IFEMA will close the year with a 16% increment in its billing, up to 154 million Euros

The Institución Feria de Madrid (IFEMA) will end the year with a 16.03% increment in the business volume with respect to 2003, up to 154 million Euros, and with a result that of 26.5 million Euros. In addition, this year has a historical record in the number of events and trade fairs, hosting 75 which account for 1.2 million square metres of net space occupied; 39,000 companies; more than 21,000 exhibitors and 4.1 million visitors. In the same way, the Convention Centre of the Feria de Madrid hosted more than 330 events from different areas, making IFEMA one of the largest space for international meetings. These data were communicated in a press conference by the President of the board, Jose Maria Alvarez del Manzano, and by the General Directorof IFEMA, Fermin Lucas, after the meeting with the maximum responsibles of this public consortium made up of 31 percent by the Ayuntamiento de Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid and the Cámara de Comercio and the remaining 7 percent by Caja Madrid. According to Alvarez del Manzano, IFEMA has strengthened itself as the trade fair organisation that has grown the most in Europe, already occupying the first position in the national scale in the number of trade fairs and events and one of the first in Europe.
Alvarez del Manzano and Fermin Lucas also highlighted the richness generated by the trade fair activity in 2004 could be around 1.5 billion Euros and 35,000 direct and indirect jobs employment, which convert IFEMA “into one of the main motors of development in the Madrid Community”. Also, they commented that 2004 has been the best year for IFEMA since its creation in 1980. This year coincides with its 25th anniversary, IFEMA hosted 75 trade fairs and events that occupied a total of 1,254,656 square metres of floor space, the maximum reached to date and the represented an increment of 15 percent with respect to 2003. The number of companies that participated rose to 39,000, a 5 percent increment with respect to the previous year, and the number of direct exhibitors was 21,732 (+6 percent), at the same time that the different events organised in its facilities registered 4.1 million visitors. According to the economic data, the result for this year raises to 26.5 million Euros, a 66.42 percent more than in 2002 (a better comparison that includes bi-annual trade fairs) and a 35 percent more than in 2003; and it hopes to close the year with a billing of 154 million Euros, which is a 13.94 percent increment compared to 2002 and 16.03 percent more compared to 2003. The result before taxes, interests and amortisation raises to 54.4 million Euros, a 7.41 percent more than in 2002 and a 19.74 percent more than in 2003; while the expenses was 99.6 million Euros, a 17.85 percent more than in 2002.

On the other hand, Fermin Lucas recalled that in November, the new parking of the site started, with an extension of 58,000 square metres with two floors that will offer 2,850 parking spaces. It will take ten months for the construction works with a budget of 12 million Euros. Also, during the end of january, it will finish the bidding of construction of pavilions 12 and 14, which will be awarded in March. These works will start from this date and has 22 months to complete. In this way, IFEMA will gain 50,000 square metres for which it will be able to offer in total, 200,000 square metres.