Previous events

Subcontractor Connect has a long-standing history as a quality matchmaking event within the manufacturing industry. The matchmaking event Subcontractor Connect has been arranged at the Subcontractor fair for 15 years. In other words, it's a well established event that attracts exhibitors as well as visitors at the fair.

In 2023, the event was yet another great success! Companies from 23 countries attended over 130 meetings! A majority of the participants estimate that their meetings will lead to business agreements.

Some of the purchasing companies that participated previous years are Volvo Cars, Scania, CERN, Trelleborg Industrial Solutions, Fläkt Woods, SKF, IKEA of Sweden AB, Northvolt, Autoliv Sverige AB and others. 

Matchmaking gave Hydac AB new contacts

The matchmaking event Subcontractor Connect is the platform for meetings between suppliers and buyers from the industrial sector. The flexible combination of both physical and digital meetings is appreciated, and regardless of the meeting place, the focus is on new business. This is something that Hydac AB noticed during their participation in the matchmaking event 2023. 

Hydac AB participated as a visitor during Elmia Subcontractor 2023 and has a positive view of their participation in Subcontractor Connect. Primarily, the company was on site for the physical meetings that the fair format offers - and not least the organized form of matchmaking.

- As a buyer, it is very nice not to have to look for suppliers yourself. We had 11 meetings booked during one day at the matchmaking, and the next day we went around the fair looking for exhibitors and suppliers in our segment, says Maria Johansson, buyer and logistics manager at Hydac AB.

This was Maria Johansson's first on-site visit to Subcontractor Connect, but Hydac AB had previously participated. She continues:

- For us, the matchmaking was a huge opportunity to get a quick insight into many companies in a short time. Each meeting was 30 minutes long, which was just enough. The meeting is efficient where both parties are focused on what we have in common, says Maria.

Alternates scheduled and spontaneous meetings

Petr Ruzicka, Industrial Engineering in the Czech Republic, participated as an exhibitor at Elmia Subcontractor for the first time in 2023. He chose to alternate customer meetings at the booth with matchmaking.

- On the first day, I had six meetings booked; three digital and three physical which was a good mix. I think the matchmaking is a very effective way to get in touch with customers. It felt better than other meetings I've had, says Petr.

Repeated success

Subcontractor Connect has been a welcomed event with high participation for many years. In 2023, there were a total of 290 participants in the matchmaking, of which 30 were buyers and the remaining 260 suppliers from 22 countries.

- We have seen a greater interest among the exhibitors in participating in the matchmaking for each year it has been at the fair. Most of the meetings are now taking place physically on site, which we see is a change in behavior now that the pandemic is a little further away in time. In the past, more companies wanted digital meetings, and the hybrid variant is of course still offered. Flexibility is important, because after all, it is the meeting that is the focus, says Elin Berlin from Almi / Enterprise Europe Network, who organizes Subcontractor Connect together with Elmia Subcontractor.