In mid-June, the organisers of Silmo in Paris reported their extensive efforts to ensure a safe trade fair in Corona times. Now has been announced that the event at the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre will be cancelled. Instead, they want to tour various cities in France and Europe from October to November 2020 under the title “Silmo Hors les Murs” in a kind of regional event.
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Silmo President Amélie Morel makes a statement on the current situation: “Encouraged by the distinct recovery of business among opticians and heartened by favourable results in keeping with our determined criteria, we felt confident we would be able to confirm that the 2020 edition would indeed be held from October 2nd to 5th at Paris Nord Villepinte.
However, at this juncture where the registered exhibitors were about to make additional expenditures to finalise their participation in the trade fair, and where visitors were about to begin making travel plans, there were still uncertainties as to whether the trade fair would be able to take place as planned. In the absence of immediate visibility, the Silmo Executive Board met with its partner ComExposium, and took the unfortunate decision to cancel the Silmo 2020 Paris event as it was planned to take place at Paris Nord Villepinte.”
Morel expressly thanked the 688 registered exhibitors who had shown great entrepreneurial courage by maintaining their participation at Silmo Paris 2020 despite the crisis.
“Extraordinary” new concept for the Silmo 2020
The organizers have come up with a new concept: Under the title “Silmo Hors les Murs” (“Silmo outside the walls”), the fair will tour cities in France and Europe from October to November 2020.
“This unprecedented operation will begin on 4 and 5 October 2020 at the heart of Paris, and will be repeated every Monday in the month of October in a different city, such as Bordeaux, Lyon, Rennes and Brussels (programme still being finalised)”, the communication states.
The Silmo d’Or 2020 awards will also continue and will be open to all companies registered to date. The Silmo Academy will also again award a scholarship to support a scientific research project in the field of vision and optics.
The “Silmo Next” ideas laboratory will present, by means of a specialized application, the summary of the work started two years ago, which deals with the future of the sector, product developments and the optical profession: “On the way to a techno-responsible optical and spectacle technology future”.
Villepinte again in September 2021
“We assure you that this is an “extra-ordinary” plan for the 2020 edition. Silmo 2021 will welcome you back to the Paris Nord Villepinte exhibition centre from 24 to 27 September 2021.“
