s event was nothing short of vibrant – noisy, full of sexy and colourful exhibits alongside enthusiastic exhibitors and visitors.
To be honest, this year it was much of the same, but perhaps slightly less so. Without doubt, there was no shortage of buzz – something that our own AVEX needs to rediscover next year – but I was not alone in detecting rather fewer new developments and a slight shortfall in the sexiness and optimism departments.
Having said that, it was a great show, colourful and oh so busy – particularly if you were the major machine manufacturers. Just about all of the familiar multi-nationals were there, one absentee being ‘our own’ Westomatic. Overall, not surprisingly, the vast majority of exhibitors were Italian, but our own CoinCo – Coin Acceptors Europe, Innovative Technology (payment systems), Money Controls (payment systems), The Vending Corporation, (machine supplier) and Ultra Electronics Card Systems successfully carried the Union Jack to Milan.
Love
To many, the star of the show was the Italian Bianchi Vending Group, which used the event to launch its highly creative Love theme – ‘Live Our Vending Experience’. Although the company is not really currently active in the UK, most in the industry could learn something from the huge, predominantly white Bianchi stand, with its enormous wall-mounted images of an attractive model – Italian style – which were reproduced on many of the machines, carrying through the ‘Love’ theme.
Certainly, the love concept must have been the result of considerable investment. The big machine range was attractive and efficient, and everywhere there were signs of things having been done well. Even the Love brochure (sorry ‘2008/2009 Collection’) was a large and beautifully designed affair, running to some 118 heavyweight, glossy pages. Some may point a figure and say ‘self-indulgent’, but for me it is sheer class.
Needless to say, the Bianchi stand was permanently full of visitors but, in fairness, the same could be said of the other major manufacturers, too.
N&W Global Vending usually achieves busy stands at major exhibitors, and Venditalia was no exception. Included in a host of machines were an impressive trio of new ranges – Samba snack machines, Carib hot beverage machines, and very attractive Rotary table-top dispensers. More of these later, no doubt, when full details are announced in the UK.
The Vending Corporation was also kept busy at this latest of its effective presences at European vending events promoting, among others, the entire Dixie Narco BevMax bottle and can vendor range, and the FastCorp Z400 frozen product vendor.
Italy represents The Vending Corporation’s second largest market after the UK and therefore Venditalia presented an ideal opportunity for the company to launch the BevMax 3, with new optional secure coin entry and MDB Executive compatibility – options which are now also available to The Vending Corporation’s UK customers.
The Vending Corporation’s branded vending machines could also be seen on other major brands’ stands at the show, confirming that UK companies can make significant inroads and develop major opportunities in continental Europe.
Other notably successful stands in Milan from the machine manufacturing sector included Sanden Vendo with, among many others, its near-armour-plated cigarette machine ‘tabacci 24 ore’ and the VDI 810 chilled product vendor. Rhea Vendors was showing the new Luce X2 hot and cold drinks machine offering large and small cups; its partner the Luce X Snack; the new Cino XS offering new design and improved technology and Servosecure, Rhea’s cashless payment system; and Bravilor Bonamat staged the Italian launch of its Bolero XL espresso machine.
Rotating plates seemed to be the buzz words on some stands. Saeco was demonstrating its new Rotating Plate technology – which is described as ‘making on-site service operations virtually instantaneous’. The system allows the engineer to rotate the plate on which all main components are located, without removing any parts. The machine maintains its functionality in each position of the plate, making inspection easier and faster – saving the operator time, money and resources. Saeco was also promoting new technology in the form of its TTT twin-taste tech brewing system for coffee machines, and a new, fan-assisted, powder dispensing system which – in a nutshell – prevents humidity from entering the canister and powder from accidently falling into the mixer.
Returning to the rotating plate arena, FAS International was showing its own version, SPIN, which also promises easy access to internal components, saving time and costs. FAS was also featuring its new Perla XP free-standing hot and cold beverage system, which incorporates SPIN, among other features.
More than the machines
There was obviously more to Venditalia than new vending machines. The ingredient manufacturers and suppliers of vended products were also there in number, promoting major vending brands. Pepsico featured its Pepsi Cola, Lipton Iced Tea and Gatorade functional drinks; Mars showcased cakes and confectionery (as well as presenting the largest table football game I have ever seen); Mokador its popular beverage capsules; Dr Suwelack its Amata, Benita, Concerto and Calida freeze-dried coffees; and Barry Callebaut its established Carimo and Van Houten brands.
The Nestlé stand boasted, not surprising, its famous vending brands, as well as including a FastCorp Z400 machine, from The Vending Corporation, to showcase its frozen ice cream products.
Lavazza, world-famous for its presentation in the past, did not disappoint. Included on the large, busy stand were its attractive Espresso table-top machines, range of beverage pods, plus floor-standing machines in Lavazza livery from N&W, including members from the Colibri, Brio, Kikko and Astro ranges.
Payment systems were naturally prominent in Milan, with NRI launching its new Currenza range, which includes the Currenza c2 Changegiver, promising high levels of reliability and flexibility and profitability, and the Currenza Clip, which is a compact cashless system providing the latest technology, high security and top end-user convenience.
Among its wide product range, MEI featured its new Cashflow VN 2612 five and ten euro note validator; while Coges showcased its new ECS platinum, titanium and iridium cashless payment systems by key and/or electronic card.
On the water front, Brita launched an important new addition to its Purity C range of water filtration systems (more information in the UK imminently) and Everpure introduced into Italy the new, modular Claris filter range, incorporating a multi-valve filter connection head and offering reduced service costs, long machine life and top quality beverages.
Water dispensers and bottled water brands were in evidence, but perhaps not as strongly as in previous shows.
In summary, Venditalia was a very successful show on all fronts. Outside of the exhibits themselves, I was particularly impressed by the visitor registration system in which pre-registrants like me were emailed a bar code, which I simply then had to scan in at the reception area of the show in order to receive a printed badge of admission that good for the duration of the event. No queues, no hassle.
