News

Focus Küche & Bad 2010 successful in Hiddenhausen: Acknowledged as the central information- and order platform for Europe’s professionals

The tenth Focus Küche & Bad in Hiddenhausen was characterised by a good atmosphere created by both exhibitors and visitors. From 18 to 23 September, 63 suppliers, manufacturers and service organisations showcased their product innovations and services for 2011 to the trade visitors. Event organiser Clarion Survey GmbH registered 8.932 visitors according to the FKM during the six days.

As every year, Focus Küche & Bad attracted Europe’s professionals due to its importance as an innovation and information platform: Experts representing corporations, owners of bath and kitchen studios, designers and architects, as well as decision-makers representing the wholesale market, purchasing associations and furniture stores, but also representatives of the skilled trades took advantage of Focus Küche & Bad 2010. As in the year before, the number of visitors was recorded by the event organiser Clarion Survey GmbH (Bielefeld) according to guidelines created by the FKM - the Society for the Voluntary Control of Trade Fair and Exhibition Statistics in Berlin (www.fkm.de). 

Participants give positive Feedback

This year, Focus Küche & Bad only ran six days – one day less than in previous years. According to the FKM, 8.932 visitors were counted between 18 and 23 September (the fair ran seven days in the previous year: FKM- tested figures 10.742). Due to the cycle of the fair, fewer exhibitors were present this year (63 this year, 89 last year). Hence, the results only represent a marginal decrease in the mood of the fair. The right decision-makers met again during the week-long event. Due to recent signs of economic recovery, especially on the German domestic market, as well as a re-emerging positive development of export figures in the kitchen industry, exhibitors came to Hiddenhausen with positive expectations – and the majority of them was delighted to take home well-filled order books.

Out of the six days the fair ran, the largest numbers of visits were counted on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The majority (89%) of visitors attending Focus Küche & Bad came from Germany (84% in 2009), while around 11 % of all attendees came from other countries (16% in the previous year). A total of 39 visitor nations is proof of the lasting attractivity of Focus Küche & Bad- also for the international market. As every year, the majority of the international visitors came from the Netherlands and Belgium, Germany’s direct neighbours. The number of attendees of these two nations combined made up for more than half of the foreign visitors of Focus Küche & Bad, followed by specialists from Austria, France, Italy, Poland and Luxemburg.

Compact Product and Information Platform

Right on time for the order date in autumn, the professionals visiting Focus Küche & Bad were offered an extensive premiere show of the industry’s innovations. The product range included kitchen hoods, worktops, fittings, the large family of built-in appliances and systems, sinks and accessories. Additionally, several services for the kitchen industry were presented.
Once again, renowned market leaders and numerous specialists exhibited in Hiddenhausen, including A.S.K, Baumatic, Beko, Berbel, Berghoff, Franke, Grohe, Naber, Oranier, Quooker, Sedia Küchentechnik, Joh. Sprinz GmbH & Co. KG, Systemceram, Termikel, V-Zug AG and W & B Appliances/Metal Solutions to name but a few. Trade associations such as Der Kreis, Küchen-Areal, Küche & Co., Küchen Partner AG and KüchenTreff also attended with attractive network offers and extensive trade services.

Eopus GmbH, Compusoft Deutschland GmbH, Plantek Heidelberg GmbH, SHD GmbH & Co. KG and Softronik GmbH, meanwhile, showcased software solutions for the sector. This year, Focus Küche & Bad was delighted to gain a large number of first-time exhibitors. Akemi chem. techn. Spezialfabrik GmbH, Alvaeus Deutschland GmbH, Bora Lüftungstechnik GmbH, Carbonit Filtertechnik GmbH, Elag Products GmbH, Grohe Deutschland Vertriebs GmbH, Felego Handelsagentur, Rossittis GmbH Naturstein-Import and Weil Industrieanlagen GmbH exhibited at the fair for the first time.

A practical new feature was particularly well received by attendees. Visitors who registered on the new online registration system at www.f-kb.de were able to print out their own free ticket to the trade fair. It gave them direct access to the hall on all days of the fair – delivering excellent time savings compared with on-site registration at the entrance.

Event areas create a lively atmosphere

Special events are playing a more and more important role at Focus Küche & Bad. In addition to the typical Focus portfolio, D 22 offered exclusive grocery and wines, which interested parties were able to order directly either for private or commercial purposes. The presentation showcased creative lifestyle ideas designed to show retailers how kitchen showrooms can create a real experience of the pleasures of cooking and dining, in a way that meets people’s lifestyle requirements and boosts visitor numbers.

D 24 was used for a whole range of events. For the first time, the winners of the “BMK-Innovationspreis” (BMK Innovation Award) were announced at Focus Küche & Bad on Sunday 19 September. For the fifth time, the Bundesverband Mittelständischer Küchenfachhandel (BMK - Federal German Association of the Mid-Sized Kitchen Trade) had asked the trade to rate innovative products in three categories: kitchen furniture, kitchen equipment and accessories. This year, the following companies won first place: 1st place in the category kitchen furniture was gained by Häcker (Rödinghausen) with “emotion Nova”. Siemens (Munich) won in the category kitchen equipment with the “Siemens Modular- Dishwasher”. In the category accessories, Blanco (Oberdingen) won first place for the sinks of the “Blanco AXis Concept”.

And after the BMK award ceremony, all exhibitors, visitors and neighbours of Focus Küche & Bad met for the FKB after-work party at 5.30pm, which was the perfect opportunity for socialising and networking. From 18 to 23 September, D 24 also provided an effective platform for fascinating exhibitor presentations and trade press conferences. On Monday 20 September, D 24 was also the venue for the annual press conference of the Verband der Deutschen Küchenmöbelindustrie (VdDK, German Kitchen Manufacturers’ Association) e.V., Herford, Germany.

Sector presents itself cautiously optimistic for the future

VdDK managing director Dr. Lucas Heumann summarised the development on the kitchen furniture market of 2010 at a press conference: „There has been only a slight decrease on the domestic market and a significant recovery on the foreign markets, especially in Asia.” The VdDK is expecting an improvement on the domestic market for the second half of the year. Autumn and Christmas sales will generate positive results, especially for the kitchen furniture market. According to the VdDK, a growth rate of 2% was recorded on the foreign markets on June 30 2010; however, the developments strongly varied depending on the individual target regions. According to Heumann, the Asian markets recovered most significantly, while the development on the European markets varied greatly: While improved results could be reported for the Belgian (+20.2%), French (+19.7%) and Austrian (+13.8%) markets, there were further decreases on the Russian (-28-9%), Czech (-17.1%), Dutch (-13.3%) and British (-4.8%) markets.

The VdDK expects that these European markets, too, will recover in the second half of 2010. However, the export-levels of 2008 are still far from achieved today. On June 30 2010, the foreign revenues of the German kitchen furniture industry are still to be 6.1% lower as compared to those of the same period in 2008. Heumann states: „The kitchen furniture industry will need to catch up in the years to come. Due to the stability on the domestic market, the productivity of the German kitchen furniture industry has gained further momentum in comparison to its foreign competitors. We are more competitive than ever before and we will be able to implement that in the years to come with significant growth in exports.”

The VdDK also presented its new, comprehensive statistics tool for member companies. Behind the backdrop of the electronical system “E-Statistik”, a close-knit network of internal data surveys to create extended order statistics was implemented in cooperation with the software developer Eckhard + Partner from Bad Soden/Germany. Heumann states: „Additionally to accuracy of the content, the software enables us to work much faster than the German federal statistical office, which will not publish its official statistics until the end of the month after next.” According to Heumann, other new features of the VdDK’s statistical tool include complaints statistics, an actual wage survey and age statistics. The latter shows an appropriate age development of employees working in the kitchen furniture industry. According to the VdDK, the sector is not threatened by excess of age threat to -on the contrary. Heumann: “In terms of training young professionals and the personnel development in companies, the kitchen furniture industry is the best positioned sub-sector of the furniture industry.”


Focus Küche & Bad 2011

Focus Küche & Bad is an efficient marketplace that makes the market more open and accessible for Europe’s professionals in the industry. Next year between September 17 and 22, it will re-open its doors to offer an extensive and informative professional platform to both exhibitors and visitors.