LANGKAWI INTERNATIONAL MARITIME & AEROSPACE EXHIBITION
LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA | 1 - 5 DECEMBER 2009
SHOW UPDATES
- Overview
- Strong Government Support
- LIMA Fact Sheet
- LIMA Statistics
- Attending Delegates
- Attending Aircrafts
- Attending Warships
EXHIBITION NEWS
LESLIE ANDRES talks to Vice Admiral (Rtd) Tan Sri Abdul Wahab Nawi of HW Lima Sdn Bhd, organiser of the latest edition of the LIMA series.
- Q: How do you feel about the government's appointment of HW Lima as the sole organiser
of Lima '09?
A: There is a general sense of achievement, not just by me, but the whole HW Lima organisation. And a great sense of responsibility, but one that we are quietly confident we can fulfil.
- Q: Is this something the company has been pushing for?
A: The Defence Ministry was contemplating changing the aero-space organiser for 2009. We took the opportunity to send in a proposal that made sense.
- Q: People, whether in the Defence Ministry, the armed forces, or previous exhibitors at the maritime segment of Lima, have commented that HW Lima is an efficient organisation. Is the appointment a recognition of the good work and efficiency of HW Lima?
A: I would like to think so, that our record had some influence in the decision. The team has been working unbelievably hard for the success of the maritime segment since we received our appointment in 1996 and I believe that to a greater degree we have achieved this.
- Q: What comes next now that HW Lima is to organise both segments of Lima '09? Do you have specific plans?
A: We have a plan in place, the gist of which was outlined to the government in our proposal. The main thrust will be presenting a professional, relevant and cohesive exhibition that best facilitates business, is focused on exhibitor needs and is representative of the Asia Pacific market. The administration, operations, marketing and communications aspect of the organisation will be centred to fulfil this goal. For the regular visitor to Lima, the most tangible and obvious change will be the co-location of the maritime and aerospace segments at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre, while maintaining the warship display that is a key feature of the exhibition. Other features encompassing exhibition facilities, delegation management, traffic flow management and more will be announced once we have finalised the details.
- Q: What comes next now that HW Lima is to organise both segments of Lima '09? Do you have specific plans?
A: We have a plan in place, the gist of which was outlined to the government in our proposal. The main thrust will be presenting a professional, relevant and cohesive exhibition that best facilitates business, is focused on exhibitor needs and is representative of the Asia Pacific market. The administration, operations, marketing and communications aspect of the organisation will be centred to fulfil this goal. For the regular visitor to Lima, the most tangible and obvious change will be the co-location of the maritime and aerospace segments at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre, while maintaining the warship display that is a key feature of the exhibition. Other features encompassing exhibition facilities, delegation management, traffic flow management and more will be announced once we have finalised the details.
- Q: Does HW Lima intend to go all out to promote Lima '09? Will the company be attending defence and air shows to promote the show?
A: We have selected 14 exhibitions that are most suited to our promotions strategy, based primarily on exhibitor attendance, geographical representation and ability to support brand awareness. The more prominent ones are the Paris Air Show, Euronaval and IDEX in Abu Dhabi.
- Q: Obviously, organising both segments of the show will take more resources. What kind of effort will HW Lima have to put in now since its focus will be split between segments? Can it handle this, especially since its experience has been in the maritime sector and none at all in aerospace?
A: I have confidence in our abilities. We were posed the same question when we undertook the maritime segment in 1997 and I take pride in what we achieved on our first try then. Certainly there is more to do but the basic principles of organising an exhibition remains. The company is already geared to take on the responsibility. We are blessed with very dedicated, talented and seasoned staff who will be fulfilling the key roles and providing the backbone of the organisational structure. Our sales are supported globally by 16 representatives that have their core business in defence. Our media partners include some of the most respected trade magazines in the world. Our reputation in the market is solid. So yes, I am confident. Of course, we will have to invest in human capital to complete the organisation. Nevertheless, the building blocks are in place to achieve our objectives for Lima '09.
- Q: Has HW Lima been in touch with exhibitors? How do they feel about the change in organisers for the aerospace segment?
A: The exhibitors generally accept the change from a two-organiser structure to a single organiser as a move forward.
- Q: Since one company now has sole charge of the exhibition, will any deal be offered to exhibitors who have booths or products in both segments? This question comes in the light of information received during Lima '07 from such exhibitors who were considering downsizing their participation in future editions by having only one booth in one segment, so as to cut costs.
A: This will be mitigated when we introduce the single venue concept.
- Q: When Le Proton Lima was dropped for the 2007 exhibition, there was an issue when World Aerospace continued using the old Lima logo: Le Proton claimed it held the copyright. Will HW Lima have a new logo for Lima?
A: We have designed a new logo for Lima '09 and plan to present the rights to this logo to the Defence Ministry. This will ensure that the show's brand will remain unchanged and can be continuously reinforced irrespective of who is organising it.
- Q: World Aerospace is organising a new air show next year to be held in Kuala Lumpur around June. Is another air show a threat to Lima?
A: I am aware of this. And no, I don't think it will be a threat. It clearly states in the (newspaper) articles that the air show is focused on the commercial sector of the industry and is supported by the Tourism Ministry. Lima is a dedicated defence and civil exhibition supported by the Defence Ministry and all government agencies that use maritime and aerospace assets to perform their enforcement and relief responsibilities.
Show Updates
LIMA‘09 Newsletter
Subscribe to our official newsletter and receive latest information of the upcoming LIMA ‘09.
