Since its inception in 2003, Batireno has become one of Wallonia’s most popular construction trade fairs, attracting around 20,000 visitors a year and some 150 exhibitors. A trade fair which is both professional and welcoming, Batireno has become a key event in the calendar for anyone with a passion for building and those looking to undertake construction or renovation work.
Batireno’s popularity has convinced Belgium’s foremost construction fairs organiser Artexis Easyfairs Group (Bois & Habitat, Energie & Habitat, Bis, Bouw & Reno, Hout & Habitat, Green Expo, Realty and Builty) to take over the fair following the signing of an agreement with its creator and former owner Daniel Tambour.
Determined to breathe new life into Batireno, Head of Development for Wallonia and Benelux Jean-Thomas Leplat immediately decided to change the date of the show:
“We didn’t feel the timing was right holding a construction trade fair at the same time as the Wallonia Festival, i.e. between mid to end of September, either in terms of visitorship or accessibility. We therefore decided to reschedule it for early January, in the immediate post-holiday period. We already hold a construction trade fair in Flanders (bouw&reno) at this time of year, and we know that the beginning of the year is a prime time for construction and renovation projects. It therefore made sense to apply the same logic to Namur, given the success we have experienced in the north of the country.”
Following on from this buyout, Artexis Easyfairs also decided to change the duration of the fair, taking it from 10 days to 6:
“In addition to the new dates, we opted for a different format. From now on, the fair will no longer be held over 10 consecutive days but over two consecutive weekends, from Saturday 9th January to Monday 11th January and then Friday 15th January to Sunday 17th of January 2016. This new format should allow for better visitor distribution throughout the show and avoid those often emptier midweek days.”
This acquisition further boosts Artexis Easyfairs’ position in the south of the country, now hosting eight trade fairs (Antica, Autonomies, Batireno, Bois & Habitat, Energie & Habitat, Saveurs & Métiers, Soins & Santé, Transports & Logistics), as well as running two convention centres (MICX and the Namur Palais des Congrès) and one exhibition hall (Namur Expo) in Wallonia.