The European trade show season is now well underway, starting in Germany during January with the Domotex flooring show in Hanover and the IMM furniture show in Cologne. The shows provide good insights into European wood market prospects in the year ahead.
There was mood of optimism at both shows this year, with each reporting a significant rise in visitor numbers and exhibitors, in line with the general improvement in economic performance across the continent.
However, the shows once again highlighted the challenges both for tropical manufacturers in relation to other wood manufacturers, and for wood generally compared to nonwood materials in the European furniture and interiors sector.
DOMOTEX 2018 showed that the European flooring sector continues to be a diminishing market for tropical wood suppliers and product manufacturers.
The IMM show was more positive for tropical suppliers, highlighting that some furniture manufacturers in the tropics are successfully implementing innovative market development strategies in Europe, building on traditional skills and craft traditions, as well as lower labour costs and environmental initiatives like FLEGT licensing.
Attendance at DOMOTEX 2018 at all-time high
DOMOTEX held in Hannover, Germany, between 12th and 15th January claims to be the world's leading trade fair for floor coverings.
It was host to 1,615 exhibitors this year, an all-time record, with the largest exhibitor nations other than Germany being Turkey, India, Belgium, China, Netherlands, Iran, Italy, Egypt and the USA.
There were 45,000 visitors to the show, another record and up from around 40,000 last year. 19 ITTO TTM Report: 22:2, 16 – 31 January 2018
Nearly 30,000 visitors came from outside Germany, of which around 60% were from other European countries, 25% from Asia and 11% from the Americas. This year there was a significant increase in attendance from the United States and South and Central America.
The majority of DOMOTEX visitors were buyers from specialist retailers and wholesalers as well as architects and interior designers and workers from the skilled trades.
A significant increase in attendance was particularly evident among home furnishing and furniture stores, architects, interior designers, contract floorers and skilled tradesmen.
