|
|
 domotechnica
Feb 18-21, 2008, Cologne, Germany |
Final Report: Very good foreign demand stimulates business at domotechnica 2006
After four days domotechnica, International Trade Fair for Household Appliances, closed on 16th February 2006 in Cologne with a positive result. 1,041 suppliers from 40 countries presented their product innovations from the large and small domestic appliances and components sectors in gross exhibition space of around 80,000 m2. Over 18,000 trade visitors from 115 countries informed themselves about the trends and new developments in the sector. The foreign share of 88% on the exhibitors' side and around 70% among visitors underlined the international significance of the event. Numerous exhibitors are hoping that this will have a tangible effect on export business. "Due to the event's high level of internationality, we were able to ensure good sales opportunities for our exhibitors and present our visitors with a diverse product range", concluded Wolfgang Kranz, Executive Director Koelnmesse GmbH. "As a result, domotechnica has confirmed its role as the only international trade fair covering the entire sector of the domestic appliances industry." Satisfied exhibitors, good business, as well as many innovations and further devel-opments ensured a good mood at domotechnica.
The great majority of exhibitors praised the decision-making competence, expertise and internationality of the trade visitors and expressed their satisfaction with business at the fair. The media response to the event was also great. This meant that the overall expectations of many companies were exceeded. "We came to Cologne with subdued expectations. However, right from the first day, we were overwhelmed by the quality and quantity of the trade visitors", said Sengül Soytas, Marketing Manageress at Vestel Foreign Trade Co. "We were in a position to extend our existing customer contacts, present new products and acquire many new customers."
The trade visitors came to domotechnica Cologne from all over the world, while around 70% of the foreign visitors were from Europe. In this connection, numerous visitors from the EU countries, but also from Eastern Europe, North America, Central and Southern America, from Western and Central Asia, East Asia and Australia were welcomed.
"The internationality of the exhibitors was reflected in the structure of the trade visitors", concluded Willy Fischel, Executive Director of the Federal Asso-ciation of the Technical Retail Trade (Bundesverband Technik des Einzelhandels - BVT). "The fair has been able to successfully position the aspects of design, product quality and special themes, such as for example the entire coffee-related spectrum. It is therefore all the more regrettable, that the big names from the industry were not present. From the point of view of the specialist trade, we must adopt an approach to ensure that domotechnica is
strengthened in the interests of the sector," Fischel went on to add.
Strong small and medium-sized business sector
At domotechnica the small and medium-sized business sector once again confirmed its significance as an ideas provider. From high-tech in the kitchen, via product innovations in the small appliances sector such as induction pans with built-in temperature display through to intelligent features and solutions in components technology - small and medium-sized companies impressed with their innovation potential. "domotechnica continues to be an attractive event on an international level for the small and medium-sized sector", was the conclusion by Andreas Kirschenmann, Marketing Manager and Deputy Executive Director of Gastroback GmbH. "The visitor frequency on our stand was very good. This means that business at the fair has been much better for us than expected." The trade visitors benefited from the level of service provided by the small and medium-sized business sector. "At domotechnica the trade discovered products they cannot obtain from well-known manufacturers", said Thomas Dammann, Executive Director of the Central Association of the Hardware Trade (Zentralverband Hartwarenhandel - ZHH). "This means a higher value added for the trade, which in addition, was able to obtain information at the fair on how it can further extend its product range by adding alternative products from small and medium-sized companies in order to distinguish itself from its competitors."
Effective presentation by the components industry
In addition to the new developments in the area of large and small appliances, as an independent segment the components sector also presented the technical refinements of the future. The mostly invisible components such as the smallest motors or micropumps are making a key contribution to the innovation potential of the sector. As a result, domotechnica became a key platform, especially for researchers and developers from the domestic appliances manu-facturers. "In our experience this was a very successful fair", concluded Antonino Di Luozzo, Sales Director Components at Electrolux Zanussi Italia Spa. "Here we were able to successfully introduce our new components range. In addition, were able to make new business contacts both with German as well as with international companies."
The trends at domotechnica
The trend in the domestic appliances industry is generally towards more quality of life. Time-saving, the greatest possible hygiene, high-tech or also design were the key slogans in the presentation of new product developments. There is demand for products which promise work facilitation: one company presented a fully automatic vegetable washer, while another showed an extractor hood, which thanks to a special coating, ensures that fingerprints remain invisible. There is also a growing trend towards multimedia in the kitchen. The new products included, for example, an extractor hood with integrated television or a microwave with LCD screen. In the area of domestic hygiene vacuum cleaners are being increasingly used which clean and operate with a depth action. In this context various manufacturers presented new developments which combat the smallest particles such as fine dust, house dust mites, allergens or formaldehyde, and at the same time contribute to improving air quality in rooms.
"E-Selection" Design-Special
The "E-Selection" Design-Special, which was organized at domotechnica in cooperation with the German Design Council, was extremely well frequented. The numbers of visitors seated in tightly, fully packed rows of chairs in the specialist lectures given by recognized experts on themes such as "Design", "Re-tail", "Consumer" and "Science" effectively underlined the relevance of the Lifestyle and Design themes within the domestic appliances sector. But the special show with products, which set trends particularly due to their design, as well as the moderated presentations on optimal product presentation at the Point of Sale, also enjoyed keen interest. Overall the "E-Selection" feature therefore met with a very great response and promoted the dialogue between exhibitors and visitors.
Coffee Special with Barista Championship and Roasting Championship
Another big attraction for the media and trade visitors was also the final of the German Barista Championship on the two first days of the fair. Here the high-light was the champion's presentation ceremony on 14th February, in which Eric Wolf was awarded the title of Germany's best Barista (espresso-maker). The coffee roasters were also searching for the best among their ranks at the 1st German Roasting Championship on 15th and 16th February during do-motechnica. Both championships were held in cooperation with the international organization SCAE (Speciality Coffee Association of Europe). "The keen interest in the championships we have staged has impressively confirmed that coffee continues to be one of the main trends", explained Dr. Steffen Schwarz, Chairman SCAE Deutschland. "As far as the association is concerned, we are very happy about the cooperation with Koelnmesse and would like to continue this in future, because the trade fair and media location of Cologne has proved itself to be an ideal venue for our championships. "Espresso workshops and spatially centralized presentation facilities for the manufacturers of all coffee-related products rounded off the focus on the increasingly popular hot drink. "We registered an excellent visitor quality, made good contacts, intensified existing contacts, and also concluded contracts", was how Hermann Weber, Executive Director Solis Deutschland GmbH summed up the event. Trade visitors made intensive use of the range of information provided by the Coffee Special in order to purposefully use this knowledge in customer meetings and discussions.
domotechnica 2006 in figures
At domotechnica 2006, 1,041 suppliers from 40 countries, 88% of them from abroad, participated in gross exhibition space of 80,000 m2. They included 91 exhibitors and 29 additionally represented companies from Germany as well as 902 exhibitors and 19 additionally represented companies from abroad. Includ-ing estimates for the last day of the fair, domotechnica attracted over 18,000 trade visitors from 115 countries, of these around 70 percent were from abroad.
The next domotechnica will be held from 18th to 21st February 2008.
domotechnica
www.domotechnica.com |
|
|
|
