RAI Amsterdam, owners and producers of METSTRADE (The Marine Equipment Trade Show), has purchased a 50-percent stake in the International BoatBuilders' Exhibition & Conference from WoodenBoat Publications Inc., publisher of Professional BoatBuilder magazine. 

The announcement was made at the IBEX show, which currently is being held in Tampa, Fla.

Starting Oct. 7, RAI Amsterdam will partner with the National Marine Manufacturers Association to produce future IBEX events. 

"Working alongside Professional BoatBuilder we have made IBEX the best marine trade event in North America. Through our new partnership with the RAI, we will build on that foundation to create the best marine trade event in the world," said Thom Dammrich, president of NMMA.

He added, "The RAI brings a wealth of event experience that will allow us to further our international efforts as we continue helping our members grow their business around the globe."

While IBEX and the METSTRADE Show will continue to maintain their unique focus and identity, IBEX will be powered by METSTRADE to foster international growth in attendees, exhibits and sponsorships.

"We are looking forward to partnering with the NMMA to bring together more industry resources for recreational marine businesses and professionals globally. As the new co-owners of IBEX, we will work together to grow an international presence of marine manufacturers and technology at IBEX while giving European businesses more access to U.S. professionals," said Ids Boersma, executive vice president of RAI Exhibitions.

Boeesma added, "Together, IBEX and the METSTRADE Show will be more collaborative to ensure all of the latest worldwide industry developments, training and products are being brought to the professionals attending each event."

This week in Tampa, IBEX will bring together 556 exhibiting companies, of which 110 are new to the Show, with 7,000 boating industry professionals to see the latest products and services on the show floor, which expands 118,000-plus square feet with exhibits both inside and on the water.

METSTRADE Show is billed as “the world’s largest marine equipment trade show”, which has been bringing the marine industry together for decades.

More than 22,000 professionals from 112 countries around the world will gather in Amsterdam in November for the next show.

"We at Professional BoatBuilder magazine, the company that founded IBEX, have sold our ownership in IBEX to the RAI. We've had a longstanding respect for the RAI, and we're confident they'll sustain the level of excellence we've achieved for the show since 1992," said Jim Miller, publisher and general manager, Professional BoatBuildermagazine. 

He added “Our entire team is extraordinarily proud of the positive impact we've made on the boatbuilding and repair industry by launching IBEX 26 years ago. Our goal has always been to deliver the critical technical information and updates that international professionals need to advance their businesses and our industry. IBEX is a premier resource annually for new product information and expert seminars and we look forward to supporting IBEX under the ownership of the RAI and NMMA as we continue to be a technical education partner, as well as an exhibitor."