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10/10/2006
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Final Report: spoga+gafa thrills as world’s leading trade fair for garden and leisure market
Spoga+Gafa 2006 in the new exhibition centre for the first time
Almost 50,000 trade visitors from 103 countries - excellent attendance from outside Germany. Exhibitors and visitors welcome new product segmentation
Koelnmesse Entrance South and Piazza opened
Fully booked with exhibitors and recording excellent visitor numbers - in 2006, spoga+gafa Cologne - the International Trade Fair for Sport, Camping and Garden Lifestyle and the International Garden Trade Fair - once again confirmed its globally leading role as the top specialist trade fair for the garden and leisure markets. Almost 50,000 trade visitors from 103 countries attended the global business platform, which closed its doors on Tuesday, 5th September 2006, after three days. It was the first time the fair has been held at the new Koelnmesse exhibition centre. Oliver P. Kuhrt, Executive Vice President of Koelnmesse: "Innovations, proximity to markets, international contacts - everything was perfect for visitors and exhibitors." And at the opening of the trade fair on Sunday, Fritz Schramma, Mayor of the City of Cologne, was on hand to open the new Entrance South and the Piazza. With this event, following the new construction of the Northern Halls and the Boulevard and the modernisation of the Southern Halls, the restructuring of the facilities is almost completed.
The new exhibition centre, comprising 284,000 m² gross exhibition space and an additional 80,000 m² of outdoor area, has enabled a restructuring of the product groups at spoga+gafa - a step that has met with unanimous approval from both visitors and exhibitors alike. The 2,456 suppliers (77 percent from outside Germany) came from 64 countries and occupied the entire exhibition centre, presenting their new products in the five new product groups Outdoor Living, Indoor/Outdoor Ambience, Outdoor Activities, Outdoor Technology and Equestrian Sports.
Despite capricious weather and tax increase: confidence across the board
All participants agreed: spoga+gafa is and will remain the most important event for the garden and leisure market. "The positive mood that rules here in Cologne is rubbing off on the suppliers and the trade," summed up the general tone at the exhibition centre. All of the sectors participating in the trade fair are obviously feeling the effects of a modest economic upturn which should gain further momentum thanks to the new products presented at spoga+gafa. The garden market, which has been knocked about by this year's capricious weather, is hoping for a revival in the market as early as this autumn. "Convenience, status and health: These three trends will decisively affect the garden market over the coming years, albeit to differing extents," is the verdict of Dr. Gerd Müller-van Ißem, Managing Director of the Industrial Association of Garden Equipment Manufacturers (IVG). "The wealth of ideas, innovative power and the feeling for new movement within the sector on the part of the exhibitors at spoga+gafa 2006 make me confident that our sector will continue its successful development." Siegfried Höhne, Managing Director of the Federal Association of the German Sports Goods Industry (BSI), Bad Honnef, believes that the optimism of the sports goods, camping, garden furniture and leisure sector has been confirmed by the course of the trade fair. "The economic upturn on the consumer goods market announced by the leading market research institutes has already had an effect at this year's trade fair."
The sector leaders have differing assessments of the momentum provided by purchases brought forward due to the VAT increase to be levied in 2007. Some market participants expect increased turnover in domestic demand, while other top brands view the phenomenon in a more relaxed light thanks to their international alignment.
Visitor survey confirms the trade visitors' impressive qualifications
Exhibitors in all product segments had very high praise for the fact that the trade visitors were highly qualified and high-ranking decision-makers. This finding is confirmed by the initial results of a visitor survey conducted by an independent organisation. A total of 91 per cent of the respondents are involved with purchasing decisions, and 40 per cent of them even play decisive roles in the process. In addition, 60 per cent of them came from all levels of the trade. The survey showed that 15 per cent of the respondents represented industrial companies and 11 per cent were from the services sector. The most important reasons for visiting the fair were (multiple responses possible): to learn about new products and trends (91 per cent), to make purchases or prepare for purchasing (50 and 73 per cent respectively), to establish contact with new suppliers (52 per cent) and to maintain existing business contacts (59 per cent). When asked if they had achieved their goals at the trade fair, 78 per cent of the visitors surveyed said they were "satisfied" or "very satisfied", and 81 per cent expressed the same degrees of satisfaction with the product range presented. And high marks were given to the services provided at the fair: 82 per cent of the visitors who took part in the survey rated the services as "very good" or "good". What's more, 68 per cent responded that they are planning to either "definitely" or "probably" come to Cologne for spoga 2007; 22 per cent are still undecided. An impressive 94 per cent of the respondents said they would recommend a visit to spoga+gafa Cologne to their most important business associates.
Upbeat mood in "Outdoor Living" area - growing demand for wickerwork
"The new structure of the spoga+gafa halls is ideal for us," said exhibitors and visitors at the "Outdoor Living" area, which now more than ever is "a fair within a trade fair". The area is now presented in Halls 1, 2, 3 and 11, which are adjacent to one another. A very upbeat mood, strong enthusiasm for innovative collections, and an impressive international character - these were the strengths that spokespersons at exhibitors' stands cited in praising the positive atmosphere in the fair's largest product area. They were very satisfied with the strong attendance figures and impressive qualifications of the trade visitors from around the world, whose numbers included long-standing customers as well as many new visitors discovering the fair for the first time. Exhibitors welcomed buyers from the full spectrum of sales channels, including a growing number from the specialist furniture trade who were on hand in response to the continuing popularity of high-quality indoor/outdoor furniture. Once again, it was a complete success: the Outdoor Furniture Center of Excellence in Hall 2.2. The centre featured more than 50 companies from 12 countries that assign a high priority to top-quality design, innovations, select materials and overall product quality. "We can clearly see the effects of the economic upturn in Germany, and there's a greater willingness once again to invest in high-end products for living areas," commented an exhibitor at the Centre of Excellence.
"Wickerwork, wickerwork, wickerwork" - that was the nearly universal response to the question of which garden furniture trends will be hot for the 2007 season. The latest flexible, easy to care for plastic materials in all of the latest trendy colours are superbly suited for realising striking design ideas that satisfy the leaning towards individualist lifestyles. Whether the demand is for a four-poster bed or a seating landscape that can accommodate all the guests at a party - every wish is fulfilled. And last but not least, wicker materials are a solution to a problematic issue for the sector - the scarcity of good certified woods. Demand continues to be strong for combinations of materials: Wood, wickerwork, woven textiles, stainless steel and aluminium are used in various combinations covering a wide spectrum. It was impossible to miss the hit colours for the coming season - classy black and pure white, in addition to nature-inspired tones including apple green, orange, aqua and blackberry.
Grilling and barbecuing are enjoying huge popularity
"Business is booming" was the message from the suppliers in the Grill & Barbeque segment at spoga. The exhibitors were delighted by the large number of visitors from Germany and abroad, and praised the "positive trend", "very good response", "very good demand" and "increase over last year's figure". Enthusiasm was high among large-scale producers and specialists in high-price niche markets alike. In Germany, charcoal grilling is still the most popular form of barbeque. Here, the need for replacement was often fulfilled by gas barbeques, which are slowly gaining market share. Suppliers of charcoal and barbeque fuels are resisting the trend, for example, with ready-packaged compact briquettes that - when ignited without additional firelighters - produce their glowing coals in just 15 minutes. Outdoor kitchens are becoming an increasingly important part of manufacturers' product line-ups, although forecasts indicated that their sales potential is rather limited. Kurt Schlieper, managing director of the Grillverband barbeque and grilling equipment manufacturers' association: "The trend in grilling and barbeque is clearly towards higher-quality products. Gourmet grilling is very popular. The fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, however, will remain a marginal, though important, segment." At the same time, Schlieper announced that there will be price increases, particularly for products that are dependent on petroleum or are effected by the higher raw materials prices for stainless steel. The head of the sector's trade associations expect the trade to post good turnover in the remainder of this year, due to consumer purchases made in advance of the sales tax increase scheduled to take effect next year.
Camping, Sports and Games: The focus was on new products
The exhibitors from the Camping, Sports and Games segment also benefited from the generally positive mood during the twin trade fairs spoga+gafa. As was the case in other product segments, the great satisfaction with the trade fair results in this area was largely due to the very large turnout of trade visitors from abroad. Cologne not only attracted regular customers; many trade fair participants also were able to establish promising new business contacts with buyers from other European countries and overseas. In some cases, participants were able to sign contracts on the very first day of the fairs. The buyers particularly focused on the broad range of new products that are traditionally devoted to camping equipment, water sports, and sports and games related to leisure activities and holiday topics.
Outdoor technology: Target-group-specific innovations in all segments
Regardless of whether they were catering to end consumers or professional users, the suppliers from the outdoor technology segment used the time in between gafa trade fairs last year to develop numerous new products which they have now presented. A characteristic feature of the innovations was their decidedly target-group-specific orientation. These innovations ranged from low-vibration lawn mowers for long hours of gardening or landscaping work to powerful yet low-emission motor technology for professional applications in the lumber industry, and comfortable speed control systems for lawn mowers in private gardens. As a result, the specialist trade found exactly what it wanted from the 635 suppliers at the fair. The trend towards cost-cutting or premium-quality products continued. However, the heyday of the "greed is good" trend is definitely over, said one of the trade specialists in attendance. The exhibitors were consequently satisfied with the results in this product segment. "spoga+gafa is the chief forum for presenting our new products," said a leading exhibitor about the importance of the trade fair for his sector.
Many of the companies located in the new Northern Halls 6, 7 and 8 praised the new infrastructure, which represented a "quantum leap" on the previous setting and offered completely new opportunities for presentations. The leaders in the sector were correspondingly creative in the design of their stands and decorations, which once again demonstrated the industry's positive mood, which was not ruined by a long winter, an extremely hot July and a rainy August. "We expect business to be good in autumn and anticipate that next year's increase in the German VAT will give sales a boost as a result of earlier-than-planned purchases," was the optimistic assessment of one of the manufacturers.
Besides positive trends in domestic demand, the technology sector can particularly rely on a prospering export market - a fact that was also reflected in the visitor structure. "The share of visitors from abroad, and particularly from eastern Europe, has increased. The quality of the trade visitors at spoga+gafa 2006 is excellent."
(Green) thumbs up for Indoor/Outdoor Ambience
"We welcomed the very best visitors at our stand," said one of the leading managers from the sector about the quality of the visitors attending this year's spoga+gafa. He added: "At times, we didn't know who to serve first. We would like gafa to take place every year again." The visitor turnout was also good in this segment, with increased numbers coming this year from eastern Europe and Asia. The exhibitors certified that all of the visitors - whether from Germany or elsewhere - were highly qualified and had extensive knowledge of the market. The restructuring of the product segments also won unanimous approval. "The products that belong together were brought together," said one exhibitor.
For example, the trade visitors found many irrigation developments concentrated in one location. These developments range from systems for the precise watering of unusually shaped lawn areas to low-energy pumps for use in ponds (very popular in times of rising prices for raw materials) and equipment for determining the exact size of bodies of water. In their new products, the manufacturers are focusing on smart design and functionality. For many producers in the plants and plant-care product segment, the innovations focused on the correct dosage of water. The products in this segment were clearly designed to meet consumer requests for more convenience. Solutions that allow gardeners to water their plants less often while still achieving the optimum dosage were extremely popular among end consumers.
When it comes to decorations, the range of products on offer will delight purists and romantics alike. Ensembles in black and white, or massive plant pots that look like sculptures - and in some cases are even illuminated - provide a modern touch. By contrast, the soft colours and playful shapes of the "New Romantic" style are pushing their way onto the market. According to many manufacturers, theme-oriented demonstrations at the POS will be increasingly popular.
"spoga - the most important trade fair for equestrian sports"
The International Equestrian Sports Centre at this year's event impressed exhibitors and visitors alike. The new location, the much more spacious stands and the remodelled, clearly structured exhibition grounds were key factors contributing to this positive effect, according to exhibitors. "This was a really beautiful and successful trade fair," said a major German exhibitor. One of his competitors added: "spoga has always been the most important trade fair for equestrian sports - and it will remain so!" Not only did spoga fulfil the high expectations of the exhibitors in terms of the number of visitors coming to their stands - the quality of the discussions conducted at the stands was also even better than they had hoped for, causing many to say, "Our appointment calendars are full!" Exhibitors praised in particular the large numbers of highly qualified trade visitors from abroad, who represented companies from all over Europe and beyond. This year, not only importers travelled to Cologne from countries such as Bolivia, South Africa, Dubai and Japan. In addition, equestrian retailers combined their visit to spoga with an appearance at the recently concluded World Equestrian Games in Aachen, which generated strong momentum for the sector, according to leading exhibitors. The suppliers at the Equestrian Sports Centre were pleased to report that trade visitors had once again filed a large number of orders for products of every kind for horses and riders, from grooming equipment, fittings, saddlery goods and saddles to riding helmets and clothing. There was a clear trend toward products that serve customers' growing need for individuality. The main focus was on high-quality products for horses and riders that can be combined by purchasers in many different ways.
spoga+gafa Cologne 2006 in figures
A total of 2,456 companies from 64 countries (77 per cent from abroad) participated in spoga+gafa Cologne 2006, occupying a gross exhibition space of 284,000 m². The participants included 548 exhibitors and 24 additionally represented companies from Germany as well as 1,786 exhibitors and 98 additionally represented companies from abroad. A total of nearly 50,000 visitors from 103 countries were registered, and 55 per cent of them came from outside Germany.
The next event in Cologne:
- 2007: spoga, the International Trade Fair for Sport, Camping and Garden Lifestyle, will be held from Sunday, 2nd to Tuesday, 4th September.
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(Fuente de información: Koeln Messe)
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