–
Substantial
growth in number of exhibitors and size of exhibition–
More
international mix of exhibitors and attendees
Hannover, Germany. After four action-packed days, DOMOTEX 2017 drew to a close, chalking up considerable
growth in terms of its exhibitor lineup and the total amount of space booked, and
with an even higher percentage of exhibitors and visitors from abroad. A total
of 1,409 exhibitors from more than 60 countries showcased their latest innovations
to a global audience at the Hannover Exhibition Center, once again impressively
highlighting the innovative spirit and high performance capability of the floor
coverings industry. “Thanks to its strong exhibitor lineup, myriad innovations and unparalleled international scope and
reach, DOMOTEX has impressively underscored its reputation as the international
floor covering industry’s leading marketplace and showcase for innovations. Our
exhibitors were particularly pleased with the high caliber of the international
audience they encountered here, while the show’s visitors, for their part,
responded enthusiastically to the globally unrivalled array of offerings at
DOMOTEX,” remarked Dr. Andreas Gruchow, the Deutsche Messe Managing Board
member in charge of DOMOTEX, on the last day of the show. “Innovations@DOMOTEX and
the new Young Designer Trendtable, in particular, delivered a great deal of
valuable inspiration and highlighted DOMOTEX as a place that puts
innovations on center stage.”
Attendance
was on a par with the last comparable DOMOTEX, staged in 2015. Around 70
percent of visitors were from abroad, with the majority (43 percent) coming from
EU countries. There was a considerable increase in visitors from the Near and
Middle East (up 9 percent) as well as East and Central Asia (up 16 percent). Appreciably
more visitors came from the U.S. and the United Kingdom, in particular.
For anyone keen
on doing international business, Hannover was clearly the place to be. “DOMOTEX is our No. 1 event. Here in Hannover we can show
off our products to a truly global audience. DOMOTEX was more attractive than
ever, and we are very content with the run of the show. We had considerably
more talks with high-caliber decision-makers from abroad. And visitors spent
much more time at our stand to get informed about our offerings. The number of
contacts from creative backgrounds was also notably higher. DOMOTEX is steadily
becoming less of a product showcase and more of an inspirational looking glass
for trends in the making,” remarked Piet Lievevrouw, General Manager of the Beaulieu
International Group.
Jan Vergote, CEO of the IVC Group based in Avelgem,
Belgium, had this to say: “In 2017 more than ever, DOMOTEX is serving us the
best place in the world at which to unveil our latest innovations. As a world
first, here in Hannover we unveiled our revolutionary hyperrealistic vinyl
flooring to an international audience. We are already looking forward to next
year’s DOMOTEX, where we plan to mount an even bigger showcase and feature even
more products from our comprehensive range.”
Piet Dossche, CEO at USFloors (COREtec) based in Dalton,
George, USA, expressed similar praise for the show: “DOMOTEX is a very
important trade fair for USFloors as the makers of COREtec. Last year we used
DOMOTEX for the European launch of COREtec, and that was a tremendous success.
This year we are unveiling a total of 29 new designs at DOMOTEX, and they have
been meeting with a very good initial response here in Hannover. Visiting
professionals are showing keen interest in our new colors. We are also amazed
at the huge media interest we have experienced at our stand, which is twice as
big as last year’s.”
Professionals of even higher caliber in
attendance
Another outstanding
feature of the event was the high percentage of attending professionals and
decision-makers (91 percent). Attendance by members of the skilled trades –
especially layers of parquet and other flooring – was up by 15 to 20 percent,
and the numbers for visiting wholesale professionals rose accordingly. Around 90
percent of the show’s attendees were decision-makers who came to the show with firm
purchasing intent. Not only that, but DOMOTEX also attracted more
information-seeking interior designers, contract business professionals and decorators.
Flooring trends
With a wide array of creative ideas, innovative
materials and smart solutions on show in 2017, the industry once again
demonstrated just how attractive floor coverings can be. The latest trends
revealed a strong focus on sustainability and natural-looking designs. There is
strong demand for eco-friendly designer products, as well as for laminate and
designer flooring with surfaces of such deceptively natural appearance that
they can hardly be discerned from real wood. In the case of wood flooring, “used”
and grainy patterns and finishes are in, and the resulting products delight
customers in an inexhaustible array of different colors, shapes and formats.
Herringbone patterns are also back in vogue. Carpeting in the form of tiles and
planks continues to gain in popularity. In terms of color, carpets in subdued
sand and stone hues are trending, as are vibrant colors and sophisticated
patterns. Innovative floor laying systems are creating opportunities for
simple, flexible and environmentally friendly application techniques.
Innovations@DOMOTEX
once again a crowd-puller
Among the highlights at this year’s event were the popular
Innovations@DOMOTEX areas in halls 6, 9 and 17, where center stage belonged to
a host of outstanding new products and fresh approaches in textile and
resilient floor coverings, parquet and laminate flooring as well as contemporary
hand-made rugs. This special showcase gave visitors a valuable source of inspiration
and orientation, and a concise way of discovering all the latest products and
trends.
Participants in the DOMOTEX Guided Tours were taken by
expert guides to see selected products and ideas as highlighted by exhibitors
at their stands. The Innovations@DOMOTEX Talks featured international stars of
the scene, including the renowned Alfredo Häberli and designers from Büro
Caramel (Vienna), Sauerbruch Hutton (Berlin), Peter Haimerl. Architektur
(Munich), and Plajer & Franz Studio (Berlin). In a rich series of discussions,
lectures and special tours, the experts explored topics such as how to design “people-friendlier”
living spaces, how to meet tomorrow’s flooring needs, and
what the best environments are for service providers, as well as how optimizing
spaces can set new benchmarks in interior design.
Visions
for the floor coverings of tomorrow
Apart
from showcasing trends for the upcoming season, DOMOTEX also offered an
exciting look at the future of floor design. The new Young Designer Trendtable gave
up-and-coming designers from five European countries the chance to formulate
and present their visions for the flooring of tomorrow. With individually
designed spaces, these talented creators brought their visions to life in a brand-new
kind of showcase. They showed how traditional skills can contribute to modern
manufacturing processes, how materials such as marble and stone can be used in
unusual ways, how hard and soft materials can be combined to great effect, and
how temporarily used rooms can be approached from a fresh angle. This made the
Young Designer Trendtable a major attraction, not only for visiting
professionals, but also for exhibitors in search of inspiration. “Formats such
as the Young Designer Trendtable open up new perspectives at DOMOTEX. I am
amazed at the diversity on display here, ranging from handcrafted one-off
pieces to products manufactured on an industrial scale,” commented Alfredo
Häberli during the show.
In Hall 17, innovative designers such as Creative
Matters, Hossein Rezvani, Rug Art, Rug Star Wool & Silk Rugs and Zollanvari
presented their sumptuous hand-made carpet creations, setting new standards and
pointing the way to future trends. The Carpet Design Awards were presented for
the world’s finest designer carpets and rugs. Offered for the twelfth time at
this year’s DOMOTEX, this international award is considered the “Oscar” of
avant-garde carpets.
Major enhancements to take shape in DOMOTEX 2018
DOMOTEX
is gearing up to be more attractive than ever, with a host of major
enhancements to go live in 2018. The changes are in response to market shifts
and changing requirements, and will also help improve the flow of visitor
traffic. This involves changes to the physical layout of the exhibition in an
effort to make it more transparent for trade visitors and provide a clearer
overview of the market as a whole. Product categories will be restructured as
well. And each year there will be a new keynote theme to place even stronger emphasis
on trends and innovations. The keynote theme for DOMOTEX 2018 is “Unique
Youniverse”, revolving around the sweeping trend towards individualization. The
keynote theme will be specially framed in a highly immersive, multi-faceted set
of environments in Hall 9 aimed at giving visitors a central magnet and a rich
source of inspiration. Brand- and lifestyle-oriented firms will be contributing
to this brand-new showcase.
As
of 2018, DOMOTEX will run from Friday to Monday rather than from Saturday to Tuesday
as in the past. The DOMOTEX will be staged from 12 to 15 January 2018.
DOMOTEX
Worldwide
DOMOTEX
asia/CHINAFLOOR: Shanghai, 21 to 23 March 2017, international trade fair for
carpets and floor coverings in the Asia-Pacific region.
DOMOTEX
Turkey: Gaziantep, 22 to 25 May 2017, Turkey’s leading trade fair for carpets
and floor coverings.
Deutsche
Messe AG
From
its headquarters in Hannover, Germany, Deutsche Messe AG plans and stages
leading capital goods trade fairs around the globe. The company ranks among the
five biggest tradeshow organizers in Germany, with revenue of 329.3 million
euros and a profit of 9.4 million euros in 2015. The company’s event portfolio
includes such world-leading events as CeBIT (digital business), HANNOVER MESSE
(industrial technology), LABVOLUTION feat. BIOTECHNICA (lab technology and
bioengineering), CeMAT (intralogistics and supply chain management), didacta
(education), DOMOTEX (carpets and floor coverings), INTERSCHUTZ (fire
prevention, disaster relief, rescue, safety and security), and LIGNA
(woodworking, wood processing, forestry). With approx. 1,200 employees and a
network of 66 representatives, subsidiaries and branch offices, Deutsche Messe
is present in more than 100 countries worldwide.
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