FBT issues call to action
Published: MEA
UAE: FBT has issued a call to action to other manufacturers aimed at encouraging them to support local trade shows directly. The Italian company is backing up this call by taking space at this year’s Pro Light + Sound Middle East in Dubai.
‘We intend to be at the PL+S in Dubai to give an important sign to the industry and more manufacturers should do their part too,’ explained FBT export manager, Roberto Mataloni. ‘The idea to involve more manufacturers in the event and not just the local dealers is of utmost importance.
‘After the first year when PL+S ME appeared to be small and poorly attended, I said to myself that we have to go against the negative results and feedback and try it out directly, helping out the organisers as much as we can and inviting as many visitors and customers from the region as possible,’ he continued. ‘We are going to step in in a small scale but with few key products and us physically there to meet our customers from the Middle East and Africa, where FBT is growing quite well.’
Having been a visitor at the event last year, Mr Mataloni believes the involvement of more manufacturers could help to stimulate growth for PL+S ME. ‘I could have been just a visitor this year too and maybe grab this or that appointment here and there; but sincerely I do believe that a good job comes if all actions are done right from all parties involved,’ he reasoned. ‘We cannot blame this or that if things don’t happen as they were supposed to. We have to actively collaborate and since we are not betting a fortune on this show, let’s do it, let’s bring in more people as our tools allow us to, let’s try to stimulate the event with some energy. If every hope is lost then we might as well stay at home. But until we have given it a shot and done our job, we cannot know if we are a spectator or an actor in the event.’
He is equally insistent that despite being under the same brand, FBT’s participation in Dubai is not linked to the manufacturer’s attendance of the main show in Frankfurt. ‘These are two separate shows. Frankfurt needs to talk with a lot of unhappy companies in the pro audio industry (including us) since the issues there are multiple. There are constructive and shared ideas that Messe Frankfurt should consider urgent and vital for a change to the trend they are heading towards.’
Above all, Mr Mataloni is keen to note that FBT’s participation at PL+S ME is not purely an altruistic gesture, he does expect to see some kind of return in the longer term. ‘The investment we plan to do is not big but I feel it is necessary to be there now when times are so-so in the region so we are ready for a possible jump ahead in the near future. Nothing comes to you if you stay home and watch things happening.’