CENTREX International Exhibition Statistics Union since her inception has become the top exhibition industry organisation in Central Eastern Europe: not only for promoting transparency, reliability and real market-value of exhibition statistics, but growingly also in promoting exhibitions as excellent face-to-face marketing tool in general aspect.
The Union was established as a non-profit organisation in 1997 at the initiative of the market leader exhibition organisers in Central East Europe.
CENTREX ever since then is an open organisation: further legal entities can join the Union having adopted and implemented the "Standard Exhibition Statistics Regulation" and signed the relevant agreement. Prior to joining CENTREX can advise prospective members on their internal procedures as related to a statistics system and exhibition control.
Since the launch CENTREX has extended its scope of safeguarding of transparency into 6 countries in Central East Europe: now covering most exhibition businesses in Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary.
CENTREX safeguards partner firms' interests within the range of exhibition statistics, updates the joint Standard Exhibition Statistics Regulation, monitors world-wide tendencies in exhibition statistics, consults on exhibition statistics with national and international organisations, institutes, chambers of commerce and exhibitor organisations, co-ordinates, supervises statistical, implements audits at their exhibition organiser companies.
The members of CENTREX strive for transparent, measurable, internationally acceptable, comparable, audited exhibition statistics, to promote these data and collaboration internationally, and to publish their data open wide in their annual publication and at their Internet site.
The first comprehensive publication of Centrex has been printed in 1999. Since the foundation the Union in 2013 published her 15th annually statistical bulletin.
To support internationality of CENTREX, the Union has become active in some significant international associations. The members' exhibition statistics are fully compatible with European exhibition statistics - and are annually published also as part of the EuroFair pan-European Trade Fair and Exhibition Statistics Yearbook.
In 1999 the Union was admitted as member of the UFI (The International Association of the Exhibition Industry). Other close collaboration partners are AUMA, CEFA and national exhibition associations like Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry.
As to retain the real international character of CENTREX the Board of Directors elects her new chairman in every second year, while the mandate of the Executive Director was given to Ildikó Molnár from Hungary. The headquarters and coordination of CENTREX is located in Budapest.
Transparent exhibition statistics is badly needed for right business and marketing decisions for exhibitors, visitors, trade associations alike. So over collecting and publishing statistical data CENTREX has upgraded her activity into joint promotion of the trade fairs as effective tool of face-to-face marketing communication. ("social instrument of marketing")
Based on similar challenges the members decided to identify opportunities and join efforts in competing with other marketing tools, to strengthen the acceptance of the trade fairs based on real market values. Possible ways can be informing each other of the best practice, of the market surveys and opinions, developing joint publications, marketing actions, upgrading web-site accordingly.
As another field of coverage the web-visitors can read here exhibitors' references, testimonials: statements and opinions of companies and institutions who have achieved business success through participation at exhibitions and why they trust the values and efficiency of this marketing tool in the future as well. Web-site also serves as a transfer of know-how: CENTREXs slogan as The Exhibition Knowledge Provider is addressing exhibitors, visitors, business associations, press, public and trade fair industry alike on perceiving current opportunites how trade fairs can serve their interests.
CENTREX as a professional body promoting exhibitions makes every effort in her communication both inside and outside the respective countries to reflect the most important advantages of the fairs: the face - to - face communication platform. Seminars and workshops organised by CENTREX are excellent way for exchange of experiences.