One year in operation: Conference and Event Center (TEC) takes positive stock
With its opening in April 2021, the TEC in the Haus der Wirtschaft (HDW) closed a gap in the event business in northwestern Switzerland. The combination of the auditorium with smaller, individually furnished theme rooms and state-of-the-art technology for hybrid events was particularly well received by conference guests.
On April 26, 2021, the Conference and Event Center (TEC) in the Haus der Wirtschaft (HDW) in Pratteln officially opened its doors. Around twelve months later, the operators draw a positive conclusion despite the Covid restrictions still in place during the start-up phase: "We recorded good demand right from the start, even though we had not conducted any pre-sales activities or published any opening discounts due to Corona. The successful start in this challenging period clearly shows that there is a need for our event offering and that the TEC fills a gap in the region," says TEC director Anja Ullmann.
According to the TEC, rooms for plenary events have been in particularly high demand so far, above all the 430 m2 auditorium, which is equipped with an 11 x 3.5 m LED wall. With space for up to 300 people, it was often booked in combination with the smaller group rooms. As individual as the rooms in the TEC are, as varied were the events. These ranged from smaller meetings and workshops to large conferences and corporate events that took up all the rooms.
Technology and consulting at the highest level
Technically, the TEC is state-of-the-art. Although the facilities are also equipped for hybrid meetings, meeting guests directed their focus to face-to-face events while complying with Corona's protective measures. "In the events business, face-to-face contact and networking continue to be among the most important attributes. Hybrid events are indeed also a topic - both for smaller and larger events - and are mainly used to involve additional employee or customer groups in the event," says Anja Ullmann.
However, conference guests sought personal contact not only at the event itself, but already during the booking process. "Particularly when it comes to technical equipment, catering or the combination of several rooms, customers expect personal support and professional advice. Expectations from the customer side are very high, and we are happy to meet them," says the TEC manager.
New coworking space at TEC
The TEC has continued to develop in its first year and new offerings have been added to the portfolio. From summer 2022, a new coworking space will be located under the HDW roof. Startups and individual companies in particular, but also mobile field staff and project-based employees will find ideal working conditions at the flexible workplaces. The HDW has also upgraded in the technical area and since this year has a fully equipped multimedia studio, which can be used for recording video statements and advertising films or even for panel discussions. Another innovation are the installed meeting boxes of the company Mute, which allow confidential discussions in the Open Space of the TEC.
