Despite a massive volcanic eruption in Iceland severely disrupting air travel to Europe to the gigantic Bauma trade fair in Munich, Germany, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) said the show must go on at the AEM-run North American pavilion at the show.

Bauma 2010, organized by Messe München, is the 29th International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery.

AEM said in a written statement that on April 19, the show’s opening day, there were good crowds. The show runs through April 25 and more than 3,000 exhibitors are using a record 555,000 square meters (gross) of indoor and outdoor exhibition space at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre where the show is held.

Dennis Slater, president of AEM, said the North American pavilion was able to get up and running, thanks to the tremendous effort by AEM’s partners.

“The pavilion was ‘open for business’ when the show opened, with pavilion staff onsite helping connect customers, exhibitors, and trade media, translators, and meetings,” Slater said in an AEM press release. “And AEM, in Milwaukee and onsite, will continue to provide coordination and assistance to help all pavilion exhibitors, whether they are able to travel to the show or not, to make the most of connections from Bauma.”

For example, AEM is trying to coordinate intercontinental on-line web meetings for pavilion exhibitors, press, and potential future exhibitors and meetings with International Associations via the web media Skype to continue the high value contact/connections that trade shows offer.

AEM’s global support network makes it possible to provide high levels of customer service to participants not only in its exhibit pavilions but at AEM-run shows.

As a global show held in Europe, Bauma offers similar value to registrants and exhibitors offered by AEM’s North American-based global trade show, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 and IFPE 2011, which is held in Las Vegas every three years.

For more than 15 years, AEM’s international exhibit pavilion program has offered equipment manufacturers and service providers cost-effective direct marketing opportunities at leading international trade fairs. The association’s pavilion program is designed to take the hassle out of exhibiting at overseas expositions, providing a high return on investment and helping participants make the most of important international marketing opportunities.