You may have read about it in our newsletters: we have some very exciting shows coming up around the world. For the first time, we are collaborating on a show much closer to (our) home. Here’s a first look at the upcoming Marine show: METS 2013.

Materia will be present at the Marine Equipment Trade Show with our travelling showcase, Material Xperience On Tour. As a part of the Construction Material Pavilion, we will be displaying innovative materials for the maritime sector.

The goal is to inspire naval architects, designers and shipyards with innovative new materials to be used in boat and yacht construction such as lightweight and fire resistant materials, composites and interior cladding. There will also be a dedicated Construction Stage, where a variety of speakers from other industries – such as aviation, construction and automotive – will share their knowledge of how to apply these materials.

One of the key strategies for the materials’ business is keeping up with innovation. This is even more important during these economically challenging times, according to Irene Dros, manager of the maritime domain at Amsterdam RAI. Last year, METS introduced a pavilion for construction materials which attracted 25 exhibitors. To support the growth of the pavilion, the organisation examined which new and innovative materials from other industrial sectors could be applied within the marine sector.

Materia will have around 125 innovative materials on display at METS. We’ll be selecting them all carefully for their potential within the marine construction industry. We’re very excited about this collaboration, as it shows the potential for inspiring materials in the design industry. The shows’ organisers are keen to continue in this fashion. A goal for the near future is to have a boat on display featuring an interior and exterior entirely made of materials which naval architects and/or boat-builders discovered at Material Xperience On Tour at METS.

Our aim at METS is to serve as a global network organisation, connecting architects and boat manufacturers with materials which add value to their projects. The trade show is the world’s largest and most visited leisure marine event and it takes place from November 19th – 21st in Amsterdam RAI. We’ll be posting news on partners and the materials on show soon – keep in touch through Facebook and Twitter for updates! More information here.