Matchmaking gave Hydac AB new contacts

Hydac AB participated as a visitor during Elmia Subcontractor 2023, and looks positively on its participation in Subcontractor Connect. The company was mainly there for the personal meetings that the fair format offers - and not least the organised form of matchmaking.

– As a buyer, it's very pleasant not to have to look for suppliers yourself. We had 11 meetings booked during one day at the matchmaking, and the next day we walked around the fair looking for exhibitors and suppliers in our segment, says Maria Johansson, buyer and logistics manager at Hydac AB.

This was Maria Johansson's first visit to Subcontractor Connect, but Hydac AB had previously participated. She elaborates:  

– For us, the matchmaking was a huge opportunity to get a quick insight into many companies in a short time. Each meeting was 30 minutes long, which was just right. It's a concentrated meeting, where both parties are focused on what we have in common, says Maria.

Alternating booked and spontaneous meetings 

Petr Ruzicka, Industrial Engineering in the Czech Republic, participated as an exhibitor at Elmia Subcontractor for the first time in 2023. He chose to alternate customer meetings on the stand with matchmaking.  

– On the first day I had six meetings booked; three digital and three physical, which was a good mix. I found the matchmaking a very effective way to get in touch with customers. They felt better than other meetings I have had, says Petr. 

Recurring success 

Subcontractor Connect has been a welcome feature with high participation for many years. In 2023, there were a total of 290 participants in the matchmaking, of which 30 were buyers and the remaining 260 suppliers from 22 countries. 

– We have seen a greater interest among exhibitors to participate in matchmaking each year it has been present at the fair. The majority of meetings have now taken place in person, which we see as a change in behaviour now that the pandemic is a little further away. In the past, more companies wanted digital meetings, and the hybrid variant is of course still offered. Flexibility is important, because after all, it is the meeting that is in focus,' says Elin Berlin from Almi / Enterprice Europe Network, which is organising Subcontractor Connect together with Elmia Subcontractor.