InfraTech 2025, you were top!

The exhibition organization of InfraTech 2025 looks back on an extremely successful edition with a record number of visitors. Ahoy Rotterdam was four days of networking, information sharing and collaboration. We from GWW-Bouwmat also look back on a more than successful exhibition. Together with Annemieke den Otter, Exhibition Manager of InfraTech, we look back one more time on the 2025 edition that truly broke all records. 

The importance of collaboration was emphasized not only at the opening ceremony, but also by Martin Wijnen, DG of the Department of Public Works, and Barry Madlener, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management in an interview with GWW-Bouwmat. They are convinced that cooperation as well as innovation is essential to meet the future challenges in the sector. "It is wonderful to see that the words of previous editions are now increasingly being translated into action," said Annemieke. She emphasized that InfraTech is the platform where all clients and contractors from the sector come together: "I saw the right decision makers together, who were not only informed, but also really engaged in conversation."

Records

The sixteenth edition of the biennial event that brings together the entire infrastructure sector broke all records. No fewer than 23,344 visitors attended the trade fair, which was packed to the brim all week with almost 500 exhibitors and 200 knowledge sessions. With this, the trade fair has once again proven to be the platform where the future of infrastructure takes shape. Annemieke is justifiably proud of the result. "We managed to trigger the right audience. Moreover, they rated this edition higher than the edition before. As an organization, we ourselves were also pleasantly surprised by the content that was shared at the fair during the many knowledge sessions and presentations. The fair was even used for official signing moments by, among others, the Coalition for Sustainable Bridges and Viaducts, but also the revised UAV-GC 2025, the standard for integrated cooperation in the construction and infrastructure sector, was awarded at InfraTech. The fair is thus considered by cooperating parties to be the platform where the entire market comes together."

Innovation Power

Martin Wijnen, director-general of InfraTech host Rijkswaterstaat for a year now, was impressed by what he saw and heard at his first InfraTech: "We realize that we can only fulfill our tasks with all the parties present here. Innovation is crucial, but the biggest challenge lies in implementing it in our processes." In view of the major replacement and renovation task, he called for intensive cooperation between government and market to meet this challenge. It was also his first InfraTech for Barry Madlener, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management. He praised the innovative force that was visible at the fair. "For me as minister, it's great to see how many smart solutions there are for the big challenges we face. We have to do a lot of maintenance with as little inconvenience as possible and with limited budgets, but innovations can help enormously in this." 

Speaking of innovations, during InfraTech the Innovation Awards were presented as usual. On the following pages we put the winners in the three categories in the spotlight. Furthermore, Annemieke is already busy planning the next edition in two years. "Everyone who was there has the right to book their existing spot again or be the first to prefer another spot," she says. Make a note in your calendar: the next InfraTech will take place from January 12 to 15, 2027. On the following pages a comprehensive exhibition report of the 2025 edition, so you can reminisce for a while. InfraTech 2025, you were great!