ALL-ENERGY: UK’S LEADING ALTERNATIVE ENERGY EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE - ACQUIRED BY REED EXHIBITIONS

Harrogate, 19 July 2011. Reed Exhibitions is delighted to announce that it has acquired Media Generation Events Ltd (MGE), the organisers of All-Energy, the UK's largest alternative energy exhibition and conference, held annually each May in Aberdeen.

The All-Energy Exhibition & Conference has been held in Aberdeen, ‘The Energy City’, since 2001, and is the UK's largest event devoted to all forms of clean and renewable energy, but with a strong emphasis on onshore and offshore wind in both the exhibition and conference.

The show has experienced rapid growth over recent years, with the 2011 edition increasing in size by 35% from 2010, welcoming 580 exhibitors from 20 countries, and staging nearly 50 conference sessions in seven free-to-attend parallel streams. Close to 8,000 participants from more than 50 countries attended the show at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre during two exceptionally busy days (18-19 May 2011), establishing a new attendance record. The growth mirrors the investment in the industry both in the UK and globally.

Reed Exhibitions’ Divisional Managing Director, Justin Tadman said: “Acquiring All-Energy is an important step in securing our position in the UK’s alternative energy market, and is a key strategic element in our global renewable energy strategy. We are looking forward to working closely with All-Energy exhibitors, visitors, sponsors and supporters to deliver an excellent 12th edition of the show in Aberdeen between 23-24 May 2012.”

“We are very pleased that we have completed the transaction with Reed Exhibitions,” said Matthew Meredith, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar MICE Development Institute (QMDI), the majority shareholder in Media Generation Events Ltd. “We have thoroughly enjoyed our association with All-Energy since February 2009, and are impressed by the enthusiasm with which Reed Exhibitions is embracing the event. Their global network will undoubtedly benefit the show enormously. It is encouraging to see the show perform so well, and we wish it, and the team with whom we have so enjoyed working, every success in the future.”

Paul Stott, Managing Director of Media Generation Group plc added: “We would like to thank all our sponsoring and endorsing organisations, exhibitors, speakers and a host of individuals for their strong support and enthusiasm for All-Energy that has enabled us to grow the show from its 2001 beginnings with fewer than 50 exhibiting companies and total attendance of 350, to its role as the major event in the renewable energy industry calendar."

Importantly the ‘mix’ that has proved so successful for All-Energy will remain the same, combining a major exhibition, free-to-attend multi-stream conference, and unparalleled networking opportunities over two packed days.

“As co-creator of All-Energy I am delighted that Reed Exhibitions will be steering the show to ever greater success, and that I will remain a key part of the team,” says Project Director, Judith Patten. "I will remain part of the expanded All-Energy team who see exciting opportunities ahead. We will be able to take advantage of far greater resources and a strong global team that will undoubtedly help to ensure that we continue to meet, and indeed surpass, market expectations, delivering an exceptional show every year in terms of content, growth and attendance. We are looking forward to strong cross-promotion between the growing number of renewable energy shows in the Reed Exhibitions’ portfolio. We will continue to produce the 365-day-a-year elements we know are appreciated throughout the industry, including our daily newsfeeds, web-based jobs zone, and free fortnightly news digest, News@All-Energy.”

Reed Exhibitions’ strong position in the energy industry
The acquisition of All-Energy is a strategically vital component to Reed Exhibitions’ rapidly expanding global energy portfolio in North and South America, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. In the past year they have acquired and launched shows in Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, Russia, Singapore – and now the UK. Ongoing investment in All-Energy, in terms particularly of resources at home and globally, is planned in order to continue its rapid growth, thus ensuring it retains its position as the leading ‘all renewables’ event in the UK.

Reed Exhibitions’ activity within the alternative energy sector this year has seen the recent acquisition of Multiplus Fairs and Events, Brazil’s leading organiser of bio-fuel events including Fenasucro, the region’s leading ethanol manufacturing event, and the co-located agri-industrial event Agrocana. These acquisitions, now including All-Energy, will add to Reed Exhibitions’ alternative energy portfolio which includes existing events such as PV Expo and Fuel Cell Expo in Japan, Asia Smart Grid in Singapore, and the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi.

About All-Energy 2011
Held at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, All-Energy 2011 welcomed 580+ exhibitors, offered a free-to-attend multi-stream conference (presentations are online), which included an up-beat video message from First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP in which he pledged to move "still faster and further" to secure Scotland's place as the green energy powerhouse of Europe.

The conference addresses all sources of renewables and clean energy including onshore and offshore wind; wave and tidal; hydro; hydrogen and fuel cells; bioenergy; microgeneration, and larger-scale onsite renewables; carbon capture and storage; geothermal; nuclear; as well as the policy, challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

Networking is key to the success of All-Energy – on exhibitor stands and in the Giant Networking Evening which this year attracted over a thousand people.