Interclean Amsterdam 2020 has officially transitioned to a virtual event, with the in-person show cancelled by organisers RAI Amsterdam.
Originally scheduled to take place in May 2020, Interclean was originally delayed until 3 - 6 November 2020 due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The new virtual version of the event will take place on the same dates, 3 – 6 November.
Bas Dalm, Executive Vice President Exhibition & Sales at RAI Amsterdam, said: “This decision is disappointing for all of us, especially as RAI Amsterdam is ready to organise Interclean Amsterdam COVID-secure and fully in line with all health and safety guidelines. RAI Amsterdam has worked tirelessly to adapt all its facilities and protocols to enable events to be held in a safe, responsible and hospitable manner.
“But as the situation COVID-19 continues to evolve, and many of our international exhibitors and visitors have been forced to cancel their plans to participate at Interclean due to market conditions and continued travel restrictions, we feel that the show can no longer deliver the quality expected of Interclean as the largest global cleaning and hygiene platform and therefore will move forward to a virtual experience for 2020.
“By organising the virtual event from 3-6 November, we plan to continue to play a vital role in supporting the industry to get back on track, wherever we are able. Online educational sessions with different themes will complement each other and are available for everybody throughout the day as well as the possibility to visit companies, plan meetings and socialise with peers.
“This year’s Interclean Amsterdam in May would have been the largest ever, postponing the event to 2022 will result again in a strong, value adding event for the industry with high benefits for all parties. Due to the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, our mission cannot be accomplished successfully now, thus we believe it is the right decision to hold on and come back even stronger together in 2022. Our confidence in the future is strengthened by the commitment shown from the many stakeholders already reconfirming their participation in the 2022 event.
“In a time when the subject of hygiene is one of the most discussed in the world, we want to bring the expertise of all the major cleaning and (environmental) hygiene suppliers together to connect with those who are searching the best solutions to open up their facilities again. Going completely virtual this year allows us to still provide a place for the industry to gather, share knowledge and connect with other industries who are in need of expertise. It also opens the doors for interaction and collaboration with industry representatives who may have been unable to travel to our event in the past.”
