First edition of CCExpo successfully launched.

Last week, from the 23rd until the 24th October, CCExpo (Critical Communications Expo), the annual platform for mission critical information and communications, professional mobile radio (PMR) and control rooms, was held in Hamburg, Germany. With a new concept and now as the neutral branch event, EMW (Exhibition & Marketing Wehrstedt GmbH) can look back to their 13th success in a row. 

CCExpo mainly consists of three parts. First and foremost the specialised trade fair where 99 exhibitors from 10 countries were presenting their products, solutions and services. The Communications Congress counted 327 registered participants and the 10th Control Room Congress received almost 350 participants. This year, the “Public Safety Organisations forum” was held for the first time. On the whole CCExpo Critical Communications Expo 2013 could register 1,338 participants. Important to know is that each participant was counted by the organisation only once, although the majority of the participants visited CCExpo both days.

CCExpo was visited by people holding various positions within many different vertical markets such as: Government, Energy, Information technology, Transport, Health, Nutrition, Telecommunications, Finance and insurance industry, Water, etc.

Besides the exhibition highlights and new products releases in the exhibition area, there were a number of impressive presentations in the outdoor area including four mobile base stations. The THW (Federal Agency for Technical Relief) showcased its 45 m mast vehicle. In addition other fire brigade, rescue and command vehicles with respective ICT equipment were presented.

The Communications Congress started traditionally with the “Assessment Report BOS Digital Radio in Germany“ given by Rolf Krost, President of BDBOS (Federal Agency for Public Safety Digital Radio), and dealt with questions concerning technologies, projects and management especially with a view to future requirements. The congress ended with an international panel discussion with high-ranking participants from Belgium, France, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom about the future of digital radio for European PPDR.

Back in 2004 EMW developed the Control Room Congress that was held in the frame of PMRExpo since then. This congress has now grown to be the leading event for control room communications related topics within Germany, Austria Switzerland and other countries. To continue this tradition that is supported by the long-time moderator Gerhard Schulz, Head of Germany-wide working group Control Rooms, it was the task to integrate the Control Room Congress for the 10th time within the new concept of CCExpo.

Official meetings organised by various BOS organisations were held in parallel to CCExpo. This clearly shows the commitment of the BOS forces to this event.  For example, the Federal and Länder project leaders of BOS digital radio organised their 46th Coordination Conference on the 23rd October at CCExpo. For topics concerning non-police BOS, the project group DigiNet Bavaria organised their 3rd trans-national exchange of experience on 22nd and 23rd October 2013 in Hamburg and in addition, the Hamburg fire brigade held its annual technical conference on digital radio on the 22nd October. Also the international Cassidian (EADS) User Group Conference took place on both the 24th and 25th October in Hamburg.

In 2014, CCExpo will be organised as special part of GPEC (General Police Equipment Exhibition & Conference), Europe’s leading closed specialised trade fair and conference for Police, Special Forces and other Public Safety Equipment. By organising two, each other supporting events, EMW is now able to optimise their operations and the efforts of involved BOS forces. The company will now be able to offer a complete events package supporting the various BOS organisations on one location every other year. The date for next year’s CCExpo and GPEC is: 9 - 11 September 2014, Leipzig Trade Fair.

Click here to view the pictures taken during the event or here for the video impression of the event.

Source: MCCResources