Decovision Chases Proposte, Scoperta
November 3, 2000
New York — In the spirit of "friendly competition," Decovision (18-22 May 2001) expects to give the Proposte and Scoperta exhibitions a run for their money, according to Rolf Steinwarz, manager of Messe Frankfurt Fairs. Decovision is Messe Frankfurt's international trade fair for furniture fabrics and leathers. The exhibition will be held concurrently with the Interzum fair (furniture and mattress), which runs during odd-numbered years.
Steinwarz made the prediction at a joint press conference in the U.S.A. held by Messe Frankfurt, Köln Messe and Deutsche Messe AG of Hannover.
Proposte, which is held annually in Como, Italy, runs 2-4 May; and Scoperta takes place nearby in Medrisio, Switzerland 1-4 May. While Proposte has limited space, Decovision has plenty of room for growth, said Steinwarz, a longtime veteran of the fair business who plans to retire in the next three years, he said. "The most important manufacturers in the world visit Interzum and this will have a direct positive impact on Decovision," he said.
This is the first jointly held event in cooperation between Rolf Steinwarz and Wilhelm Neidergöker, executive director of Köln Messe. The third partner in the cooperation is Domotex in Hannover. For the first time, the dates of all three fairs don't overlap: Heimtextil is 10-13 January; Domotex will be held 13-16 January and the date of the Cologne Furniture Fair is 15-21 January. Steinwarz said the three fair organizers have always been rivals, but they recognize the need to cooperate on dates and some joint activities.
"We expect to attract at least 100 companies which specialize in furniture fabrics and leathers out of a total of the 280 such exhibitors at Heimtextil. For years now, we have known of the interest in holding a furniture fabric fair in May in Germany.
Heimtextil is too early and Decosit is too late in September. May was the perfect time."
Most of the expected exhibitors are based outside of Germany in Italy, Portugal and Belgium, he said. "In spite of the very strong American dollar, many American companies are still selling upholstery to European buyers who cannot find the same products in their local market," he added. "Decovision should bridge the gap between Heimtextil and Decosit for all of these exhibitors."
Steinwarz highlighted other parts of the world where the Messe Frankfurt is active. In Shanghai, for example, Messe Frankurt's Intertextile exhibition has outgrown its single-facility accommodations in 2000 and is now held in two different fairgrounds. "Heimtextil Russia is also growing fast," Steinwarz said. The organizer ran its first Heimtextil India this year and Steinwarz sees a growing market in India for imports for a population of 300 million with upscale buying power. He feels that quotas will be eliminated in the U.S.A. and Europe for Indian products and this will open doors both ways.
Steinwarz made the prediction at a joint press conference in the U.S.A. held by Messe Frankfurt, Köln Messe and Deutsche Messe AG of Hannover.
Proposte, which is held annually in Como, Italy, runs 2-4 May; and Scoperta takes place nearby in Medrisio, Switzerland 1-4 May. While Proposte has limited space, Decovision has plenty of room for growth, said Steinwarz, a longtime veteran of the fair business who plans to retire in the next three years, he said. "The most important manufacturers in the world visit Interzum and this will have a direct positive impact on Decovision," he said.
This is the first jointly held event in cooperation between Rolf Steinwarz and Wilhelm Neidergöker, executive director of Köln Messe. The third partner in the cooperation is Domotex in Hannover. For the first time, the dates of all three fairs don't overlap: Heimtextil is 10-13 January; Domotex will be held 13-16 January and the date of the Cologne Furniture Fair is 15-21 January. Steinwarz said the three fair organizers have always been rivals, but they recognize the need to cooperate on dates and some joint activities.
"We expect to attract at least 100 companies which specialize in furniture fabrics and leathers out of a total of the 280 such exhibitors at Heimtextil. For years now, we have known of the interest in holding a furniture fabric fair in May in Germany.
Heimtextil is too early and Decosit is too late in September. May was the perfect time."
Most of the expected exhibitors are based outside of Germany in Italy, Portugal and Belgium, he said. "In spite of the very strong American dollar, many American companies are still selling upholstery to European buyers who cannot find the same products in their local market," he added. "Decovision should bridge the gap between Heimtextil and Decosit for all of these exhibitors."
Steinwarz highlighted other parts of the world where the Messe Frankfurt is active. In Shanghai, for example, Messe Frankurt's Intertextile exhibition has outgrown its single-facility accommodations in 2000 and is now held in two different fairgrounds. "Heimtextil Russia is also growing fast," Steinwarz said. The organizer ran its first Heimtextil India this year and Steinwarz sees a growing market in India for imports for a population of 300 million with upscale buying power. He feels that quotas will be eliminated in the U.S.A. and Europe for Indian products and this will open doors both ways.
