Federation Het Instrument was founded with the aim of organizing an independent fair where suppliers come into contact with the market. At the time, collaboration was the basis for the creation of the fair and FHI. After almost 70 years, a lot has changed, but we are all the more aware of the power of collaboration to achieve technological innovations and solutions.
The Het Instrument trade fair was created to meet the needs of manufacturers and importers for an independent, specialized meeting place. Due to the growing fragmentation of national and international trade fairs, companies are joining forces and organizing their own platforms for industry and laboratories.
During a press conference on May 31, 1957, in Utrecht, the first edition of Het Instrument was hailed as a great success. Despite the short preparation time, the exhibition generated an overwhelming response, establishing early on that this exhibition format met a clear need.
During the first edition, it was decided that Het Instrument would henceforth take place every two years. The minutes of October 3, 1956, state that the board deliberately opted for a biennial fair, so that the Het Instrument name would remain visible without competing with other trade fairs.
Through structured research into market developments and trends, Het Instrument is further professionalizing and growing into a fully-fledged industry organization.
The association is organized into four specialized sectors: Industrial Electronics, Industrial Automation, Laboratory Technology, and Medical Technology. Together, they form the foundation of FHI.
In the early 1990s, the internet opened up to businesses and individuals. It became an essential means of connecting with others, meaning that the physical trade fair was no longer the only meeting place. Online visibility became a crucial factor for market success and a key pillar of FHI's collective marketing.
The organization office in Soest has become too small and FHI is moving to the building on Uraniumweg in Amersfoort.
The trade associations together represent 738 affiliated members, a clear reflection of growth and support.
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Of the 41 companies that formed the foundation of Het Instrument, 21 are now members of FHI. Six of these still operate under the same company name. Despite acquisitions and strategic changes, this original core remains a key foundation within the current FHI.
In 1996 slaan FHI en Klap Verzekeringsmakelaar de handen ineen. De wens is om samen technologiebedrijven binnen de FHI‑achterban te voorzien van speciaal ontwikkelde verzekeringsoplossingen. FHI‑leden profiteren van collectieve voordelen, scherpe premies en verzekeringspakketten die volledig zijn toegesneden op de behoeften van de technologische-industrie.
FHI welcomes the fair's millionth visitor, a remarkable milestone that underscores the enduring appeal and current relevance of The Instrument.
The FHI office is moving from Uraniumweg in Amersfoort to its current building on the Leusderend estate in Leusden.
Thanks to an intensive collaboration with FEDA's Industrial Automation & Drives trade fair, Het Instrument will continue under the name World of Technology & Science. The fair will have a new format with four worlds: World of Automation, World of Laboratory, World of Motion & Drives, and World of Electronics.
Met de toetreding van Gebouw Automatisering breidt FHI zich uit tot vijf brancheorganisaties. Bij FHI Gebouw Automatisering komt alle kennis en expertise op het gebied van gebouwautomatisering samen: ontwerp, realisatie, uitvoering en beheer van gebouwen.
With Machevo & Bulk as official partner, Industrial Processing will have a permanent place on the trade fair floor from 2018 and will grow to become the fifth world within the World of Technology & Science.
During the coronavirus crisis, FHI is playing a leading role in establishing the National Consortium for Medical Devices. From its Leusden office, collaboration and coordination efforts are being rapidly organized to address shortages of medical devices in healthcare.
The trade fair is reinventing itself. By merging World of Automation, World of Motion & Drives, and World of Industrial Processing, World of Industry is created, which will continue under the name World of Industry, Technology & Science.
FHI is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. What began in 1956 as an initiative of 41 companies seeking their own independent trade fair has grown into the largest industrial meeting platform in the Benelux. In this article, we look back at the origins of Het Instrument and, together with Corné Reuvers of Beun-De Ronde, explore how the fair's role has changed over seven decades.
