| View of St. Peter's Cathedral from the famous Stone Bridge in Regensburg, where the Haix press conference events began |
Earlier this month, Haix, the manufacturer of professional firefighting boots including the FIRE HERO, held an international press conference at their headquarters in Germany. Among the invited guests were Tony Saville and Bernadette Cumento, Publisher and Editor of TheBigRedGuide.com.
Haix had an exciting lineup of events for their guests, beginning with a walking tour of the medieval Altstadt (Old Town) of Regensburg. Situated in the heart of Bavaria on the Danube River, the Altstadt was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006. A town steeped in history, Regensburg had much of it's cultural past still visible in various buildings and structures dotted around the town.
The tour included a visit to the old Stone Bridge which, upon its completion in the 12th century, opened up numerous trade routes across Europe and beyond. Going further back in time, evidence of the Roman occupation in Regensburg is still visible in the Porta Praetoria which was the site of a former Roman military camp. And of course, a tour of Regensburg would not be complete without passing by the oldest Sausage House in Germany! The evening concluded at the Bischofshof restaurant with a delicious, traditional Bavarian meal.
The following day, the press were taken to the Haix headquarters located in Mainburg, roughly 50km away. The day began with a tour of the factory, which included a visit to the various testing rooms where the boots are tested for strength, durability, heat resistance and other environmental and situational factors encountered by emergency service professionals in the field. The press were also taken to see various stages of production, from cutting the raw materials to piecing the boots together. Following the factory tour was a press briefing on Haix's plans for expanding into consumer markets, as well as their rebranding strategy. The press briefing was then "interrupted" by a group of armed men who "kidnapped" Haix's Managing Director Ewald Haimerl. Everyone was then escorted outside where they watched the drama unfold with men jumping off building, setting a car on fire and attempting to take Mr. Haimerl hostage. Fortunately, the SWAT team and fire brigade were able to save the day - and Mr. Haimerl - thanks to the trusty Haix boots.
Able to relax in safety, everyone enjoyed a delicious lunch before heading back home, carrying with them memories of a truly fantastic experience to remember.