EPHJ - and now for the good news ...

In only its second year of existence, the Environment Professionnel Horlogerie
Joaillerie (The Watch and jewellery Professional Environment, EPHJ) enjoyed a
70% increase of exhibitors and a 30% increase in professional visitors.

This year I visited the EPHJ on the opening day at around 11.00 a.m., just prior to the official opening and the organizers' welcoming speeches.
There were 157 exhibitors' pleasantly spread out over 6,250 metres on two floors at Beaulieu in Lausanne, Switzerland. For this second version of the EPHJ there were companies from France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, the USA and a large Swiss contingent - many of whom are leaders in their chosen domain.
On entering the exhibition, it was obvious that there was a buoyant ambience. Conviviality reigned, there was a sympathetic and optimistic atmosphere and one had the impression that in this relatively small and specialized section of the watch and jewellery industries, exhibitors were glad to see each other - a noticeable contrast to the dour expressions of many of the exhibitors in the Hall of Innovations at the end of BaselWorld.
EPHJ began last year in an effort to bring together suppliers and manufacturers within the watch and jewellery industries to fill the void between the early trade shows and the time when both groups of manufacturers can genuinely ascertain their needs. Word of mouth promotion for this event by last year's participants and a concerted effort by the organizers has ensured that not only would this year be a success, but also that next year's edition will be even bigger and better.
“The first event last year was a gamble within the industry,” AndrÉ Colard, EPHJ's President said in his opening address. “Today, however, there is a real necessity. We have 157 exhibitors looking optimistically to the future. Amongst those there are 30 foreign companies. So the gamble is won! We are here to show our creativity, what we can do, it is therefore indispensable that we continue to show our new products and the development within our profession.”
Olivier Saenger, one of the founders and committee members of the EPHJ, told me after the event had closed that “All the exhibitors I spoke to were happy with the results. We had 2,200 professional visitors this year - an increase of 30%, so I think we can say that our objective has been achieved. We want to develop this event gradually and next year we will be aiming just a little higher, around 200 exhibitors. But who knows ...
”What is for sure is that we have created a new platform for suppliers and their clients to meet in a pleasant atmosphere, and both were content to have a place and the time to be able to confer. At the end of the four days, there was a nostalgic atmosphere and, much to my surprise, many exhibitors insisted on signing up for next year's event before this one had ended."
It is my opinion that as the number of both exhibitors and visitors increases, so the EPHJ will become an even more pertinent event. In fact I believe it is shaping up to become a must for the watch and jewellery industries. Although both Messrs Colard and Saenger clearly state that their objective for the EPHJ is not to put themselves into competition with Basel, there is no question in my mind that the future of this event looks as bright as Basel's related industries section looks bleak.


www.ephj.ch
Contact: [email protected]
(please credit Europa Star)

Source: Europa Star Magazine
August-September 2003