Symposia

For global corporations, conducting business on a worldwide scale is a routine affair. However, the landscape has also evolved significantly for small and medium-sized enterprises that constitute the machine tool industry. Their business territory extends far beyond local boundaries, as competition has become truly global. Recognizing this shift, VDW provides its members with an exceptional service: The Exploration of the World.

For over 20 years, VDW has been organizing technology symposia in collaboration with local partners. These events allow representatives from member companies to establish business contacts with potential customers in the host countries from relevant consumer industries. The symposia are conducted with diverse and individual objectives: Is the market ready for our products? With whom can we establish distribution channels? Who are the competitors already active in the region? Importantly, VDW’s international symposia are intentionally designed not as sales or marketing showcases.

Recognizing that only robust contacts and continuity lead to success, VDW invites its members to each country at least twice. The message, “Those who return are serious,” is universally understood in every cultural context. Whether in the USA, Brazil, Mexico, China, Romania, Poland, Turkey, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, or Vietnam, even if the world doesn’t physically expand, global competition undoubtedly does.

Following each symposium, we, in collaboration with our partner IndustryArena, offer an additional service: All presentations are made available for download in the local language. The local partner on the ground informs all potential customers about this service. Interested parties leave their electronic business cards, which are then forwarded to the respective manufacturer. This approach ensures greater sustainability for symposium participants, as their information remains accessible well beyond the event day.

Each year, VDW organizes symposiums with the purpose of assisting its members in gaining access to challenging markets. These symposiums are held in various countries, both regularly visited and less commonly explored. One such event was captured in the image, showcasing a VDW symposium in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2023.