Great interest in the construction industry, civil engineering and town planning was very much in evidence at the Verk og vit 2024 exhibition, which was held the Laugardalur Exhibition Hall in Reykjavík on 18-21 April. About 25,000 people, both professionals and the general public, attended the exhibition, which was similar to the attendance levels on the previous two occasions in 2018 and 2020. More than 100 exhibitors participated.
The exhibition was formally opened by the Minister of Infrastructure, Svandís Svavarsdóttir. The first two exhibition days were reserved for professionals, with doors thrown open to the public at the weekend. In addition, about 1,800 Grade 10 school pupils attended at the invitation of Verk og vit and the Federation of Icelandic Industries, the aim being to give them an insight into potential careers following studies in industrial subjects. Verk og vit, Ístak and BYKO also invited about 300 upper-secondary and university students to the exhibition to give them a taste of what is happening in these exciting occupational sectors.
“Verk og vit was a great success all round,” says Áslaug Pálsdóttir, CEO of AP Public Relations, which managed the exhibition. “The exhibitors aimed high, and put their message across to the many guests. There were lots of people in attendance throughout the exhibition and it was clear that they took the time they needed to see what was on display, particularly the industry professionals. Verk og vit has established itself as an important venue in these professions, and it is clear that a lot of business contacts were formed.
“This time, exhibitors put their focus on recruitment and development of these industries: training, investment in infrastructure and environmental issues, all of which are very much under examination. We have never before had such a wide range of exhibitors and it was particularly gratifying to see more exhibitors from abroad. This gave an extra boost to the exhibition and the market.”
Perhaps the best indicator of the growing status and importance of Verk og vit is the fact that exhibition space was sold out straight away when booking opened in August last year. Long waiting lists formed, but many prospective exhibitors could not be accommodated. Unsurprisingly, preparations for the next event, which is planned for 2026, have already begun.