Düsseldorf/Espelkamp. Dagmar G. Wöhrl, MP and Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Econom-ics and Technology, and Paul Gauselmann, Chairman of the Industry Association VDAI, Opened 27th International Trade Fair for Amusement and Vending Machines in Düsseldorf
Dagmar G. Wöhrl, MP and parliamen-tary state secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, and Paul Gauselmann, entrepreneur from Espelkamp and chairman of the industry association of the German coin-operated machine industry (VDAI), opened the 27th international trade fair for amusement and vending machines (IMA).
In his opening address at the IMA Paul Gauselmann said that the industry had started the new year confidently. “2007 has been an excellent year for the industry, despite the headwind caused by other providers in the gaming market, and I also anticipate good perspectives for 2008.“ In recent years, the amusement machine industry has among others seen a considerable increase of the number of employees thanks to the amended gaming regulations.
The positive trend and the good IMA participation had an indirect impact on the situations at the Gauselmann sites in Espelkamp and Lübbecke. “The IMA and the orders that customers place with us here are of utmost importance for the Gauselmann Group and its employees. In the next four days we will therefore have to convince the trade professionals again of the efficiency and innovation potential of the family-managed company. Every job that we bring home from Düsseldorf secures jobs at the adp production plant,“ explains Paul Gauselmann. In the opinion of the entrepre-neur from Espelkamp it is therefore especially positive that starting from August 1, 2008 the industry will offer vocational training for two new occupations: qualified staff for coin-operated machine service and experts for coin-operated machines. “Since we are a big training company the new possible vocational training is very important for us, because we can now offer young people addi-tional perspectives in interesting and viable occupations.“
In her speech the parliamentary state secretary referred to the importance of the IMA as successful leading trade show of the coin-operated vending and amusement machine industry. Dag-mar G. Wöhrl especially underlined the innovative technology of the machines that are presented. “Yours is an absolute high-tech industry with very creative products. It should be your objective to maintain this development level and even expand it,“ emphasized the state secretary.
Dagmar G. Wöhrl is very satisfied with the new gaming regulations that her ministry initiated. She emphasized once again that the amendment of the gaming regulations was geared toward giving the vending and amusement machine industry more scope for new developments. “This was very important, because the competition in the entertainment market, to which you also belong, and particularly in the games market is on the increase. The competition ranges from German game consoles to state-owned casinos.“ The state secretary also believes that player protection is now ensured, which was the top priority when amending the regulations.
“With our innovative products at the IMA this year we will contribute to helping our customers start the first months of the year 2008 commercially successfully. The many specialist visitors will only find the combination of new ideas, reliable existing products and effective further developments at our stand,“ says Paul Gauselmann.
More than 160 exhibitors from 41 nations are represented at the Düsseldorf exhibition center with a vast range of electronic entertainment, from amusement machines with prize possibility to internet terminals. Over 9,000 national and international industry experts are expected to attend from 15 to 18 January 2008.
Espelkamp, January 22, 2008
Please contact:
Robert Hess M.A., Head of Communications
Phone: +49(0)5772 / 49-282; fax: -289
E-Mail: RHess@gauselmann.de
Mobile: +49(0)171/9745720
Gauselmann on the Internet: www.gauselmann.de or -.com