“In an increasingly uncertain context, protecting people and infrastructures requires constantly updating resources and solutions.”
Anne Frayssinet, Director of Milipol and security division events at Comexposium, spoke with Milipol Daily ahead of this year’s show in an exclusive interview
The show director shares some of the event’s history and importance for the industry as well as the expectations for this year’s edition.
Milipol is celebrating its 39th anniversary this year. Can you tell us briefly about the history of Milipol and its importance today?
At the end of the 1970s, a number of French manufacturers supplying police equipment were concerned at the international level about the weakness of their commercial contacts. Unlike the aerospace and defence sectors, the homeland security industry in France did not have a means of promotion and communication on level with its importance. So the idea of organising a specific international trade show was born.
In 1984, the first international trade show, Milipol, was organised in Paris.
In 1995, under the aegis of the French Ministry of the Interior, the Milipol Paris exhibition took on a new and powerful dimension, becoming an official event.
Since 2001, the Milipol brand has belonged to a group of companies (GIE Milipol), including PROTECOP, THALES, VISIOM and CIVIPOL. Today, Comexposium Security is responsible for organising the show.
Milipol Paris is the world’s leading trade show dedicated to safety and homeland security. A veritable breeding ground for innovation, it offers cutting-edge technologies and services for the fight against terrorism and organised crime, border control, critical infrastructure protection, urban security, risk analysis and management, etc. Homeland security issues are topical all over the world. Threats are multiple and complex, and we need to develop the means to counter them.
Milipol Paris, with its multitude of exhibitors and speakers, its series of conferences, workshops and TV programme, presents global solutions to combat all forms of crime.
Over the years, the Milipol brand has also spread internationally, embodying a network of high-quality international trade shows covering the field of homeland security:
- 1996: 1st edition of Milipol Qatar in Doha
- 2015: 1st Milipol Asia-Pacific in Singapore
- 2023: 1st edition of Milipol India in New Delhi
The Milipol trade show enables security professionals from all over the world to find the equipment and technologies they need by bringing together all the solution providers, manufacturers and distributors.
What’s new at Milipol Paris this year?
In an increasingly uncertain context, protecting people and infrastructures requires constantly updating resources and solutions.
The Milipol trade show enables security professionals from all over the world (from both the public and private sectors) to find the equipment and technologies they need by bringing together all the solution providers, manufacturers and distributors in Paris.
The 2023 edition will be the largest ever in terms of exhibitors and exhibition space, with an unprecedented growth of over 40% compared to the last edition… and we hope in terms of visitors and international delegations as well. Among the more than 1,100 exhibitors, 65% are international this year.
What’s more, there will be a lot of innovation on the stands and a lot of content on offer at the show. Innovation will be highlighted in particular through the Milipol Innovation Awards, trophies aimed at rewarding the best innovations by manufacturers present at Milipol in terms of products, equipment, services, solutions and business models. The trophies are awarded in 6 categories, with a category dedicated to CSR initiatives added for the 2023 edition. The awards ceremony will take place at the show on Tuesday 14 November at 14:00.
For the first time this year, the start-up area will host start-ups from the Generate by GICAT accelerator, highlighting the entrepreneurial dynamism of the security industry. Around thirty start-ups will be present and will have seven minutes to showcase their innovations on the “innovation stage”.
We will also have a Milipol TV show in partnership with S&D magazine for the first time this year.
And for the first time this year, we will be hosting dynamic demonstrations by the Civil Protection, DOPC/BI, GIGN and the RAID during the event.
Photo: © Milipol Network / Anne Emmanuelle Thion
Milipol Paris 2023 – Bigger and better than ever
The forecasted numbers for Milipol Paris this year indicate the show will break its previous record in terms of visitors and exhibitors.
The 2019 edition of Milipol Paris counted over 32,000 visitors and this year’s show is set to top that number. All areas of public and industrial security will be represented: law enforcement, special forces, protection of industrial and sensitive sites, security of public places, security of transport infrastructures, anti-terrorism, private security, civil security, data protection and cyber security, etc. It is also important for the event to maintain a balance between visitors from the public and private sectors.
Overview of visitors to Milipol Paris in 2021:
o 58% private (Manufacturers, distributors, service or consultancy companies, etc.)
o 42% public (Ministries and State bodies, institutions, administrations, etc.)
o 66% had a role in the purchasing process
o 57% came to Milipol Paris 2021 with investment or purchasing plans
o 92% found solutions and contacts during the event to help them realise their projects
This year around 160 international delegations are expected to attend the event. To achieve this, Milipol Paris is working closely with the partnership office of the DCIS – Ministry of the Interior and Overseas France and the network of French homeland security representatives around the world.
