Intersolar Joins Forces with SEMICON West to Form Largest Solar Technology Exposition in North America
We are pleased to announce the partnership between SEMI, Frieburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe Gmbh & Co (FWTM) and Solar Promotion GmbH, the organizers of Intersolar, Europe's largest solar technology trade fair, to host Intersolar North America. This new exposition will be the largest trade event in the United States serving the entire solar energy supply chain. Intersolar North America will be collocated and share dates with SEMICON West in San Francisco at the Moscone Center.

Together, SEMICON West and Intersolar North America will address the entire supply chain in solar energy including solar thermal energy and PV.  Exhibitors will include PV cell and module manufacturers, polysilicon suppliers, equipment and materials suppliers, components and subsystems, and architectural/construction services. Intersolar North America will be a co-located event with SEMICON West, occupying portions of the West Hall of Moscone Center.

Click here to learn what this partnership means for exhibitors as well as to access the Intersolar North America FAQs.

Tune–up time: Positive trends and key learnings from SEMICON West 2007 survey results encourage continued improvement
The results of the post-SEMICON West 2007 exhibitor and visitor surveys are in, and while the trends are positive, the customer input points to areas of continued improvement for both SEMI and our exhibitors. The time is right to think about tuning–up and getting ready for SEMICON West 2008. Read more.

SEMICON West 2008 Exhibitor University Program
As mentioned above, we have received very valuable customer input from the results of the post–SEMICON West 2007 exhibitor and visitor surveys. 

A deeper look into the visitor survey results, point to ideas and recommendations for exhibitor tune–ups. It might be easy to overlook, but the reality is that exhibitors make up the majority of an exposition. What goes into your exhibits—and the people who staff them—is vitally important to the success of the overall show and to positive customer satisfaction.

Among the identified areas for improvement, many visitors expressed concern over a perception that it is the same show with the same exhibits every year. Another major visitor concern is the perception that there are fewer technical experts and engineers working the exhibits. These are areas for improvement where SEMI needs your help.

In the coming months, we will be bringing you new, 'focused' education programs and information designed to help address these specific areas of improvement that your customers are seeking. We are also exploring new incentive programs that we hope will encourage a greater investment in exhibit design and performance, including ideas for rewarding best–in–class exhibitors who are making a difference in improving visitor satisfaction and attendance. Finally, we are planning to introduce new tools and education to support your own marketing and promotion efforts and performance.

Questions regarding the SEMICON West 2008 Exhibitor University? Please contact Leslie Schade at Email: lschade@semi.org or Tel: 1.408.943.6978.

FairGuide.com–Continuous Alert
Please continue to note a company called Construct Data Verlag AG (aka “Fair Guide“), and Austrian publishing company, has distributed an internet directory listing form to a number of our exhibitors in the past. The company uses an extremely misleading form inviting exhibitors to sign and return the form for an entry in an online directory. Doing so, contracts the exhibitor into a three–year, non–retractable agreement totaling nearly US$3,000. This is an on–going issue and is not related to the SEMICON West 2008 Event Directory.  This company does not represent SEMI in any manner. If you receive a form from this company, please ignore it.

If you are a U.S. company that has been targeted by Construct Data, it is important to lodge a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

Federal Trade Commission
CRC-240
600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580
Tel: 1.877.FTC HELP Fax: (202) 326 2034

To file a complaint online: www.ftc.gov.

The UFI Web site, has additional information for companies outside the U.S, as well as more details related to the scam.

Exhibitor Committee
Would you like to become a part of the North America Exhibitor Committee that helps shape exhibiting policies and guidelines?  If so, now is your chance. This committee is a blend of large and small exhibiting companies. If you are interested, please take a few minutes to see if you qualify:

• Minimum of 3 years direct responsibility for tradeshows.
• Able to attend and participate in a minimum of two committee meetings annually.
• Actively participate and support the work of SEMI management and its representatives.

If you are interested, please email Leslie Rauscher at lrauscher@semi.org.

Please include information on your membership affiliation and status, including segmentation and number of employees, your position with the company and reasons for wanting to be on the Committee and your general background qualifications.