How Is ENERGETAB Created? From the Pandemic and “Controlled Chaos” to More Than 36,000 Visitors
How Is ENERGETAB Created? From the Pandemic and “Controlled Chaos” to More Than 36,000 Visitors
In the first part of our story about ENERGETAB, “Over 40 Years of ENERGETAB. How Did a Trade Fair for Inventions in Bielsko-Biała Become the Heart of Poland’s Energy Industry?” , we went back to its beginnings - from a local showcase of inventions in Bielsko-Biała to an event that has become one of the most important meeting points for Poland’s energy industry. This time, we take a look behind the scenes.
Industry trade shows are usually seen from the perspective of exhibitors and visitors. We see the stands, equipment, conversations and crowds of people. Much less visible is the work that begins many months earlier - the work that makes it possible to create a huge, temporary “energy town” in Bielsko-Biała for three days.
In the second part of the “Pod Prąd” podcast, we talk to Paweł Kubica about what ENERGETAB looks like behind the scenes. There is the pandemic and the decision to go ahead with the trade show despite enormous risks, months of preparation, weather, safety, power supply, more than 100 people working behind the scenes and more than 36,000 visitors.
But above all, this conversation is about why, despite the digital revolution, people still want to meet face to face - and why a single visit to a trade show can become the starting point for a young person’s professional career.
The Pandemic and a Decision That Could Not Be Made Without Risk
In 2020, ENERGETAB faced the most serious challenge in its history. The pandemic brought not only economic uncertainty, but also constantly changing regulations and restrictions on events.
Cancelling the trade show was one option. On the other hand, more than 243 exhibitors decided they did not want to give up their participation. The organisers therefore had to answer a difficult question: could the event be held safely under such unpredictable circumstances?
Ultimately, they decided to go ahead.
Today, it is possible to say that it was the right decision. At the time, however, it meant enormous risk, stress and responsibility. It was also about maintaining the continuity of an event that had been a fixed point in the energy industry calendar for many years.
The pandemic also demonstrated the importance of ZIAD’s diversified business model. In addition to activities related to the energy sector, the organisation operates a hotel, the Szyndzielnia cable car and office rental facilities. These areas helped the organisation partially withstand a period during which the training centre had to suspend its activities completely.
From Student to ENERGETAB Organiser
Paweł Kubica knows ENERGETAB from three different perspectives.
He first visited the trade show in 2000 as a student. His electrical engineering teacher brought a group of students to the event, which made a lasting impression on him.
What interested him most were the large-scale exhibits - including transformers and equipment that he had previously known mainly from textbooks. At the trade show, he could see them in real life and talk to people who were often the engineers behind the solutions on display.
The experience stayed with him for years. He later became an exhibitor himself, spending almost eight years working for a manufacturer of high- and extra-high-voltage equipment. Today, he is involved in the organisation of the trade show.
This allows him to look at ENERGETAB simultaneously through the eyes of a visitor, exhibitor and organiser.
And that perspective matters, because a trade show is more than a product exhibition. It can also be a place where young people see, for the first time, technologies they may later work with.
That is why the organisers also develop initiatives such as a job exchange, while parts of the training ground are used for practical demonstrations. It is one way of attracting the next generation of energy professionals to the industry.
Trade Shows Change Alongside the Energy Industry
ENERGETAB does not stand still - just like the energy industry itself.
New areas are appearing at the trade show, including renewable energy sources, energy storage and solutions related to telecommunications and digitalisation. At the same time, existing exhibitors are expanding their portfolios.
Paweł Kubica describes this process as the evolution of the energy sector. It is not about destroying the existing system and rebuilding it from scratch, but about gradually modernising and developing it.
That is why ENERGETAB now brings together not only representatives of the traditional power sector. An increasingly important part of the audience includes representatives of industry, local governments, foreign investors and companies looking for technology suppliers.
Preparing for the Next Trade Show Begins Before the Current One Ends
For a visitor, ENERGETAB begins in September. For the organisers, it starts much earlier.
About a month after the trade show ends, it is time to review and analyse the event. But observations begin during the trade show itself. The team takes note of what can be improved and what should be changed for the next edition.
One of the approaches used is Kaizen - continuous improvement through a series of small changes and enhancements. Examples include mandatory air conditioning in every tent and the gradual expansion of the trade show into new technology areas.
Intensive preparations for the next edition begin towards the end of the year and gradually accelerate. In practice, an organiser’s calendar runs almost from September to September.
The most intensive period comes during the summer. And August, when many people are planning their holidays, is actually one of the busiest times for the ENERGETAB team.
“Controlled Chaos” Before the Opening
A week before the trade show, there is little room for major changes. Instead, there is “controlled chaos” - closing outstanding issues, making final preparations and responding to things that could not have been predicted earlier.
One of the biggest challenges is the weather.
Bielsko-Biała has a particular characteristic: part of the exhibition is outdoors. This is also where exhibitors can display the largest equipment and structures that could not be accommodated inside a standard exhibition hall.
That is why there is a simple rule among exhibitors: if you want to make sure your trade show experience is not dependent on the weather, you need both outdoor and indoor space.
The organisers also have to take extreme weather conditions into account. The tents used during the trade show are designed to operate in the third wind zone and meet the relevant standards and certification requirements. If conditions exceed safe limits, however, the priority is always the safety of participants and the need to evacuate.
More Than 100 People You Never See
When visitors walk between the stands, they do not see most of the people responsible for making the entire event work.
During the three days of the trade show, more than 100 people are involved - ZIAD employees, contractors and subcontractors. They are responsible, among other things, for safety, the technical operation of the site and the comfort of participants.
Then there is the infrastructure - something that tends to be taken for granted until it stops working.
ENERGETAB currently has two power supplies - 15 kV and 6 kV - as well as its own transformers and generators. At the same time, thanks to modern lighting and other technical solutions, the amount of energy consumed during the trade show is gradually decreasing.
Even the “energy town” itself is undergoing its own small transformation.
From 17,000 to More Than 36,000 Visitors
One of the most important indicators of a trade show’s success is, of course, the number of exhibitors. However, the organisers also pay particular attention to the number of visitors - especially those who are genuinely connected to the industry.
Over several years, the number of visitors has increased from around 17,000 to more than 36,000. The organisers point out that this is a conservative figure, as the count excludes, among others, people working at exhibition stands before the official opening of the trade show.
The event is also becoming increasingly international. Visitors come to Bielsko-Biała from the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as from more distant markets. The conversation gives the example of delegates from Morocco who come looking for potential technology suppliers among the exhibitors.
This is an important change. ENERGETAB is no longer simply a meeting place for Poland’s traditional power sector. It is becoming a space where manufacturers, technology buyers, investors and representatives of new markets can meet.
Why Do Trade Shows Still Beat Online Meetings?
The pandemic proved that many business meetings can be moved online. ENERGETAB also demonstrated the limitations of this kind of digitalisation.
A screen is difficult to substitute for seeing a large piece of equipment in real life, talking to the engineer who designed it or directly comparing several solutions.
One example from the conversation clearly illustrates the business value of a trade show. Paweł Kubica recalls an exhibitor who was approached during the event by a representative of a large company carrying a prepared list of specific stands they wanted to visit. For that person, the trade show was intensive business work - an opportunity to hold numerous meetings in one place and within a limited amount of time.
It is precisely this concentration of people, technology and knowledge in one place that means industry trade shows still have a role to play in a digital world.
A Stand Alone Won’t Sell Your Product
Paweł Kubica also has a simple piece of advice for exhibitors: you need to prepare for a trade show well in advance.
A stand and a range of products are not enough. You need a plan, the right team and specific people you want to invite to meetings. It is also important to prepare employees - including younger members of the team, who can gain experience at the trade show by working alongside more experienced colleagues.
Because ultimately, a trade show is about people.
You can have the best exhibition, the most advanced technology and perfectly prepared materials. But it is the person standing at the booth who can answer a question, explain a solution, build a relationship and make the meeting memorable.
ENERGETAB Still Has Room to Grow
The ZIAD site covers more than 29 hectares, with approximately 15,000 m² of exhibition space and another 5,000 m² of outdoor space. There is still room for further development.
The organisers therefore have no plans to slow down.
Especially because the industry itself is changing. The energy sector is becoming increasingly connected with digitalisation, energy storage, renewable energy sources, telecommunications and intelligent grid management.
ENERGETAB aims to be a place where these changes can not only be observed, but above all seen in practice and discussed face to face.
50 Years of Live-Line Work and the Next Chapter in the Story
In 2026, the history of ENERGETAB coincides with another important anniversary - 50 years of live-line work in Poland and the 50th anniversary of the Bielsko-Biała live-line work training ground.
As part of this year’s edition, a special event is planned to commemorate the history of the training ground and its training activities. It is a symbolic connection, because as both parts of the ENERGETAB conversation show, the history of the trade show and the history of live-line work developed side by side in Bielsko-Biała.
From the first training programmes, through the original showcase of inventions, to today’s international trade show - the common denominator remains knowledge, technology and people coming together.
And perhaps that is precisely why ENERGETAB has survived the pandemic, changing business models and the digitalisation of meetings. Because it is more than an exhibition.
It is a place where you can see technology you previously knew only from textbooks. Talk to the person who designed it. Find a supplier who may later become a business partner. Or - just like Paweł Kubica in 2000 - arrive as a young person and discover an industry you want to work in for decades to come.
ENERGETAB 2026 will take place in Bielsko-Biała on 15-17 September 2026. The event will be preceded by an official opening on 14 September, including celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the live-line work training ground.
