Organizers of the computing and IT convention in Hannover said on Monday they were expecting over 4,200 exhibitors this year, including Xerox, IBM, Epson, and Motorola.
“The big names are back,” said CeBIT director Frank Pörschmann, noting the mood in the tech industry had improved markedly. “We’re pleased that several companies have returned.”
The global economic crisis cut the number of exhibitors by a quarter in 2009 and the trade fair continued to shrink last year. But Deutsche Messe official Ernst Raue said the 2011 convention looked set to show the economic downturn was history.
“We’re growing again. The dynamism we’re seeing in the sector is amazingly high,” Raue said.
From March 1-5, CeBIT will turn Hannover into the centre of the high-tech universe, as the latest IT and computing innovations are put on display.
“There’s no comparable platform,” said Jutta Jacobi, the head of IBM’s trade fair exhibition.
Up to 400,000 people are expected to visit this year’s CeBIT.
DPA/The Local/mry
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