Acimall, the Italian Woodworking Machinery and Tools Manufacturers’ Association, confirmed the dates for the next biennial show as May 13-17, 2014. It will return to Milan again at dates to be set in May 2016 and the association has taken an option for 2018.
Xylexpo had been hit by rival Rimini-based show Technodomus. SCM, Biesse and Cefla boycotted Xylexpo 2012 leading to an official attendance of 43,295, down from 51,480 in 2010, with exhibiton space of 32,178m2 down from 42,500m2.
The organiser said it had held talks with Technodomus and assessed other options such as moving the event to Bologna, Verona or Rimini. However, 80% of its members wanted it to remain in Milan.
"This agreement is the natural consequence of the decisions made by most Acimall member companies and the feedback we got from several exhibitors and industry professionals attending our event. The association opted for continuity and considered the central position of Milan," said Ambrogio Delachi, president of Acimall promotional division Cepra.
He added: "We have defined a plan for co-marketing actions to be complemented by an extensive promotional campaign to leading industry names from all over the world."
