Metstrade (METS), the world’s largest marine trade convention, is preparing to return to Amsterdam between 15 - 17 November with around 1,400 exhibitors set to attend.
The event is a mainstay in the boating calendar and a key opportunity for the industry to meet and discover new products, innovations and technologies in a B2B setting.
METS promises an eventful programme this year, including panels, forums and the ninth edition of the Boat Builder Awards. Jointly organised by BOAT's sister publication IBI and METSTRADE and held in association with Raymarine, the glitzy awards ceremony will return on Thursday November 16 at Amsterdam’s National Maritime Museum.
After almost a decade, the awards have established themselves as a core component of METS, putting the full spectrum of the marine industry in the spotlight and honouring a range of winners across eleven original categories. The event has grown since last year, with new categories added and a fresh judging panel introduced. The new appointees include Olympic sailor Knut Frostad, marketeer Alice Driscoll and environmental consultant Peter Franklin.
This year, the categories will include “Customer of Tomorrow”, which is awarded to the shipyard or distributor that demonstrates a clear, insightful strategy, model, feature or marketing initiative specifically tailored to attract and retain newcomers to the boating world.
The forward-thinking approach to the categories continues with “The Collaborative Solution between a Production Boat Builder and its Supply Chain Partner” category and “Sustainability Project of the Year”, which differentiates itself from the “Eco-focused Boat of the Year” award.
A total of 36 companies have been identified as potential winners at the Boat Builder Awards. A limited number of tickets are still available for the gala, which includes fine dining, entertainment and an-after party sponsored by McKenna Townsend in the heart of the National Maritime Museum.
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