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:: GLOBAL EXHIBITION SERVICES ::

Date : 27-01-2014

Fresh ideas: Consumer fairs are in need of rejuvenation. Organisers are getting bolder and trying out new formats and concepts – both in smaller and larger cities: For the first time in ten years German regional fairs are seeing a rise in visitor numbers, albeit a modest one. “This development gives us hope but underlines just how important it is to keep investing energy, commitment and, of course, money in events”, says Carola Schwennsen, head of trade exhibitions at Heckmann, Hanover. Her top event is Infa in Hanover (October 12 to 20, 2013). Keeping formats up to date, like the aforementioned Infa or Consumenta,in Nuremberg, is a challenge for the creators. Young people are staying away from multi-sector consumer fairs and the demographic is ageing, a development that exhibitors and organisers must address. Comprehensive marketing measures have been launched in the conventional media and online to slow this trend, and with any luck even stop or reverse it – and it appears to be having some effect.

Many general public fairs have been restructured and fresh ideas in this sector are to be welcomed. From Cologne to Dornbirn, organisers are getting bolder and applying new concepts. Even Kölnmesse dared to turn its sights to a B2C event, albeit with the support of Afag, Nuremberg, which is also responsible for the consumer fair Consumenta. Top marks for planning and preparation; shame there were so few visitors. But Katharina C. Hamma, Kölnmesse COO, remains optimistic: “The first edition of Rheinschau Köln at the end of May 2013 did not quite live up to its promise, at least, not yet. 35,000 visitors were very enthusiastic and many exhibitors were satisfied with the number of visitors to their stands , but at the end of the day we still had “just” 35,000 visitors.” While this is borderline for some exhibitors, Kölnmesse interprets it as a good result. Hamma: Overall we attracted young visitors with strong purchasing power to Rheinschau Köln.” That is not typical of B2C fairs. “The event has the potential to become a public attraction for the entire region. We will continue to develop this potential for 2014”, the Kölnmesse boss says.

She has yet another reason to open the gates of this very centrally located exhibition centre in downtown Cologne to final consumers. At the B2B fairs, which it primarily hosts, the public has to stay outside. The general public is only welcome to Photokina, IMM Cologne, and Gamescom. So it is also an offer by the exhibition organiser to Cologne’s citizens to enter on a journey through topics that are usually closed to them. Fittingly the title “RheinSchau” can be understood as “Rhine Show” or as “drop in”.

Mark Deneberger has a simple explanation as to why only 35,000 visitors turned up: “The fair is new and unfamiliar.” For him, participation was “nothing lost, nothing gained”. But he will be returning in 2014. “It was top class, on every count”, he praises the event. While other B2C fairs still exude all the charmlessness of a “1980’s butcher shop, which is reflected in the type of visitor”, Kölnmesse and Afag managed to attract a quality of exhibitor and visitor “that I have never before encountered at consumer fairs”. The event had real style, is how he praised the efforts to lure more upper price segments into the halls. “It was a completely new kind of B2C fair. The organisers are on the right track.”

Deneberger knows what he is talking about. Not only does he attend a great many consumer fairs as an exhibitor but, with his consummate sales performance, he is one of the attractions. Tradeshow organisers actually attract visitors with his presentation, among them Hamburg Messe when drumming up business for its “Du und Deine Welt” event. This gifted salesman, boss of Cooklife, Balingen, has umpteen (largely female) fans among tradeshow visitors, and has by now developed a comprehensive range of products which sprung out of the original idea of the “Kochblume” or Cooking Flower, which protects pots from boiling over and which can be inspected at close quarters at consumer fairs. The product itself, he readily admits, is pretty unspectacular. “I breathe life into it. That’s what I’m here for, that’s what the fair is for.”

He sees it as part of the organisers’ job to try out new concepts. That also benefits the exhibitors. He is full of praise for the team in Bremen responsible for Hanse life. “This fair has existed since 2007. I now sell two-and-a-half times more than I did at the start. ” Fresh ideas, new stands, that’s the best investment – for the visitors, the exhibitors and by extension also for Messe Bremen. He has no time for organisers who simply react by reducing the number of fair days from nine to five. “That’s the wrong approach. It doesn’t force anyone to take a critical look at their concepts.” Or those who run down their fairs until the quality is gone.

But the exhibitors are also responsible for the success of a fair, he says. “I invest in my exhibition stand every year and see how others are stuck in the past with their exhibition equipment. The customer is not blind to that.” He regrets that so many of his colleagues have no patience. “ If a new fair doesn’t work out immediately, they give up.” A good organiser needs good exhibitors, and that’s where Mark Deneberger sees the problem: “Many more need to invest rather than chase a fast buck”.

He makes no secret of the fact that Dornbirn is one of his favourite fairs and not just because there he can sell as much in four days as he does in nine days anywhere else. Messe Dornbirn is trying out a number of new ideas. Not only is it presenting a new format called Die Gustav (October 26 and 27, 2013), it is also dividing its 27-year-old spring fair into two new events. “It did require some changes to our team, says Daniel Mutschlechner, division manager of fairs in Dornbirn.

Everyone is waiting with bated breath for Die Gustav. Even the name breaks with convention. Gustav in no way stands for “Gusto” or “Vorarlberg”. “It’s simply a masculine name to which we have added a feminine article; after all, it is also the fine food and design fair.” This salon for consumer culture is not about ‘quantity’ but ‘quality’ for people with standards.

Die Gustav is not competing with the autumn fair, Vorarlberg’s biggest marketplace, but reaching out to visitors who want to converse on particular topics in more intimate surroundings. “There will be an opportunity to cook with top-notch chefs or enjoy fireside chats with producers of high-quality food.” Mutschlechner: “Of course, Die Gustav is something of a gamble. But we are surprised by the response to the new format.” Spring fair, autumn fair – the topics have been identical for years and the Vorarlberg citizen attends twice a year. The region “is innovative, and we as exhibition organisers are not about to fall behind”. So that is why the spring fair in its present form will close from 2014 after 37 years. Make two from one – this change provides much business potential for the organiser. Daniel Mutschlechner: “We have had quite a shake-up over the last three years. But we think once a year is enough for using a season’s name for a fair. A new name and a new concept for the B2C fair in the spring could be the key to get more people, different people excited: with altered communications concepts and an extended catchment area.”

Thus Messe Dornbirn has removed the building section from the spring fair and given it space of its own. Combau is the name of the new event, which premieres from February 21 to 23, 2014. The special-interest fair is aimed both at regional professionals in the building industry and at private individuals who want to build and renovate. The trade fair division manager is convinced: “This will be the most important building fair in an affluent four-nation building region.” The remaining section of the spring fair will become Schau! (April 3 to 6, 2014), with a strict focus on the pressing topics of this season; gardening, outdoor, leisure. And because the building topics have migrated to Combau, there is space to expand the “Junge Halle”, the country’s biggest meeting place for young people.

Vorarlberg is the second smallest state in Austria: It benefits from being an important industrial location with a high density of high-quality contemporary architecture. In an article, the British design magazine “Wallpaper” named Vorarlberg “the most progressive part of the planet when it comes to new architecture”. Perhaps that can also be said of B2C fairs.

 
 

Date : 18-08-2013

Postcard from: Russia

State of the market

The fact that Russia is now home to 131 billionaires, more than at any time in its history, is dramatic proof of the country\'s economic progress. Yet significant challenges remain if the country is to fulfil the promise first identified in 2001, when Goldman Sachs highlighted it as one of the fast-growing BRIC economies.

Russia is the fifth largest economy in the world, the largest producer of oil and natural gas globally and has the largest reserves of mineral and energy resources. It is also a leading trader of these assets: exports reached an all time high of $51,338 million in December 2011, accounting for 27.69 percent of total GDP.

GDP stands at $1.18 trillion. Flat oil prices and weak demand (domestically and globally) slowed the economy in the final quarter of 2012. Moderate growth of 3.6 percent is projected for 2013, with unemployment rates declining and inflation easing slightly to 6 percent.

After 18 years of negotiation, Russia joined the World Trade Organization in 2012. Increased trade from membership is forecast to boost GDP 3.3 percent annually for the next three years. The nation is a slightly easier place to do business, with the World Bank ranking the nation 112th out of 185, up from 120th last year.

Corruption remains a challenge. The country stands 133rd in the Transparency International ranking of nations according to perceived levels of corruption (up from 143rd in 2011). The government has announced plans to tackle this problem, but there is much to be done.

Strengths
There is an abundance of natural resources: oil, natural gas, metals and timber account for 80 percent of Russia’s exports.

State-owned Gazprom is the world’s second-largest oil company, producing 9.7 million barrels per day. Profits have tumbled in recent years - partly due to America’s shale gas boom, shrinking demand in Europe and increased competition - to $38 billion in 2012.

The automotive market is flourishing. Russia accounts for around seven percent of the world’s car production. PwC reports that Russia has overtaken Germany as Europe\'s biggest car market, with sales of new vehicles soaring by 41 percent in the first half of the financial year.

Weaknesses
Russia ranks low on the Logistics Performance Index for infrastructure and competence: 94th out of 155 countries. The nation’s sheer scale is a challenge – it covers more than an eighth of Earth\'s inhabited land area and crosses nine time zones. The road network needs investment: of 610,000 miles, only 482,000 are paved, hampering logistics capabilities and access to remote locations.

New sources of oil, and methods of extraction including fracking, are threatening gas export revenues. The Kremlin does not control the two factors that have the biggest influence on the country’s economic stability: the price of oil and the cost of capital. Experts say the government needs to counteract this by investing in manufacturing and emerging sectors.

There is a major lack of quality warehousing. Colliers International reports there are 8.1 million square meters of industrial space in the entire country; Chicago alone offers almost seven times as much. The transport market is highly fragmented and, except for the railways, it is privatized, with many niche players or local hauliers, so the standards of service vary considerably.

Sectors to watch
One in two Russians use the internet. With the country recently overtaking Germany as Europe’s largest online market, the IT sector is booming. Subsidies and tax incentives are attracting foreign direct investment. Russian spending on IT is expected to reach $24.4 billion in 2013, up 11 percent from 2012.

Retail turnover more than quintupled between 2001 and 2011, and now exceeds $600 billion annually. Retailers are confident that WTO membership will increase trade opportunities. Ecommerce is a major focus. The leading online fashion retailer, KupiVIP, is poised to capitalize on the explosion of young Russians shopping online. After a successful IPO in 2010, Mail.ru - Russia’s largest free email service - is valued at $5.7 billion.

The pharmaceutical market in Russia is growing significantly faster than in Western Europe, due to a government initiative to help local companies boost production of new drugs by covering R&D costs. Analysts estimate that by 2020 the country’s pharma industry will be worth $60 billion.

Local players
Many successful Russian companies have built their own supply chains. Retail giant Magnit runs a fully independent supply chain with over 3,900 vehicles and a proprietary network of 15 distribution centers, totaling close to 400,000 square meters. It continues to expand.

Domestic logistics service providers still focus primarily on the core functions of transport and storage. Such value-added services as assembly processes and packing are in their infancy. International providers rely heavily on local partners to offer sufficient coverage.

 
 

Date : 06-07-2013

Top or flop

The number of events being debuted by German exhibition companies is soaring. Many are short-lived. At a time when funds are tight there is practically no scope for gradual development.

As world tradeshow champion, Germany must keep on its toes. Mounting competition at home and emerging tradeshow organisers outside Europe are driving the industry ahead of them. Growing pressure to tap as yet unoccupied markets and come up with new themes has produced one result, with lots of commitment and imagination going into new event launches. As we all know, passion to innovate and venturesomeness are maxed up not when the going is good but primarily when revenues look set to collapse. Record results are not making executives blind to the next – inevitable – tradeshow industry crisis. Before it erupts, the event portfolio must be made as stable and profitable as possible.

In the 1990s through to the early 2000s, new shows were still running at a moderate level, averaging between 36 and 96 per year in Germany. A clear trend is evident over time, with German tradeshow organisers bringing ever more maiden events to market. According to m+a Expodatabase, by 2007 their number had already reached 195. So far a scant 117 of these shows have survived. In 2010 there were 253 premieres, only 180 of which are still in existence. Of the 222 trade exhibitions launched last year 30 have already thrown in the towel. There is no sign of this trend abating, given that six of the 109 new events announced so far for this year (as of going to press) have already been cancelled – in January no less.

A case in point is Messe Frankfurt’s Be Connected – it too has been given the chop. The customer contact management platform enjoyed but a brief life of two editions, having failed to deliver the hoped-for results. “Given the massive sea-change in the fast-moving contact centre industry, a separate event format geared to growth is hardly possible in the current market situation,” Klaus Reinke, Senior Vice President New Business at Messe Frankfurt, commented.

Be Connected was one of a group of shows with which Messe Frankfurt aimed to address the “digitisation of business life”. From a “new business” angle the exhibition company is endeavouring to develop new themes in this field. Frankfurt had only taken over Be Connected, which launched in September 2010 with 61 exhibitors and around 800 visitors, last year. But on this basis the fair was unable to find its feet against the established show Call Center World. This serves to illustrate that what doesn’t bring home the bacon very quickly, doesn’t stand a chance.

What makes it so difficult to establish new formats? As in Frankfurt, one reason is that innovation cycles keep getting shorter, meaning that in many sectors annual stagings are not in keeping with the times. Added to this is the zeitgeist, with purchasing behaviour and lifestyle also subject to rapid alterations. Most importantly for exhibition organisers, this social change is gripping buyers and sellers as well. Other formats are required – to which big, established exhibition companies often have not been able to respond fast enough.

 
 

Date : 28-03-2013

Bowhead Media divests Indian Ceramics

In 2014 Indian Ceramics will be organised for the first time by Messe München. The Bavarian exhibition company is taking over India’s leading ceramics industry supplier fair, which was developed by the British trade fair organiser and specialty publisher Bowhead Media and launched eight years ago. During Indian Ceramics 2013, which took place from March 19 to 21 in Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat, the rights to the successfully established brand in the Indian market passed to Messe München. Eugen Egetenmeir, the exhibition company’s managing director responsible for international operations, is expecting the acquisition to deliver clear strategic benefits: “Indian Ceramics will produce important synergy effects for Ceramitec, our leading international trade fair in Munich.” Like Ceramitec, which next takes place in October 2015, Indian Ceramics depicts the entire range of products and services, from classic ceramics and raw materials to technical ceramics. However, while Ceramitec is held only every three years, Indian Ceramics brings the industry together every year.

 
 

Date : 21-03-2013

Two regions are considerably expanding their business events sector – Asia and the Middle East. What they have in common is that they seek to reach out to their clients in both the meetings and exhibition segments with innovative investment and services. With this increased variety, the global impact of mounting competition among excellent venues, events and global conferences the world over is an exciting development whose outcome remains to be seen.

 
 

Date : 20-03-2013

Focus on Latin American pharmaceutical market

UBM Live announced plans to expand its offering in 2013 to better serve ingredients buyers in the South American market. The expansion includes the co-location of CPhI South America, pharmaceutical networking events, with Food Ingredients South America (FiSA), food ingredients networking event in Sao Paulo. \"CPhI\'s worldwide brand is stronger now than it has ever been based upon one simple premise: delivering equal value to the exhibitor and visitor,\" stated Greg Kerwin, CPhI Pharma Portfolio Director at UBM Live. \"We believe the new aspects of CPhI South America and the co-location of FiSA continues that premise by delivering value on both sides of the equation.\" The Latin American pharmaceutical market, the largest in the region, is forecasted to achieve 20 percent growth in 2012. CPhI South America is currently running at the Transamerica Expo Centre from August 21 to 23, 2012. CPhI South America 2013 is scheduled for August 6 to 8 in the Expo Centre N orte. (wew)

 
 

Date : 02-03-2013

Southern China\'s largest industry show

More than 900 exhibitors from China, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan will take part in Prolight + Sound Guangzhou from March 9 to 12, 2013 at the China Import and Export Fair Pazhou Complex, Guangzhou, China. Exhibitors will showcase their latest pro audio, lighting and stage equipment and technologies across 90,000 m² of exhibition space at Southern China\'s largest industry show. The show is jointly organised by the Guangdong International Science and Technology Exhibition Company (STE) and Messe Frankfurt.

 
 

Date : 26-12-2012

New exhibition for production and distribution handling equipment

Alongside Reed Expositions France’s transport and logistics fair SITL in Paris Nord Villepinte, from March 26 to 28, 2013 Intralogistics will be taking place for the first time. The new exhibition for production and distribution handling equipment will similarly serve the international transport and logistics industry. SITL will also incorporate the exhibition for green transport and logistics technologies, Eco Transport & Logistics, as well as the radio frequency identification expo RFID.

 
 

Date : 01-12-2012

Coex-organized Food Week Korea Attracts 92,000 Visitors

Korea’s food and beverage trade show, Food Week Korea, rounded off its seventh year running with record success when it ran a few weeks ago.

The Coex-organized exhibition welcomed 712 exhibiting companies, 1,800 booths and more than 92,000 visitors, including 600 from overseas, during the five days it ran Nov. 6-10.

Food Week Korea boasted a total of 10 food-themed sectors, including an International Hall, an Export Zone, a Café and Bakery, Machinery section, Premium Agricultural Products, Makgeoli expo and Seoul Cooking Show spread over a total of 36,000 square meters of exhibition space.

Since its launch in 2005, Food Week Korea has worked to continually build upon its international section, according to COEX organizers, and this year included the support of 134 overseas exhibitors from 32 countries around the globe.

There also was a noted increase in the scale of returning national pavilions and the number of individual exhibitors from Europe.

Food Week Korea 2012 welcomed global buyers and visitors from 61 different countries, with the total number of international visitors increasing by 33 percent, compared with 2011.

Food Week Korea 2012 also included specially formulated Embassy Pavilions for the first time, which provided opportunities for international Embassies in Korea to promote their respective country’s food industry and business.

This year, Argentina, Ukraine, Turkey and Finland took advantage of the chance to display a variety of food-related goods and culinary delights.

Qualified buyers at Food Week Korea 2012 participated in the Coex-run exclusive business match meeting program, meeting exhibitors in their field of interest and gaining a variety of sponsored accommodation, airfare, city tour, and entertainment benefits from the organizer.

One-on-one business matching sessions took place within a separate conference area in the international hall in order to facilitate negotiation and completion of contracts.

This biz-matching program is estimated to have resulted in up to US$500 million worth of transnational sales this year.

Next year’s show will be held Nov. 5-8.

 
 

Date : 30-11-2012

UBM Asia has appointed former Percept Sports and Entertainment CEO Joji George as the new Managing Director of its subsidiary UBM India.

“In his new position, Joji will continue to grow UBM India\'s exhibition, conference, publishing and on-line business,” the company said. UBM India was established in India six years back and is one of the leading exhibition organisers in the country.

Prior to his stint at Percept Sports and Entertainment, he was with the Global Brand Forum, Astro, MTV and Yahoo in South-East Asia in senior management positions. George will report to Michael Duck, Executive Vice-President of UBM Asia based in the regional office in Hong Kong.

Michael Duck, Executive Vice-President, UBM Asia Ltd said: “I am looking forward to working closely with Joji as we continue to grow our own exhibitions and conferences organically, geo-adapt those from within the UBM portfolio of brands, increase our presence on-line, as well as influencing the Indian exhibition industry in terms of professionalisation, venue development and sustainability.”

 
 

Date : 07-11-2012

Intersolar China: Tradeshow cancelled, conference to be held

Intersolar China, which was to have been staged this December at the China National Convention Center (CNCC) in Beijing, is being postponed until 2013. Organiser Solar Promotion International cites economic reasons as key to this decision. However, the Intersolar China Conference will go ahead as planned from December 11 to 13, 2012 at the Intercontinental Hotel Beichen in Beijing.

 
 

Date : 07-11-2012

L.A. Autoshow sets the pace

The Los Angeles Auto Show at the Los Angeles Convention & Exhibition Center expects more than 40 automotive premieres on its media days (November 28 and 29, 2012). Chevrolet, BMW, Fiat and Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and Toyota are among those scheduled to present novelties to the markets. Eco-friendly and alternative drives with hybrid and electronic technology will just as much be presented as low-consumption combustion engines. The L.A. Auto Show is sharpening its profile as platform for environmental technologies by presenting the \"Green Car of the Year Award\" and the \"Nielsen Automotive Green Marketer of the Year Award\". In addition to vehicles with alternative drives, there will be cars with automatic parking aids, radar-supported object detection and driver assistance systems available for test rides. On top of that, the exhibition will showcase a variety of luxury automobiles and sport cars. Greater Los Angeles is the most important market in the US for vehicles of this kind. The general audience will be admitted from November 30 through December 9. According to organiser statements, the L.A. Auto Show as the first show in the new expo season, will set the pace for 2013. (wew) www.laautoshow.com

 
 

Date : 17-10-2012

New date for Medtec Euope

The European trade fair for medical equipment design and technology, Medtec Europe 2013, has been moved forward from its customary March slot to February 26 to 28 next year, making it slightly earlier than usual. Exhibitors and visitors to Stuttgart exhibition centre will find some 40,000m² of display area at their disposal. Organisers UBM Canon announce that they are further developing the targeted visitor guidance to the nine central theme areas.

 
 

Date : 17-10-2012

Save the date: February 2013!

In 2013 Ambiente will take place from February 15 to 19 in Frankfurt. Normally it is held on the second weekend in February, but owing to the Chinese New Year Festival it moves to the third next year.

 
 

Date : 12-10-2012

Debut for Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology In order to meet the growing demand from China\'s building market, Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt and the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade - Shanghai Pudong Sub-Branch and Shanghai Hongshan Exhibition Service will launch the new Shanghai Intelligent Building Technology fair from September 20 to 22, 2012, at Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center. Focused on the theme Intelligent Building, the fair will occupy approximately 6,000m² of exhibition space. Exhibitors will be offering a range of products that include generic cabling, smart home and public facility management systems, safety and access controls, video and audio systems, intelligent sun shading systems and accessories, hotel intelligent systems, electrical engineering products and more.

 
 

Date : 12-10-2012

Intermat Middle East, international exhibition for machinery, materials and equipment for construction and infrastructure, takes place from October 8 to 10, 2012 in Abu Dhabi. It is organised by Clarion Events and Comexposium at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC). 76 exhibitors have already registered for Autochtona Wine at Fiera Bolzano exhibition centre. The event accompanying the trade fair Hotel, which takes place on October 22 and 23, 2012, also expects more than 130 wine producers to take part. Autochtona Wine is organised by Fiera Bolzano and Fruitecom in cooperation with AIS, the Italian association of sommeliers. The European trade fair for medical equipment design and technology, Medtec Europe 2013, has been moved forward from its customary March slot to February 26 to 28 next year, making it slightly earlier than usual. Exhibitors and visitors to Stuttgart exhibition centre will find some 40,000m² of display area at their disposal. Organisers UBM Canon announce that they are further developing the targeted visitor guidance to the nine central theme areas. From April 23 to 25, 2013 process engineers from all over the world will gather at Powtech in Nuremberg by Nürnbergmesse to network on new technological developments revolving around size reduction, milling, screening, mixing and granulating powders and bulk solids. More than 700 exhibitors are expected. Co-located are TechnoPharm, International Trade Fair for Life Science Process Technologies Pharma - Food - Cosmetics, and the international conference for particle and powder technology, Partec. Aquaspace, International Specialised Trade Fair for Swimming Pools, Saunas and Spa, which last took place March 12 to 15, 2012 at Moscow Expocentre Fairgrounds, has been dropped by its organisers, Euroexpo, Moscow, and Euroexpo Exhibitions & Congress Development, Vienna. It will be replaced in Moscow\'s Expocentre by Piscina Moscow. Co-organiser of the new show is Fira de Barcelona.