United Business Media Buys Ecobuild for $84 Million; Company's Mid-year Revenues Up 9 Percent
July 28, 2011
U.K.-based United Business Media bought International Business Events, the owner of the Ecobuild exhibition business, for an initial cash payment of $51 million followed by another $33 million payable during the next 12 months.
UBM acquired the business on behalf of its UBM Built Environment division, according to company officials. Ecobuild’s CEO David Wood will remain with the business until mid-2012.
Ecobuild, an exhibition for sustainable building products, was launched in 2004 and is held annually at ExCeL London.
“Ecobuild is a great show that complements our other businesses in the UK built environment sector such as Building and Property Week,” said UBM CEO David Levin.
The event has grown from 6,100 attendees in 2006 to more than 55,000 in 2001, with a showfloor that spans 28,000 square meters (301,389 square feet).
Boasting a 54-percent compound annual growth rate since 2007, in 2011, the show generated revenues of approximately $15.4 million and even more growth is predicted by strategy consultants AMR International who forecasted that the U.K. sustainable construction market will grow 30-percent CAGR from 2011 to 2015.
Besides UBM Built Environment’s existing U.K. media portfolio, which includes print and online products Building and Property Week, Ecobuild fits in with events such as Interiors, Sleep, BSEC and RESI.
Ecobuild also adds to UBM’s international construction portfolio: Expobuild in China, the Concrete Show in Brazil and Building Future Education in the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, UBM plans to expand the Ecobuild brand, with the first show planned in April next year in Shanghai alongside Expobuild.
“We expect to double the size of Ecobuild over the next four years and we see clear opportunities to develop Ecobuild events in new geographies, taking advantage of our worldwide events infrastructure and our existing events portfolio, particularly in emerging markets such as China, Brazil, India and UAE,” Levin said.
Eliane van Doorn has been appointed to drive the internationalization of UBM’s built environment product portfolio.
In her previous role at UBM Live, Eliane oversaw the development of UBM’s pharmaceutical industry tradeshow portfolio from seven events to 17 events, taking place across China, Europe, Japan, India and South America.
In other UBM news, the company’s mid-year Interim Results ending June 30 recently were released, with revenues increasing to $778 million from $712 million, a 9.1-percent increase, with 6.4 percent underlying growth.
“We have had a good first half with the business trading in line with our guidance,” Levin said. “We’re pleased with the 6.4 percent underlying revenue growth, and particularly the 16 percent headline growth in Emerging Marketswhere we now generate almost 20 percent of our total operating profit.”
He added, “These positive revenue trends have driven healthy 10.5-percent growth in adjusted operating profit, an increase in our group margin to 19.4 percent and were accompanied by strong cash generation.”
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
Add new comment