A strong Luxembourg presence at the International Environment and Energy Exhibition
At the 28th edition of Pollutec which was held from 27 to 30 November 2018, Luxembourg confirmed its role as a committed stakeholder in environmental issues by having a national collective stand at the heart of the event.
Sixteen companies were represented on this national pavilion and many grand-ducal institutional stakeholders were also present. Among them were the Vice-President of the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, Robert Dennewald, the Ambassador of Luxembourg to France, H.E. Martine Schommer, the Honorary Consul of Luxembourg in Lyon, Gérard Herrbach and the Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy, also Secretary General of the Business Club France-Luxembourg (BCFL), Laurence Sdika.
For 4 days, more than 50 Luxembourg companies, exhibitors and visitors alike, made their way along the Pollutec aisles. This significant representation illustrated the country’s clear desire to position itself at the event in order to meet the challenges of the ecological transition. Many innovative solutions in the fields of renewable energies, water treatment, eco-construction and sustainable transport were highlighted in the pavilion.
The Innovation Showcase, a springboard for Luxembourg companies
During the Innovation Showcase competition, the event in the event, organised in partnership with PEXE – the network of France’s eco-businesses – 153 innovations were applauded, 4 of which came from Luxembourg companies: Uption, Betic Ingénieurs-Conseils, Hitec and Motor Development International (MDI). Betic Ingénieurs-Conseils was also selected as one of the 20 finalists given the oppor-tunity to pitch their innovations on the Ring.
For Robert Dennewald, Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce, “The preparation and support of our companies, and in particular SMEs, in the various economic transitions, whether energy, circular or digital, are at the heart of our concerns. This significant presence of the Grand Duchy confirms the importance our economy gives to sustainable development and eco-innovation. I am convinced that our participation here will generate promising partnerships that will lead to the development of a sus-tainable community and generate synergies of intelligent actions in the collective interest of our respec-tive economies.”
For her part, H.E. Ms Schommer, Ambassador of Luxembourg to France, declared: “Luxembourg and France are much more than neighbours, with very close relations in many fields. With its economy, the most open one in the OECD, Luxembourg can serve as an international platform for French companies in a French-speaking environment. Innovation is in Luxembourg’s DNA, and it is thanks to this that we have and are able to re-invent ourselves in the event of a crisis. This spirit is reflected in the presence here, in numerous fields, of our innovative companies. Moreover, as a precursor of sustainable devel-opment, the Government of Luxembourg is very committed to moving towards a circular economy and our country has developed new instruments in the field of green finance. The Luxembourg presence at Pollutec is impressive in terms of the number of companies and the quality.”
Business meetings to facilitate partnerships
Luxembourg exhibitors and visitors also had the opportunity to participate in business meetings organ-ised by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its partners as part of the European Commission’s Enterprise Europe Network. These “Green Days”, planned in advance of the event, were developed to foster international business partnerships and promote sustainable net-working between European companies.
In parallel, a guided tour of the exhibition was organised by the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce to allow a dozen Luxembourg companies to network and discover the latest trends, technologies and innovationspresented at Pollutec.
For Sabrina Sagramola, Head of European & Greater Region Affairs at the Chamber of Commerce, “The initiative to organize a national pavilion at an internationally renowned trade fair such as Pollutec un-derlines the role of the Chamber of Commerce in the practical implementation of the strategy of the 3rd Industrial Revolution as well as the importance of its mission in providing personalised support to our companies internationally.”
