Speaking at the opening ceremony, Sergei Voronkov, CEO, ExpoForum International, pinpointed that though each year ExpoForum hosted a large number of HR conferences and workshops, incorporated in the programs of industry-relevant events, this year's International Labour Forum and Exhibition "Human Resources. Management. Security 2017", organized in St. Petersburg for the first time, had undoubtedly superseded all other similar events and turned into a largest Russian venue for discussion of workforce and labour related issues.

Noting high relevance of the Exhibition, Dmitry Cherneiko, Chairman, Committee for Labour and Employment of St. Petersburg, stressed that sometimes participants of the labour process have little underestimate the role of safety. "High-tech uniforms and tools are appealing. They improve productivity and never interfere with the workflow," highlighted Mr. Cherneiko. "High-tech outfits and tools must become a compulsory element and should be used by all employees, from front desk clerks to construction workers."

OJSC Suksun Optical and Mechanical Plant ROSOMZ, the oldest Russian production enterprise, designs and produces over 400 types of PPE for head, eyes, face and auditory and respiratory systems. One of the plant's latest developments is prescription protective goggles featuring lenses with corrective and protective properties. According to Evgeny Baybarin, Company's Sales Director, each year the plant designs and puts into production over 20 new models of PPE. "To ensure our ergonomic products are compliant with basic requirements and standards, we use the most advanced tools and equipment, including 3D printers, when designing and prototyping new models."

LLC Technoavia St. Petersburg, the largest manufacturer of uniforms and safety shoes in Russia, presented their latest collection that included the fourth generation of its slip resistant shoes "Captain" and a uniform for welders made from high-tech materials. "To be in line with the latest trends, we are constantly perfecting our products incorporating new fabrics, fillers and accessories. We simply cannot procrastinate," noted company's representative Peter Grikalov.

LLC Odezhda Dlya Raboty (Uniforms) presented the latest creations of European producers, including ultra-light scratch- and fog-proof protective goggles ZEKLER and GVS, a British-made anatomic half mask respirator featuring innovative design and hypoallergenic materials.

The "Human Resources. Management. Security 2017" Exhibition will run for three days, March 15-17. More than 30 companies will put on display there advanced personal and collective protective equipment, fire safety products as well as uniforms, safety shoes and fall protection PPE. Representatives of universities and training centres will talk about programs offered by educational institutions of the Russian northwest designed to train, retrain and develop staff.