Considerable expansion at 2008 edition of Sicur

The fair will incorporate two additional halls (Halls 2 and 9), based on an increase of 40% in the total space available for this edition Between 26th and 29th February 2008

The halls at FERIA DE MADRID will provide the setting for the sixteenth edition of SICUR, the International Safety and Security Exhibition, which will bring together the largest number of business representatives from the integral safety and security sector between 26th and 29th February 2008. In this respect, it is not surprising that SICUR is recognised as being the leading event of its kind in Spain and one of the leading trade events on the calendar of international fairs for the industry.

The excellent results achieved at the last edition, combined with some highly promising growth prospects for the next edition of SICUR, have led the fair's organisers to expand the exhibition once again by incorporating Halls 2 and 9.  These new halls will provide an additional 27,900 gross square metres, which will lead to a 40% net increase in exhibition space available at the fair in the medium term. 

TheSICUR'08 exhibition will be distributed throughout Halls 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10, which, in addition to catering for the expansion needs of each of the sectors represented at the fair (Safety at Work, Fire Safety, Security and Computer Security), will permit an improved presentation of the different monographic sections.

With regard to the section of the fair devoted to the Prevention of Risks at Work, the next edition has created   a new brand known as SICUR PROLABOR.  This will seek to endow the Safety at Work area with a new identity and provide greater visibility for a segment that plays such a key role within the fair as a whole. In effect, the Safety at Work sector has enjoyed the most significant growth over the last few editions of the fair, based on increases in exhibition space of 53% in the year 2004 and 23% in the year 2006.  In view of these figures, SICUR 2008 has made a larger space available at the fair by providing three halls for this sector (Halls 2, 4 and 6), which represents an increase of 22% compared to the space occupied at the year 2006 edition.

Furthermore, in view of the large number of requests that have been received to take part in the area devoted to Security Against Criminal Acts, known as "Security" for short, a section of the fair that was unable to entirely cater for demand at the last edition, the organisers have increased the space available at the event by 100%, setting aside Halls 9 and 10 for this purpose.

Hall 9 will also be the new location for the exhibition devoted to Computer Security, which will take place in a differentiated area of the hall, one that is distinct from the Integral Security exhibition.      
 
The Fire Safety section, which enjoyed 20% growth at the last edition, will remain in Hall 8. As is customary, this area will be complemented by an exterior space located in the centre of the fairground devoted to the exhibition of fire engines.      

SICUR 2008 Activities

In line with the fair's policy at previous editions, SICUR will also stage a number of activities in order to coincide with the exhibition, thus providing an informative and promotional forum of considerable interest to all professionals within the field. In this respect, a new edition of the Gallery of New Products is being prepared, a section of the fair designed to promote research and innovation within the security field. On this occasion, the Gallery will present a number of different segments, thus matching the various sectors represented at the fair.

The fair organisers are also working on the SICUR Specialised Conferences, which, in the same way as at the last edition of the fair, will be based on an overall unifying theme, one that is of shared interest depending on the different specialised fields.  The sessions will be brief so that visitors can combine their attendance at these events with their visit to the fair.

SICUR'08 will once again enjoy the support and collaboration of the leading associations and bodies linked to the security industry, all of which are represented on the fair's Organising Committee. The Committee is chaired by the Spanish Association of Fire Protection Companies, TECNIFUEGO/AESPI, with three vice-chairmanships corresponding to three other representatives from the industry leaded by AES, the Spanish Association of Fire Protection Companies, APROSER, the Association of Private Security Services Companies, and ASEPAL, the Professional Association of Personal Protection Equipment Companies.  

The Committee also features the presence of representatives of the National Association of Accredited Prevention Bodies, ANEPA; the MAPFRE FOUNDATION; the Spanish Firefighters Association, ASELF; the Professional Association of Fire Brigade Technicians, APTB; American Society for Industrial Security, ASIS España; the Spanish Association of Safety and Security Managers, AEDS; the Association of Former University Master Students in Security and Safety Matters, AMUSI; the National Centre for Damage and Loss Prevention, CEPREVEN;  the Association of Mutual Companies for Accidents at Work, AMAT; the Department for Economic Affairs and Technological Innovation of the Region of Madrid; the Civil Protection Department at the Spanish Ministry for Home Affairs; the Economic Affairs and Public Participation Department at Madrid City Council, and the National Institute for Safety and Hygiene at Work, of the Ministry of Labour.

Proof of the dynamism of this Show and of its positive repercussions in the sector are the figures from the last edition, in which 1,612 companies (both direct and represented) took part and 45,529 trade visitors were registered.   Likewise, SICUR confirmed in 2006 its significant international stature, with the direct participation of 94 foreign companies and 955 represented companies and the attendance of 3,838 foreign buyers from 66 countries.

SICUR'08 will be open from 10.00 a.m. throughout to 7.00 p.m., except for the last day of the Show - Friday 29th February - when SICUR will close at 5.00 p.m. at the request of the exhibiting companies.