Growing together: why PINO chooses Libéma for ambitious congresses

Daylight, room to grow and one dedicated point of contact. For event agency PINO, these are the qualities that set a congress venue apart. Its founder and project manager share why Libéma has become a trusted partner, from 1931 Congrescentrum in ’s-Hertogenbosch to EXPO Greater Amsterdam.

For Utrecht-based event agency PINO, every successful congress starts with the content. Only once the programme and objectives are clear does venue selection come into focus. Yet choosing the right venue remains critical. It needs to support the event’s ambitions, accommodate growth and provide enough flexibility to meet both organisational and logistical demands.

Co-founder Jeroen Coers and project manager Thomas Klink explain why many of their clients ultimately choose a Libéma venue, particularly 1931 Congrescentrum in ’s-Hertogenbosch, and why their next major event will take place at EXPO Greater Amsterdam.

Over the past 27 years, PINO has organised a wide variety of events. Today, the agency's team of around twenty professionals, including four managing partners who remain actively involved in projects, delivers between 100 and 150 events annually. Their portfolio ranges from highly specialised, content-driven congresses to large-scale public events such as LEGO World in Utrecht.

“It’s a flat organisation with a healthy mix of experience and new perspectives,” says Coers, who founded the agency and continues to lead projects himself.

Within the Netherlands, PINO has built a strong reputation in sectors such as water management, energy and sustainability. The agency works regularly with organisations including the Dutch Water Authorities and Deltares, the independent research institute for water and subsurface research. Internationally, its client portfolio is considerably broader.

“When an international congress chooses the Netherlands as its host destination, the organisers usually bring the subject-matter expertise themselves,” Coers explains. “Our role is to ensure that everything on the floor runs smoothly and that delegates have a seamless experience.”

Content first, then logistics

According to Klink, successful congresses are created by balancing strong content with practical execution. “Clients often know exactly what they want to communicate, but not necessarily the most effective way to structure that message throughout an event. Our role is to translate content into a well-designed programme. The aim is for delegates to remain engaged and energised throughout the day rather than feeling overloaded after the first morning sessions.”

That sometimes means challenging assumptions early in the planning process. Klink recalls working with the organisers of a large international congress who arrived with what they believed was a finished programme.

“We suggested taking a step back and reviewing it from an operational perspective. For example, how were 500 people expected to move between session rooms in just five minutes? In practice, that simply wasn't realistic. Initially, they felt we were being overly critical, but afterwards they told us that our honesty helped make the event significantly stronger.”

Many delegates had travelled from overseas specifically to attend the event. “When people invest significant time and budget to participate, every hour matters,” Klink says. “You want them to leave with a positive experience. And if the event returns in the future, you want them to feel it is worth coming back.”

Realistic budgets and availability

For PINO, venue selection always starts with a thorough briefing session. “We begin by understanding the fundamentals,” explains Coers. “How will delegates travel? Is the event national or international? Will people arrive by train, plane or car? Is it a one-day congress or a multi-day programme? Based on that information, we develop a number of options accompanied by realistic budgets.”

“Some venues may appear significantly cheaper at first glance,” he continues. “But if one proposal comes in at €50,000 and another at €100,000, there is often more to the story. Additional requirements and hidden costs can quickly close that gap. We prefer to present realistic budgets from the outset so clients can make informed decisions.”

Availability has become an increasingly important consideration. “In certain periods, many of the larger venues in the Netherlands are almost fully booked,” says Coers. “A lot of recurring congresses secure their dates years in advance. If you're planning an international congress for a thousand delegates next November, now is the time to start looking.

1931: compact, complete and reliable

PINO regularly works with Libéma, the operator of eight event and conference venues across the Netherlands. Within the portfolio, 1931 Congrescentrum in ’s-Hertogenbosch remains one of the agency's preferred locations.

For Coers, the appeal lies in the combination of scale and simplicity. “The venue offers seating for more than 1,200 delegates in plenary format, a wide range of breakout rooms and an exceptionally clear layout. Delegates intuitively find their way around, meaning extensive signage is rarely necessary.”

The location also scores highly on accessibility. It is easily reached by car, offers ample parking and is within walking distance of ’s-Hertogenbosch Central Station.

‘People don’t want to spend an entire conference day in a dark hall if they can avoid it’

According to Coers, clients particularly appreciate the abundance of daylight throughout the venue.

“People don’t want to spend an entire conference day in a dark hall if they can avoid it. The catering areas feel open and welcoming, while the circulation spaces provide opportunities for exhibitors, information stands and informal networking.”

For organisers launching a new event, reliability is often just as important as flexibility. “Much of the required infrastructure is already in place,” Coers explains. “That gives organisers confidence. You know what facilities are available, what the costs will be and what to expect operationally. Particularly for first editions of an event, that predictability is extremely valuable.”

The venue also offers room to grow. “If attendance exceeds expectations, the connected Brabanthallen provide additional capacity through Mainstage,” says Klink. “That flexibility allows an event to expand without having to move to a completely different venue.”

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Venue file

1931 Conference Centre Brabanthallen

• Conference capacity 2 to 6,000 delegates (extra capacity through combinations with MAINSTAGE & Brabanthallen).
• Venue spaces 2 multifunctional foyers, 4 flexible conference halls, 24 breakout rooms (several of which can be connected to create larger spaces)
• Travel & Hotels Near to everywhere: close to the A2, A59 and A65 motorways, Eindhoven Airport and the German and Belgian border.
• Public transport Just a 10-minute walk from ‘s-Hertogenbosch Central Station
• Parking Over 4,000 parking spaces (including electric charging points)
• Catering In-house catering available for all events
• Sustainability Green Key Gold certified, partner of MVO Nederland

www.1931.nl

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A partnership built on continuity

Asked about the collaboration with Libéma, Coers immediately highlights the working relationship. “It’s always enjoyable working together. There’s a genuine sense of partnership.”

Beyond the personal connection, he points to the practical advantages. “The team is highly professional, proactive and experienced. Many staff members have been with the organisation for years, which means you build long-term relationships. Rather than dealing with multiple contacts, you typically work with one dedicated point of contact throughout the project.”

That continuity is valuable in an industry where details matter. “When we agree on something, we know it will be delivered as agreed. That reliability creates trust, both for us and for our clients.”

Klink also values Libéma's broader perspective. “What we appreciate is that Libéma looks beyond a single venue. If one location isn't the right fit, they actively help find alternatives elsewhere within their portfolio. That’s exactly how we ended up considering EXPO Greater Amsterdam for our next event.”

Next stop: EXPO Greater Amsterdam

On 22 April 2027, PINO will organise Opgewekt naar de Toekomst on behalf of the Province of North Holland at EXPO Greater Amsterdam.

The biennial congress brings together professionals working on the energy transition to exchange knowledge, build new connections and explore the future of the Dutch energy system.

The brief came with a demanding set of requirements. The venue needed to be centrally located and easily accessible from across the province. While many participants would travel by train, a substantial number would arrive by car from smaller municipalities. Excellent public transport links and sufficient parking capacity were therefore essential.

Daylight was equally important. “As with many of our projects, access to natural light was non-negotiable,” says Coers. “It has a noticeable impact on the overall experience of delegates. We were also looking for a venue that offered room for future growth.”

EXPO Greater Amsterdam met both requirements. The greenhouse complex offers more than 24,000 square metres of indoor space flooded with daylight, while transparent solar panels integrated into the roof contribute to the venue’s sustainability ambitions.

Space to grow, indoors and outdoors

The flexibility of the venue proved particularly attractive. “The client expects around 350 attendees, but registrations could grow to 450 or more,” Klink explains. “Many venues become more challenging once numbers increase. Here we have the flexibility to scale up as needed, while maintaining a comfortable delegate experience.”

The outdoor environment played an important role in the decision as well. The landscaped grounds and recently redesigned outdoor areas provide additional opportunities for networking and informal interaction, particularly during spring events.

‘They offer venues that enable events to grow’

The venue also aligns closely with the congress concept itself. The event theme focuses on putting the pieces together to build the energy system of the future. Throughout the day, participants contribute insights from different sessions and perspectives before bringing everything together in a collective closing activity.

“We want participants to actively engage with one another,” says Klink. “The goal is not simply to listen to presentations, but to work together, exchange ideas and create new connections.”

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Venue file

EXPO Greater Amsterdam

• Conference capacity 50 to 15,000 delegates
• Venue space Over 24,000 sqm indoors and over 21,000 sqm outdoors
• Indoor spaces 4 large, connected halls, divisible into 6 sections; 1 foyer; 1 conference room (up to 450 delegates) and 5 breakout rooms
• Hotel capacity 4,400 hotel rooms within 10 minutes (by car or bus) of the venue
• Public transport Dedicated bus lane with a direct connection to Schiphol Airport. Buses stop in front of the venue every 7 minutes. Close to Eurostar services and other international rail links.
• Parking Over 3,200 parking spaces
• Catering In-house catering available for all events
• Sustainability Green Key Gold certified, confirming that it meets a comprehensive set of sustainability criteria.

www.expogreateramsterdam.com

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Strong potential for international events

Although Opgewekt naar de Toekomst is a national event, both Coers and Klink see clear opportunities for international congresses at EXPO Greater Amsterdam.

The venue is located less than twenty minutes from Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam city centre, while public transport connections stop directly outside the entrance. At the same time, it offers extensive parking facilities, something that can be increasingly difficult to find closer to the city centre.

“For international congresses, that combination is particularly valuable,” says Klink. “A large share of delegates may come from abroad, but there is often also a substantial Dutch audience. You need a venue that accommodates both groups equally well.”

Coers believes the venue’s recent investments have strengthened its position even further. “Following the renovation and improvements to the outdoor environment, I believe the venue has significant potential. More broadly, that’s something we associate with Libéma as a whole. They offer venues that enable events to grow.”

In that sense, growth is perhaps the common thread running through the partnership between PINO and Libéma: growth in attendance, growth in ambition and growth in the impact that events can achieve.