Domotex 2020 sees 35,000 attendees

20 Jan '20

4 min read

Pic: Domotex

A total of 35,000 attendees – 90 per cent of them decision makers and 70 per cent of them from abroad – came to explore the latest trends, products and solutions presented by over 1,400 exhibitors from more than 60 different countries at the four-day Domotex, the world's leading trade fair for carpets and floor coverings, held from January 10 to 13.

The next Domotex will be held from January 15 to 18, 2021.

The show's keynote theme of "Atmysphere” was highlighted by the flooring products that contribute to a sense of wellbeing and promoted naturalness and sustainability.

"Domotex is and remains our most international tradeshow. We are delighted that the event attracts attendees from around the globe, who come for 2.3 days on average – 60 per cent from Europe, 25 per cent from Asia and 10 per cent from the Americas, with the remainder from Africa and Australia," said Dr. Andreas Gruchow, the Deutsche Messe managing board member in charge of Domotex.

"We have been truly impressed with the positive reception and special spirit at this year's Domotex. The attendance figures reflect an ongoing trend towards increased market concentration. The further rise in the percentage of high-caliber professionals is an important factor in business growth for 2020. Around 90 per cent of the show's visitors have decision-making authority at their companies, with half of them at top management level," noted Sonia Wedell-Castellano, global director for Domotex. "I am also delighted with how enthusiastically our exhibitors embraced the keynote theme of Atmysphere, as well as with the success of the revamped ‘Treffpunkt Handwerk' skilled trades hub and the volume of exhibitors who have indicated they will be back in 2021."

Exhibitors affirmed the success of their industry's flagship fair with regard to two key performance indicators. "Our main concern here is not high attendance figures, but rather the right kind of attendees," explained Hakan Dinc, CEO of Stefany Hali Tekstil in Turkey. This aspect was also clearly appreciated by visitors. "I made the decision to come to Hannover because this is where I can see what is happening across the global marketplace, which enables me to make the right choices for our customers," remarked trends scout Andrés Jobet of Piso Urbano Alfombras, based in Santiago, Chile.

The high quality of this year's event was also highlighted by Arman J Vartian, proprietor of Vartian Carpets in Vienna, who said: "It seems to us that Domotex is heading down the right path. The stands are now more attractive and appealing, and the show is clearly committed to supporting our industry." Anke Hattingh, marketing director of Mapei in Grossostheim, Germany, praised the great diversity of exhibits as a "major source of inspiration."

Olivier Bossuyt, sales director at Ivc group in Avelgem, Belgium summed things up by saying: "We opted to return to Domotex after a two-year break because the show's strong international pull enables us to meet with important trade partners and generate promising new leads – a fact reconfirmed by Domotex 2020."

Based on this year's visitor survey, almost half of all attendees (44 per cent) used the event to generate new leads. Fred T Keller, marketing firector of Theo Keller in Bochum, Germany, reported a high number of walk-in visitors and new customers. He attributed this mainly to ongoing enhancements to the event, particularly the new hall layout launched in 2020, which he saw as a major step forward. "This new design has resulted in many more spontaneous customer contacts than previously, and we couldn't be more delighted. Domotex is definitely the most important trade fair for us."

Michael Massmann, national sales manager and vice president of Textile Trading Group, Winter Park, US, said he used Domotex mainly to generate new leads. "We are naturally also keen on establishing new, preferably long-term customer relationships, while at the same time deepening our relations with existing customers and suppliers. We have attended every Domotex since our business was founded three years ago, and that's not going to change."

The show's keynote theme was also well received by exhibitors. For example, Bernhard Reinkemeier, CEO of Reinkemeier Rietberg based in Rietberg, Germany, referred to it as being a "good match" for his company's objectives, adding: "We very much welcome the keynote theme and its flanking measures, all of which are highly attractive and have helped us reach our goals."

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (SV)

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