imm Cologne 2022 Set for January

September 29, 2021  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

“After two years apart, it’s finally time for face-to-face encounters to return. imm cologne 2022 will be the first Interior Business Event at which companies will present major trends and innovations to an international audience following the hiatus caused by the pandemic,” says Matthias Pollmann, vice president Trade Fair Management.

The latest figures confirm the importance of the industry trade fair for the market. In the European context, Germany remains the market with the strongest sales for furniture producers, despite the events of the past 15 months.

“By providing access to the important German furniture market and contacts with international buyers, imm cologne offers great business potential for furniture manufacturers from inside and outside Germany,” said Jan Kurth, managing director of the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM).

For the trade, a visit to the fair is also worthwhile because it is the only way for both target groups to generate new business on a sound footing. “The specialized trade still considers the in-person trade fair format to be of the utmost relevance. The industry urgently needs a little business normality. Experiencing the products, trend scouting as well as networking and ordering on-site at the event are essential for business and form the basis of a sustainable customer experience in the specialized trade,” says Christian Haeser, managing director of the Federal Association of the German Furniture, Kitchen and Furnishing Trade (BVDM). “The restart of imm cologne – augmented by innovative, digital formats – sends the right signal!”

After the experience of the crisis, imm cologne is the ideal place for companies to take stock of their position in the market and for visitors to fine-tune their existing partners. This is their chance to make a renewed, comprehensive comparison of concepts and products. Face-to-face conversations will then lay the groundwork for their future innovations. That is why imm cologne will doubtless help many trade visitors to determine their position: what worked well in the pandemic? Which supply chains was I able to rely on? Which partners helped me, and what new partners do I need? Another reason to attend imm cologne in person in January. This makes the industry gathering the driver for future success for both exhibitors and visitors.

“Everyone benefits from international dialogue,” says Claire Steinbrück, director of imm cologne. “This creates opportunities for new and different trading partners. If you want to be successful, you have to be familiar with the markets and the players and take advantage of the opportunities available to you abroad. All in all, the evidence from the last few years has revealed that the quality of imm cologne visitors has increased with every passing year.”