More Than Just a Showcase

SLM World elevates trade fair benchmarks with a unique combination of multiple co-located events.

The inaugural edition of Smart Lift & Mobility (SLM) World 2024 held at Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru, India, on March 1-3 rewrote the rules for a successful debut with visitors thronging the international expo over the weekend while also attending the engaging summit. Meanwhile, top brands were honored at a prestigious awards ceremony and the “global first” Elevator Safety Run elevated awareness levels worldwide

The success of a new event is more than evident when the visitors and exhibitors are seen recommending the frequency for subsequent editions and suggesting their preferred date options for holding the sequel. Going by this yardstick alone, the inaugural edition of SLM World 2024 has, indeed, succeeded in winning the hearts and minds of members from the vertical-transportation (VT) industry and its allied sectors, including real estate and architecture.

The response, while overwhelmingly positive, was not unexpected. That’s because SLM World is an innovative concept envisaged by well-established pioneers Virgo Communications & Exhibitions, which introduced the VT-industry-focused expo and magazine concept in India. The thoughtfully curated, multi-dimensional, integrated, comprehensive event made a truly dazzling debut. The venue was packed with dignitaries from across the globe lighting the traditional lamp, reflecting the international nature and ambience of the three-day gathering.

Government officials who attended the inauguration included Ravi Subramanya, member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and Theethira Appachu, chief electrical inspector, Government of Karnataka, while chief guests included Mareddy Shyam Kumar, president, National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) Karnataka; V C Ravikumar, president, NAREDCO Mysuru; Amit Gossain, chairman, Elevators & Escalators Division, Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association (IEEMA) and managing director, KONE Elevators India. International invitees at the function included Massimo Bezzi, president, European Federation for Elevator Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EFESME), and T. Bruce MacKinnon, president/CEO, ELEVATOR WORLD.

Addressing those gathered, Anitha Raghunath, director, Virgo Communications and Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd., announced:

“This is a first of its kind, integrated exhibition-cum-conference for smart lift and mobility. Our major idea for hosting this event is as per the market trend; now it’s about technological advancement; it’s about how we integrate various technological products into the building and move people swiftly in any kind of built environment. Today, technological advancement has gone ahead and what better place to host an event than in Bangalore, which is the IT capital of India. We are proud to say that, in these three days, we are hosting four mega events.”

MacKinnon said:

“It’s really great to be here in India. It’s been five years since I’ve been in India, and it’s been 10 years since I was in Bangalore. The world has changed in the last five years, so it’s good to be back in India and good to be at an event. I really think the concept of SLM World 2024 is quite brilliant because the elevator industry is really fragmented if you look at the way it’s organized with OEMs and independent players, mobility and all the other parts and pieces that go within the building sector. I think it’s important to bring more of the players together. EW has had a long history in the elevator industry. Last year, we celebrated our 70th year, and as you know, the industry publication provides more content about elevators and lifts than anybody else in the world. We’ve had a long relationship with Anitha and Raghu since 2008. So, we’re proud to be here and we wish you great success for this event.”

Bezzi said that the Federation’s members are contractors and components manufacturers of more than one million companies, adding:

“For us, it’s very important to be here in India this year at SLM World 2024. The long-term international relationship with Anitha and Raghu allows our members to start companies here in India. And we started in 2014 also. It represents a very important market.”

Shyam Kumar Mareddy described SLM World as the perfect platform to showcase the different varieties of technology in the market. Sharing his personal experience, he recalled how a couple of years back, a few of his friends had signed a contract for purchasing 110 elevators, indicating the immense potential that the vast membership of national associations like NAREDCO and Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) offer. He also spoke about a 200-villa project where the design option with provision for elevators received such an overwhelming response that the second design had to be modified accordingly. According to him, going forward, elevators will be considered as essential in villas as the kitchen water filter, with scope for larger-capacity models, as well. 

Gossain deemed SLM World 2024 as:

“A great exhibition. It looks excellent and has a lot of participation, as always in your exhibitions. It’s a fantastic outcome. India is going through a very good economic phase. The real estate industry seems to be quite buoyant, and as the real estate industry is doing well, the elevator industry will do quite well — generally, a good growth trajectory for our industry, and it will continue. I see all the best stands and technology here at the exhibition.”

SLM World 2024 witnessed several noteworthy launches including the L’Avenir Elevator Heritage, a book compiled by VT consultant Jagadish Kumar V that was unveiled during the inauguration, while PAPL Corp., in partnership with Ardelisys Technologies Pvt. Ltd., announced the launch of K A L A, an Internet of Things (IoT)-based, non-invasive elevator monitoring system, at the expo.

The three-day event provided a rare opportunity to interface directly with representatives of leading national and international brands from the VT industry and related sectors providing elevators, escalators, travelators and home lifts; mobility solutions: stair, platform, special lifts, parking solutions, entrance access control systems; elevator doors: revolving, sliding, collapsible, swing; barriers: retractable, flap, boom barriers, mullions, turnstiles, access control and safety; biometric, RFID, BMS and IoT, lift components and accessories at the international expo booths.

SLM World 2024 was a truly experiential expo, with visitors queuing up to ride the elevators being demonstrated at various booths and feel with their hands the different options offered, including textured surfaces of the cabs and LOP/COP buttons. The multi-level layout enabled one to stand at a height and get an overview of the massive expo floor. 

VIP buyers had access to a select, “by invitation only” designated meeting zone — the “Buy Elevator Lounge” — to interface and network with global industry leaders and transact business in a conducive environment. The Buyer-Seller Meet was quite impactful, with substantial interactions taking place over three days.

Participants at SLM World 2024 also enhanced their knowledge by attending seminar sessions during the EWI Summit held concurrently under the same roof. The developer fraternity and VT industry players across the spectrum had a rare opportunity to converge and discuss mutually beneficial aspects face-to-face on all three days. In fact, conducting the event over the weekend turned out to be a master stroke, as visitors continued to throng the venue even on Sunday — the concluding day!  

The Elevator Safety Run, organized in association with EW, was held on March 2 as a “global first” initiative emphasizing the paramount importance of elevator safety. That evening witnessed the SLM Awards presentation to noteworthy companies and brands.

With SLM World 2024, Virgo raised the credibility factor for its events even higher. Quality Council of India (QCI), National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) and NAREDCO Karnataka were among the associations supporting SLM World 2024, with Council of Architects as the Knowledge Partner. SLM World 2024 also had a distinguished Advisory Panel comprising noteworthy dignitaries. With innovative trade fair organizers Virgo Communications and Exhibitions at the helm, SLM World 2024 proved to be yet another path-breaking event creating new business opportunities.